Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

New method of delivering growth factors could lead to revolutionary heart treatment

Ever since the Nobel Prize for nerve growth factor was awarded more than 30 years ago, researchers have been searching for ways to use growth factor clinically.

3 Aug 2011

PBS NewsHour profiles projects competing in saving lives at birth challenge

PBS NewsHour on Monday profiled five projects to improve maternal and child health that are competing for a share of $14 million in research grants through the Saving Lives at Birth challenge.

3 Aug 2011

EAST clinical trial to assess early comprehensive rhythm control therapy for AF

The first patient has been enrolled, in Hamburg, Germany, for the largest pan-European study to determine whether an early comprehensive rhythm control strategy for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) will benefit patients.

3 Aug 2011

Bite Counter can help people monitor how much they eat

Two Clemson University researchers seek to make diners mindful of mindless eating. Psychology professor Eric Muth and electrical and computer engineering professor Adam Hoover have created the Bite Counter, a measurement device that will make it easier for people to monitor how much they eat.

3 Aug 2011

Posttraumatic stress disorder linked to persistent fears of recurrent SAH

One-third of patients who have survived a life-threatening subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) have disabling symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), reports a study in the August issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

3 Aug 2011

Study evaluates humor and laughter in patients with COPD

Having a sense of humor is associated with improved emotional functioning and an enhanced quality of life among patients with a chronic lung illness, but the actual act of laughing out loud can reduce lung function, at least in the short term, research suggests.

3 Aug 2011

JVIR's impact factor increases nearly 15% during 2010

The Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology's impact factor—the measure of a journal's "impact" based on the number of article citations compared to the total number of articles published—increased nearly 15 percent in 2010.

3 Aug 2011

Conference to focus on connection between fluid balance and hypertension

Each day we consume liquids in order to keep hydrated and maintain our body's fluid balance. But just as a water balloon can get overtaxed by too much liquid, the human body is negatively affected when it retains fluids because it is unable to eliminate them properly. One of the key variables influencing how much fluid we hold in our bodies is ordinary table salt.

3 Aug 2011

Hydrogen sulfide protects blood vessels from diabetes complications

Hydrogen sulfide is a foul-smelling gas with an odor resembling that of rotten eggs. Sometimes called "swamp gas," this toxic substance is generally associated with decaying vegetation, sewers and noxious industrial emissions. And - as odd as it may seem - it also plays a critical role in protecting blood vessels from the complications of diabetes, according to a new study from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

3 Aug 2011

New generation antidepressants may increase risk of adverse outcomes in elderly

Older people taking new generation antidepressants are at more risk of dying or suffering from a range of serious health conditions including stroke, falls, fractures and epilepsy, a study involving researchers at The University of Nottingham has found.

3 Aug 2011

Childhood mistreatment may increase risk of coronary heart disease in middle age

For all the ills that result from bad parenting, new evidence from an epidemiological study of thousands of people suggests coronary heart disease (CHD) might be added to that list.

3 Aug 2011

Bear bile compound may help treat heart attack: Study

The compound, ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), is already used to lower cholesterol and help dissolve gallstones, and it's a key ingredient in many traditional Chinese medicines, which use bear bile. According to the latest research from Imperial College London it might also be able to treat abnormal heart rhythm, or arrhythmia, in fetuses and heart attack victims.

3 Aug 2011

USPTO issues notice of allowance for Vermillion's PAD biomarker patent

Vermillion, Inc., a molecular diagnostics company, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a notice of allowance for a patent entitled "Beta-2 microglobulin as a Biomarker for Peripheral Artery Disease."

3 Aug 2011

Pfizer second-quarter revenues decrease 1% to $17.0 billion

Pfizer Inc. today reported financial results for second-quarter 2011. As a result of Pfizer's decision to sell the Capsugel business, all revenues and expenses related to Capsugel in all periods presented are reflected in a single line, Discontinued operations - net of tax.

3 Aug 2011

Roundup: Atlanta hospital facing questions about extending dialysis care to immigrants; Fla. to limit HMO choices for state workers

The agreement providing dialysis for immigrants who were former Grady patients expires at the end of August, and it's unclear what will happen next. ... Grady's financial situation has deteriorated recently, and its losses this year could reach $20 million or more. Meanwhile, the hospital continues to shoulder an enormous financial burden in caring for uninsured patients, including immigrants, providing more than $200 million in indigent care annually.

3 Aug 2011

Scientists look to create blood platelets from stem cells to study genetics of blood clotting disorders

Johns Hopkins scientists have launched a pioneering research program to create, for the first time, human platelet cells from stem cells in order to study inherited blood clotting abnormalities ranging from clots that cause heart attacks and stroke to bleeding disorders. The study is funded by a $9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as part of a nationwide initiative to examine how genetic variations cause heart, lung and blood diseases.

2 Aug 2011

Smoking doubles risk of atrial fibrillation

Results from a large, United States based cohort study show that current smokers double their risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF) compared to people who have never smoked, after more than 13 years of follow-up. The study, published in the August edition of HeartRhythm, the official journal of the Heart Rhythm Society, indicates a trend towards significantly lower risk of developing AF for those who quit smoking cigarettes versus those who continue to smoke.

2 Aug 2011

Sea Squirts found to have pacemaker cells similar to human heart

An international team of molecular scientists have discovered that star ascidians, also known as sea squirts, have pacemaker cells similar to that of the human heart. The research, published in the JEZ A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology, may offer a new insight into the early evolution of the heart as star ascidians are one of the closest related invertebrates to mammals.

2 Aug 2011

AtriCure second quarter revenue increases 18.2% to $16.8 million

AtriCure, Inc., a medical device company and a leader in cardiac surgical ablation systems and systems for the exclusion of the left atrial appendage, today announced financial results for the second quarter of 2011. Revenue was $16.8 million, reflecting 18.2 percent growth over the second quarter of 2010.

2 Aug 2011

Enrollment commences in St. Jude Medical's atrial fibrillation stroke prevention trial

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, today announced that the first patient was enrolled in the EAST (Early comprehensive Atrial fibrillation Stroke prevention Trial) clinical trial.

2 Aug 2011