Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

FDA approves Spectranetics' advanced GlideLight Laser Sheath

The Spectranetics Corporation today announced FDA approval of the new advanced GlideLight Laser Sheath for removal of cardiac leads. As part of the company's vision to safely manage every lead, GlideLight delivers more precise control to reduce the force for safe lead extraction.

26 Apr 2012

Kids who are abused or bullied may age faster

The study finds that violence-related stress in children affects telomeres - special DNA sequences found at the tips of chromosomes. Telomeres, which prevent DNA from unravelling, get shorter each time cells divide, which limits the number of times cells can divide. Shorter telomeres have been linked to poorer survival and chronic diseases. Previous research has shown that smoking, obesity, mental-health disorders and stress may accelerate the process of telomere loss. This suggests that telomere length may reflect a person's biological age as well as their chronological age.

25 Apr 2012

Dark chocolate good for the heart: Study

A new study finds that dark chocolate may lower the risk of heart disease by lowering levels of blood glucose and bad cholesterol while boosting levels of good cholesterol.

25 Apr 2012

Prostate cancer screening recommendations not heeded by 44% men: Survey

81-year-old billionaire Warren Buffett was diagnosed with prostate cancer after having the finding initially detected through a screening blood test to measure a cancer marker called prostate specific antigen or PSA.

25 Apr 2012

Financial education can improve a person's physical health

It's no secret that financial education is a good thing, especially in the current economy. What is not common knowledge, however, is that financial education can improve a person's physical health in addition to their financial health.

25 Apr 2012

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine launches Centre for Global Non-Communicable Diseases

The Centre for Global Non-Communicable Diseases, a unique initiative that brings together researchers, policy makers, funders and patient advocacy groups worldwide to focus research and expertise on this growing global health challenge, is launched today (25 April) at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

25 Apr 2012

Vitamin D supplementation in winter can help lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients

A new study, presented at the European Society of Hypertension meeting in London, shows that vitamin D supplementation in winter can help lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension.

25 Apr 2012

South African model for concussion management

Jon Patricios, MMBCh, MMed Sci, will be presenting "Mandela's Mantra: A South African Model for Concussion Management" at the 21st American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA on Tuesday, April 24.

25 Apr 2012

Researchers evaluate haptic navigation aid to keep driver's eyes safely on the road

A vibrating steering wheel is an effective way to keep a driver's eyes safely on the road by providing an additional means to convey directions from a car's navigation system, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and AT&T Labs have shown.

25 Apr 2012

Bile plays a critical role in development of Barrett's esophagus

For many people with gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, acid reflux drugs are the answer to their woes, curbing the chronic heartburn and regurgitation of food or sour liquid characteristic of the disorder. But when it comes to Barrett's esophagus, a condition commonly found in people with GERD, acid control may be less important than beating back another bodily fluid - bile.

25 Apr 2012

Omega-3 supplements do not improve diastolic function in older adults

Over the past three decades, researchers have firmly established that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have healthy effects on the heart. Omega-3 fatty acids seem to help both in preventing cardiovascular disease as well as in preventing future heart attacks, strokes, and other adverse events in people who have established cardiovascular disease.

25 Apr 2012

Researchers develop new method to analyze flavanols in cocoa

A method for the analysis of flavanols in cocoa has been developed by a team of researchers from Mars Botanical, a scientific division of Mars, Incorporated, and recently published in the Journal of AOAC International.

25 Apr 2012

Researchers examine whether fast foods impact body's reaction to stress in married couples

Today's busy families often rely on fast food and take-out to keep everyone fed and on schedule. Researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center want to know whether those types of food, which are often high in saturated fat, impact the body's reaction to stress.

25 Apr 2012

Book aims to improve overall cardiovascular health of its readers

Dr. Antonio M. Gotto Jr., dean emeritus and co-chairman of the board of overseers at Weill Cornell Medical College, is the co-author of a new book called The Living Heart in the 21st Century. The book, a new edition in The Living Heart best-selling series, is the essential resource guide for patients about cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment.

25 Apr 2012

U-M project to examine link between bipolar disorder and abnormalities in the circadian

A math professor at the University of Michigan will lead an international, $1 million project examining the links between bipolar disorder and abnormalities in the circadian, or daily, rhythms of a mammal's internal clock.

25 Apr 2012

ASH report urges federal agencies to invest in 7 distinct areas of research

The American Society of Hematology (ASH), the world's largest professional society committed to the study and treatment of blood disorders, today issued a report urging federal agencies to coordinate hematology research funding around seven specific high-need areas that would produce the greatest impact and translate into improvements in patient care in the United States.

25 Apr 2012

Researchers develop five different molecular models of the voltage sensor

Every thought, every movement, every heartbeat is controlled by lightning-quick electrical impulses in the brain, the muscles, and the heart. But too much electrical excitability in the membranes of the cells can cause things like epilepsy and cardiac arrhythmia. A research group at Linköping University has now published new discoveries that can lead to new medicines for these diseases.

25 Apr 2012

Vitamin D deficiency associated with increase in lung transplant rejection, infections

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increase in lung transplant rejection and infections, according to research conducted at Loyola University Health System.

25 Apr 2012

Dark chocolate may reduce risk of cardiovascular disease

Chocolate, considered by some to be the "food of the gods," has been part of the human diet for at least 4,000 years; its origin thought to be in the region surrounding the Amazon basin. Introduced to the Western world by Christopher Columbus after his fourth voyage to the New World in 1502, chocolate is now enjoyed worldwide. Researchers estimate that the typical American consumes over 10 pounds of chocolate annually, with those living on the west coast eating the most. Wouldn't it be great if only chocolate were considered healthy?

25 Apr 2012

Fish oil supplementation may effectively reduce periodontal symptoms

Periodontitis, inflammation of the tissue surrounding the teeth, affects more than half of adults and is linked to an increased risk of stroke and other heart problems. To evaluate whether fish oil supplementation could be an adjunct therapy for periodontitis, Dr. Alison Coates from the University of South Australia and colleagues from the School of Dentistry at University of Adelaide in Australia reviewed evidence from eight unique studies that involved humans.

25 Apr 2012