Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Mainz University neuroscientist professor receives ERC Advanced Grant

The European Research Council (ERC) has earmarked some EUR 2.5 million to fund research being conducted by neuroscientist Professor Dr. Robert Nitsch at the Mainz University Medical Center.

5 Dec 2012

Rethinking therapy decisions in autoimmune encephalopathy

Researchers say that diagnosis and management of encephalopathies may need to be rethought, as many patients who test negative for the relevant antibody still benefit from immunotherapy.

4 Dec 2012

Parasympathetic dysfunction underpins Gulf War Syndrome

Gulf War veterans with self-reported symptoms of autonomic dysfunction have objective evidence of underlying damage to central and peripheral cholinergic function, a study shows.

4 Dec 2012

Docosahexaenoic acid levels reduced in bipolar disorder patients

Results from an Italian study show that plasma levels of docosahexaenoic acid are significantly lower in patients with bipolar disorder than in mentally healthy individuals.

4 Dec 2012

Family history best discriminator of bipolar disorder from depression in young people

A family history of bipolar, psychotic, or substance use disorders best differentiates adolescents and young adults with emerging bipolar disorder from those with unipolar depression, say Australian researchers.

4 Dec 2012

Adiponectin level may underpin atherogenic haptoglobin phenotype

Researchers have suggested an active role for adiponectin in the pathophysiology of vascular disease in patients with diabetes, that depends on their haptoglobin phenotype.

4 Dec 2012

Mouthwash may reduce bacteremia after wisdom tooth extraction

Use of a povidone iodine- or chlorhexidine-based mouthwash immediately before third molar extraction reduces bacteria levels in patients' blood after the procedure, Turkish study findings reveal.

4 Dec 2012

Excess vitamin A intake has calcification repercussions

Excess dietary vitamin A intake is significantly associated with increased heart valve calcification, show results from an animal study.

4 Dec 2012

New research finds bisphenol A in fetal liver tissues

New research from the University of Michigan School of Public Health found BPA, or bisphenol A, in fetal liver tissue, demonstrating that there is considerable exposure to the chemical during pregnancy.

4 Dec 2012

Healthy eating prevents second heart attack, stroke or death in people with CVD

A heart-healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fish significantly reduces the chance of a second heart attack and stroke in people with cardiovascular disease, McMaster University researchers have found.

4 Dec 2012

Swedish Medical Center/First Hill named among Leapfrog Group's 2012 Top Hospitals

The Leapfrog Group's annual class of 'Top Hospitals' – just 89 from a field of nearly 1,200 – will be announced today in Baltimore, Md., and includes Swedish Medical Center/First Hill for the third year in a row. The announcement will take place at Leapfrog's Annual Meeting.

4 Dec 2012

Sorin Group’s Mitroflow valve receives Japanese PMDA approval

Sorin Group, a global medical company and a leader in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, announced today that it received the Japanese Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) approval for the Mitroflow Aortic Pericardial Heart Valve.

4 Dec 2012

Children's Hospital Los Angeles earns Top Hospital designation from Leapfrog Group

For the fourth consecutive year, Children's Hospital Los Angeles has earned the Top Hospital designation from The Leapfrog Group, which annually recognizes the best hospitals in the nation for providing the safest and highest quality health care services to patients. Children's Hospital Los Angeles is one of only 12 children's hospitals nationally to receive this honor and was the only children's hospital in California to earn the top award.

4 Dec 2012

Leapfrog Group names Kaiser Permanente among 2012 Top Hospitals

Seventeen Kaiser Permanente hospitals – 10 in Northern California and seven in Southern California – have been named 2012 "Top Hospitals" by the Leapfrog Group, an honor that rewards medical centers for their outstanding success in areas such as reducing infection rates, safety practices, mortality rates for common procedures and measures of efficiency.

4 Dec 2012

New screening tool to help reduce workplace accidents and illnesses

An international team of sleep researchers has developed the world's first screening tool to help reduce workplace accidents and illnesses, including cardiovascular disease and cancer, caused by shift work.

4 Dec 2012

The Leapfrog Group honors Northwestern Memorial and Lake Forest with 'A' Hospital Safety Score

Memorial Hospital and Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital have been selected as 2012 Top Hospitals by The Leapfrog Group, an organization that provides the only national, public comparison of hospitals across safety, quality and efficiency dimensions. Northwestern Memorial and Northwestern Lake Forest are honored among an elite group of only 92 hospitals selected out of nearly 1,200 surveyed.

4 Dec 2012

Chronic periodontitis present more often in men with erectile dysfunction

Men in their thirties who had inflamed gums caused by severe periodontal disease were three times more likely to suffer from erection problems, according to a study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

4 Dec 2012

Combined oral contraceptives increase risk of blood clots in women with PCOS

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who are taking combined oral contraceptives have a 2-fold risk of blood clots compared with women without the disorder who take contraceptives, states a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

4 Dec 2012

Researchers identify 4 new genetic regions that influence birth weight

Researchers have identified four new genetic regions that influence birth weight, providing further evidence that genes as well as maternal nutrition are important for growth in the womb. Three of the regions are also linked to adult metabolism, helping to explain why smaller babies have higher rates of chronic diseases later in life.

4 Dec 2012

Researchers discover 15 new genetic regions linked with coronary artery disease

The University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) participated in the largest genetic study of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) to date. Researchers from the CARDIoGRAMplusC4D Consortium report the identification of 15 genetic regions newly associated with the disease, bringing to 46 the number of regions associated with CAD risk.

3 Dec 2012