Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Coronary artery calcium tool proves effective in detecting risk of cardiovascular disease

Heart calcium scans are far superior to other assessment tools in predicting the development of cardiovascular disease in individuals currently classified at intermediate risk by their doctors, according to researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

22 Aug 2012

ICUS applauds FDA's decision to modify U.S. product label for OPTISON ultrasound contrast agent

The International Contrast Ultrasound Society (ICUS) today applauded the FDA's decision to modify the U.S. product label for OPTISON, an ultrasound contrast agent used to improve the accuracy of radiation-free ultrasound scans.

22 Aug 2012

OBI’s Oxycyte improves imaging of penumbra following acute ischemic stroke

Oxygen Biotherapeutics, Inc., announced today that recent research conducted by its partner, Aurum Biosciences, Glasgow, Scotland, has shown that Oxycyte, OBI's proprietary perfluorocarbon-based intravenous emulsion, improves imaging of the penumbra following acute ischemic stroke in a rat model.

22 Aug 2012

Corporate power presents a major threat to public health

Professor Gerard Hastings from the Institute for Social Marketing at the University of Stirling argues that marketing by multinational corporations "threatens our mental wellbeing, exacerbates inequalities, and encourages unsustainable consumption."

22 Aug 2012

CIRT to determine whether methotrexate can reduce heart attacks, strokes and CVD deaths

An international multi-site trial has launched to determine whether a common anti-inflammatory drug can reduce heart attacks, strokes, and deaths due to cardiovascular disease in people at high risk for them. This study is being supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), a part of the National Institutes of Health.

22 Aug 2012

Sotera Wireless receives FDA 510(k) clearance for ViSi Mobile System

Sotera Wireless, Inc. announced today that it has received 510(k) clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its full ViSi Mobile System and is commencing sales to hospitals nationwide.

22 Aug 2012

RasGas establishes heart safe workplace with installation of LIFEPAK CR Plus AEDs

Physio-Control, Inc., a provider of emergency medical response solutions worldwide, today announced that global energy supplier RasGas Company Limited (RasGas) has established a heart safe workplace with the installation of LIFEPAK CR Plus automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

22 Aug 2012

Healthcare announces important changes to the U.S. product label for Optison

GE Healthcare today announced important changes to the U.S. product label for Optison (Perflutren Protein-Type A Microspheres Injectable Suspension, USP), a contrast agent that may improve the visualization of the left ventricular border - an area of the heart that is critical to see in order to diagnose certain heart diseases such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

22 Aug 2012

PhaseBio commences Glymera Phase 2b study in type 2 diabetes

PhaseBio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held, clinical-stage biotechnology company developing drugs to treat diabetes, metabolic disease and cardiovascular disease, announced today that it has initiated dosing in a multicenter (USA), randomized, placebo and active comparator controlled Phase 2b study that will enroll approximately 600 patients with type 2 diabetes (hemoglobin A1c 7% - 11%) inadequately controlled with diet and exercise, metformin, a sulfonylurea or a combination of metformin/sulfonylurea.

22 Aug 2012

HDL cholesterol benefits reduced with high C-reactive protein

The cardioprotective effects of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol are compromised in the presence of elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, report researchers.

21 Aug 2012

Highly sensitive troponin assay shortens heart attack diagnosis

An algorithm that incorporates high-sensitivity cardiac troponin could allow accurate rule-in and rule-out of patients with acute chest pain within 1 hour of presentation, a study shows.

21 Aug 2012

Childhood asthma link shows it is never too soon for mums to quit smoking

Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk for asthma and wheezing in early childhood, even if children are not exposed to smoke after birth, a European study shows.

21 Aug 2012

CKD may raise stroke, bleeding risk in AF patients

Danish study results show that the presence of chronic kidney disease appears to raise the risk for stroke, systemic thromboembolism, and bleeding among patients with atrial fibrillation.

21 Aug 2012

CHD patients do not need to rule out high-intensity exercise

Findings from a retrospective study show that patients with coronary heart disease who engage in high-intensity exercise have a similarly low risk for a cardiovascular event as those engaging in moderate-intensity exercise.

21 Aug 2012

Sore throat treatment should be individually tailored

Throat discomfort may have a variety of causes and a range of symptoms, all of which should be considered before decisions about treatment are made, report researchers.

21 Aug 2012

Gene therapy applied to peripheral arterial disease

Hepatocyte growth factor gene therapy could be used to treat patients with severe peripheral arterial disease, suggest results of a phase I clinical trial.

21 Aug 2012

Impulsiveness linked to bipolar disorder severity

Trait impulsiveness is associated with a severe course of bipolar disorder, researchers report.

21 Aug 2012

Tips for menopause symptom relief

An estimated 6,000 women in the U.S. reach menopause every day (about two million annually).The most common menopausal complaints include hot flashes, sleep disturbances, anxiety, poor mood, and physical and mental exhaustion. Hot flashes affect 80 percent of peri- or postmenopausal women, with 30 percent reporting hot flashes severe enough to seriously affect their quality of life.

21 Aug 2012

UCLA Medical Center receives platinum award for outstanding heart attack care

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center has received an award for outstanding heart attack care from the American College of Cardiology Foundation called the NCDR ACTION Registry-GWTG Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2012.

21 Aug 2012

Healthy brown-bag lunch can combat obesity in school children

As the new school year approaches, parents have to decide what their children will eat for lunch. Should they help the kids brown bag it or remember to take their lunch money? While this might not seem to be a major issue, it is - because the importance of school lunch rises with the rates of childhood obesity, say University of Alabama at Birmingham experts.

21 Aug 2012