Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Study shows dramatic improvement in survival with in-hospital cardiac arrest over last decade

A new study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine finds that survival in patients who experience a cardiac arrest in the hospital has increased significantly over the past decade.

16 Nov 2012

People with Prader-Willi Syndrome may have impaired autonomic nervous system

An Australian study reveals that people with the rare genetic disorder known as Prader-Willi Syndrome may have an impaired autonomic nervous system. This discovery opens up a new way of looking at the insatiable appetite experienced by all sufferers, as well as their very high risk of cardiovascular disease.

16 Nov 2012

High risk CVD patients more likely to receive prescriptions for cholesterol-lowering drugs

In a new study, Northwestern Medicine researchers found that patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) are more likely to receive a prescription for cholesterol-lowering medication, and to achieve lower long-term cholesterol levels, when doctors use electronic health records (EHRs) to deliver personalized risk assessments via mail.

16 Nov 2012

Tanshinones protect against sepsis: Study

Researchers at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research have discovered that tanshinones, which come from the plant Danshen and are highly valued in Chinese traditional medicine, protect against the life-threatening condition sepsis. The findings are published in the December issue of Biochemical Pharmacology.

16 Nov 2012

Positive results from POZEN’s PA8140-102 Phase 1 bioavailability study

POZEN Inc., a pharmaceutical company committed to transforming medicine that transforms lives, announced today that the results from a Phase 1 study, PA8140-102, demonstrated that PA8140, POZEN's proprietary combination of aspirin (81 mg) and omeprazole (40 mg), had comparable bioavailability relative to the reference listed product, enteric-coated (EC) aspirin (81 mg).

16 Nov 2012

Electrical engineers develop new technology to monitor medical vital signs

Electrical engineers at Oregon State University have developed new technology to monitor medical vital signs, with sophisticated sensors so small and cheap they could fit onto a bandage, be manufactured in high volumes and cost less than a quarter.

16 Nov 2012

ACOEM provides tools and resources to help employers manage diabetes

In recognition of November as National Diabetes Month, the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) is providing tools and resources to help employers identify and respond to the impact of diabetes on worker health and productivity.

16 Nov 2012

Hearing impairment risk high with diabetes

People with diabetes are at high risk for developing a hearing impairment, report researchers.

15 Nov 2012

Patients expect too much of screening and prevention

Patients overestimate the benefit that can be expected from cancer screening and preventive medications, setting minimal acceptable benefits unrealistically high, the results of a New Zealand study indicate.

15 Nov 2012

Triclosan exposure linked to allergies in children

Norwegian children with high levels of urinary triclosan are more likely to have allergies than children with lower levels, report researchers in Allergy.

15 Nov 2012

Peer support benefits psychoeducation for bipolar patients

Peer support for patients with bipolar disorder may help improve adherence to online psychoeducation programs, study findings suggest.

15 Nov 2012

Omron launches continuous Strapless Heart Rate Monitor

Today Omron Healthcare, Inc., a leader in personal wellness products, launched its first-ever, continuous Strapless Heart Rate Monitor (HR-500U). Exercise enthusiasts can now take their workout to the next level comfortably without an annoying chest strap. Easy to use, the monitor is worn on the wrist and provides accurate, continuous monitoring.

15 Nov 2012

Is it safe to drink alcohol when taking antibiotics?

In the lead up to summer party season, NPS MedicineWise is reminding Australians that while alcohol might not interact with many antibiotics, it’s still important to follow certain rules for taking antibiotics correctly.

15 Nov 2012

Simple ways to reduce risk of lung cancer

More than an estimated 160,000 people in the United States will die from lung cancer this year, making it the country's leading cause of cancer death. According to the National Cancer Institute, it surpassed breast cancer as the number one killer in women back in 1987. It causes more deaths than colon, breast and prostate cancer combined, according to the American Lung Association. Bruce Johnson, MD, the director of the Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, sorts out the facts about lung cancer and offers simple ways to reduce risk.

15 Nov 2012

Trastuzumab increases risk of heart failure in older women with breast cancer

Heart failure is a relatively common complication in older women with breast cancer, but the risk is even higher in those patients treated with adjuvant trastuzumab (Herceptin-), Yale School of Medicine researchers report in the current issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

15 Nov 2012

Heart rate variability may help to understand chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)

Researchers have discovered for the first time that reduced heart rate variability – or changes in heart beat timing – best predicts cognitive disturbances, such as concentration difficulties commonly reported by people with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

15 Nov 2012

Age at onset of first menstrual cycle associated with increased BMI, obesity in adulthood

Age at onset of menarche (first menstrual cycle) is associated with increased body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and overall obesity in adulthood, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

15 Nov 2012

Strokes affecting people at younger ages

Michelle Nimmerrichter was only 20 years old when she suffered a stroke that left her in a coma and on a ventilator.

15 Nov 2012

New gene delivery vehicle opens route to the heart of cells in solid tumors

There are plenty of effective anticancer agents around. The problem is that, very often, they cannot gain access to all the cells in solid tumors. A new gene delivery vehicle may provide a way of making tracks to the heart of the target.

15 Nov 2012

Antibody-coated stents carry increased risk of myocardial infarction and re-operation

If narrowed or blocked coronary vessels have to be widened or opened, a vascular support (stent) is usually inserted. Drug-coated stents are preferred for patients at high risk of renewed narrowing of vessels (restenosis). However, the use of antibody-coated stents has been increasing in recent years. Current studies provide indications that these new antibody-coated stents more frequently lead to myocardial infarction and make re-operation necessary.

15 Nov 2012