Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Non-HDL-C levels appear to increase risk of heart attack or stroke in statin-treated patients

Levels of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) among statin-treated patients appears to be associated with the risk of developing a major cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke, as are levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and apolipoprotein B, according to a meta-analysis of data from previously published studies appearing in the March 28 issue of JAMA.

28 Mar 2012

AABB issues new RBC transfusion guidelines

The transfusion of red blood cells is a common treatment in clinical practice. However, the level at which they are transfused varies based not only on a patient's health, but also is determined by what the administering physician deems appropriate. Today, the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) has issued new guidelines, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, recommending that transfusion of red blood cells be considered at a hemoglobin threshold of 7 to 8 g/dL for stable adults and children.

28 Mar 2012

CABG offers higher survival rates for older adults with CHD than PCI

A new comparative effectiveness study found older adults with stable coronary heart disease (CHD) who underwent bypass surgery had better long-term survival rates than those who underwent a non-surgical procedure to improve blood flow to the heart muscle, also called revascularization.

28 Mar 2012

Mount Sinai researchers present 86 abstracts and plenary sessions at ACC meeting

Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers presented 86 abstracts and plenary sessions at the American College of Cardiology's (ACC) 61st Annual Scientific Session, including ground-breaking research on aggressive statin therapy, the prevalence of unrecognized cardiovascular disease symptoms in women, and morbidity associated with non-adherence to medication after stent implantation. The meeting took place March 23-27, 2012 in Chicago.

28 Mar 2012

UT Southwestern researcher wins prestigious award from International Atherosclerosis Society

Dr. Helen Hobbs, a preeminent researcher on the genetics of cholesterol metabolism at UT Southwestern Medical Center, has won a prestigious award from the International Atherosclerosis Society.

28 Mar 2012

Boston Scientific pledges $100,000 to SIR Foundation's Discovery Campaign

The Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation's Discovery Campaign, which seeks to further the growth of minimally invasive medicine into new areas of discovery, announced a major corporate pledge to that initiative. Boston Scientific, a global leader in medical devices for cardiovascular and peripheral interventions, pledged $100,000 and is a "Pioneer" level supporter.

28 Mar 2012

GIK can reduce cardiac arrest or death in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Paramedics can reduce someone's chances of having a cardiac arrest or dying by 50 percent by immediately administering a mixture of glucose, insulin and potassium ("GIK") to people having a heart attack, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session.

28 Mar 2012

Possible link between sleep apnea and post-surgical delirium

An anecdotal observation of a possible link between sleep apnea and post-surgical delirium has been measured and confirmed by a team of researchers at the Duke University Medical Center.

28 Mar 2012

CRF initiates Harmonizing Outcomes with Revascularization and Stents in AMI II trial

The Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) today announced the initiation of the HORIZONS-AMI II randomized trial, evaluating Promus Element platinum-chromium everolimus-eluting stents versus Omega bare-metal stents in patients with heart attack undergoing primary angioplasty with bivalirudin anticoagulation.

28 Mar 2012

Lower dose of thrombolytics can treat moderate pulmonary embolism

Pulmonary embolism -- the sudden blockage of an artery in the lung -- is estimated to cause over 100,000 deaths each year in the U.S. Although thrombolytics, or "clot-buster" drugs, are currently reserved to treat only the most severe cases of pulmonary embolism, new data suggest that when used at lower doses, these drugs are also safe and effective for more common, moderate cases of pulmonary embolism, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session.

28 Mar 2012

Top-line results from two Targacept TC-6987 Phase 2 studies on asthma, type 2 diabetes

Targacept, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel NNR Therapeutics, today announced top-line results from two separate exploratory Phase 2 studies of its product candidate TC-6987 conducted in the United States, one in asthma and one in type 2 diabetes.

28 Mar 2012

Roundup: Abortion-restriction bills stopped in Ga.; Minnesota can cut health care aide pay; Guidelines for Ore. coordinated care released

One of the most controversial bills this legislative session, that sought to put new restrictions on late-term abortions, was all but gutted Monday after a bipartisan coalition in the state Senate forced key changes. The original proposal would have cut by about six weeks the time women in Georgia may have an elective abortion. With the changes, it would now also include an exemption for "medically futile" pregnancies, giving doctors the option to perform an abortion when a fetus has congenital or chromosomal defects. The change hits at the heart of the controversy: Should fetuses once they hit 20 weeks be protected even if those protections mean women are forced to continue medically risky pregnancies?

28 Mar 2012

Diet guru Pierre Dukan to face ethical hearing

Dr. Pierre Dukan, the founder of the controversial Dukan Diet now faces an ethics hearing after suggesting children could pass a new exam by staying thin. His diet, said to be followed by some celebrities, recommends avoiding starch and carbohydrates. Some nutritionists say it can be dangerous. Dr Jean-Michel Cohen said the protein-rich diet could cause heart disease and breast cancer.

27 Mar 2012

Experimental drugs from Sanofi and Regenron cut cholesterol in a new way

An experimental drug that acts in a novel way to lower cholesterol proved even more effective than statins and had few undesirable side effects, newly released data shows. The drug acts by modifying the way cholesterol levels are naturally controlled. A protein produced in the liver helps limit the amount of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, that liver cells can remove from the bloodstream. The new drug, called REGN727, is a monoclonal antibody, made in a laboratory, that blocks the action of that protein.

27 Mar 2012

Rivaroxaban found safe and effective in pulmonary embolism

Rivaroxaban has been found to be effective in the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) after orthopedic surgery, for the prevention of stroke in AF (Atrial fibrillation) patients, and as additional therapy to conventional antiplatelet therapy in ACS (Acute coronary syndrome) patients.

27 Mar 2012

Chocolate for weight loss: Study

The US survey of a population of more than 1000 adults, published as a research letter in the Archives on Internal Medicine, reinforces the idea that chocolate packs heart healthy benefits, despite its high calorie and sugar content. For the study the participants reported eating chocolate an average of twice a week and exercising an average of 3.6 times a week. Their average age was 57.

27 Mar 2012

New CMS requirement increases ICD placement costs

The cost to place an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) increased by $844 per case after a new requirement from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) went into effect in February 2010, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session.

27 Mar 2012

First Edition: March 27, 2012

In today's headlines, the Supreme Court chronicles continue, with reports detailing what happened during yesterday's opening-day oral arguments and previewing what's on tap for today.

27 Mar 2012

Study reveals clinically relevant differences between on pump and off pump bypass

A large randomized trial comparing bypass surgery done with a heart-lung machine (on pump) and without it (off pump) found no differences in results between techniques overall but some clinically relevant differences, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session.

27 Mar 2012

High-risk, high-cost PCI patients can be identified through pre-procedure bleeding risk score

A pre-procedure bleeding risk score can accurately identify high-risk, high-cost patients and may provide an opportunity to employ bleeding avoidance strategies to improve patient outcomes and reduce total costs related to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures, according to a retrospective study being presented March 26 at the 61st annual American College of Cardiology (ACC) scientific session.

27 Mar 2012

Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Non-HDL-C levels appear to increase risk of heart attack or stroke in statin-treated patients

AABB issues new RBC transfusion guidelines

CABG offers higher survival rates for older adults with CHD than PCI

Mount Sinai researchers present 86 abstracts and plenary sessions at ACC meeting

UT Southwestern researcher wins prestigious award from International Atherosclerosis Society

Boston Scientific pledges $100,000 to SIR Foundation's Discovery Campaign

GIK can reduce cardiac arrest or death in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Possible link between sleep apnea and post-surgical delirium

CRF initiates Harmonizing Outcomes with Revascularization and Stents in AMI II trial

Lower dose of thrombolytics can treat moderate pulmonary embolism

Top-line results from two Targacept TC-6987 Phase 2 studies on asthma, type 2 diabetes

Roundup: Abortion-restriction bills stopped in Ga.; Minnesota can cut health care aide pay; Guidelines for Ore. coordinated care released

Diet guru Pierre Dukan to face ethical hearing

Experimental drugs from Sanofi and Regenron cut cholesterol in a new way

Rivaroxaban found safe and effective in pulmonary embolism

Chocolate for weight loss: Study

New CMS requirement increases ICD placement costs

First Edition: March 27, 2012

Study reveals clinically relevant differences between on pump and off pump bypass

High-risk, high-cost PCI patients can be identified through pre-procedure bleeding risk score

Evolving spectrophotometry for modern biopharma workflows

Scaling B-cell cloning workflows for antibody development

Fluidics in Modern Healthcare & Medical Device Innovation

Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Evolving spectrophotometry for modern biopharma workflows

Scaling B-cell cloning workflows for antibody development

Fluidics in Modern Healthcare & Medical Device Innovation

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