Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Researchers uncover important source of inflammation for CKD

UC Irvine researchers have uncovered an important source of inflammation seen in people with chronic kidney disease, which is increasingly common due to the epidemic of obesity-related diabetes and hypertension.

14 Dec 2011

NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell's 525 E. 68th Street building earns EPA ENERGY STAR award

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded its ENERGY STAR certification to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center's flagship building at 525 East 68th Street -- the only hospital facility certified in New York City in 2011.

14 Dec 2011

Macrophages play a role in brown fat metabolism

Throughout the interior spaces of humans and other warm-blooded creatures is a special type of tissue known as brown fat, which may hold the secret to diets and weight-loss programs of the future.

14 Dec 2011

Researchers convert astrocytes directly into dopamine-producing neurons

In efforts to find new treatments for Parkinson's Disease (PD), researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have directly reprogrammed astrocytes, the most plentiful cell type in the central nervous system, into dopamine-producing neurons.

14 Dec 2011

Study finds underutilization of warfarin among Kentucky women with AF

Dr. Rabab Mohsin, an internal medicine resident at the University of Kentucky, working with Dr. Alison Bailey of the University of Kentucky Gill Heart Institute, has discovered that the drug warfarin was underutilized in a large study group of women.

14 Dec 2011

Study reveals key role of melatonin receptor in sleep regulation

A team from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) and McGill University has made a major breakthrough by unraveling the inner workings of melatonin, also known as the "sleep hormone."

14 Dec 2011

JDRF initiates enrollment in metformin clinical study for type 1 diabetes

JDRF-funded researchers have begun enrolling adult patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in the REMOVAL study, to test whether metformin-a drug commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes-could help prevent or reduce the risk of cardiovascular complications in people with T1D.

14 Dec 2011

Bronx churches, Montefiore partner to fight against hypertension

Montefiore Medical Center is sponsoring screenings and educational workshops at churches in the Bronx in order to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in congregants who are identified with hypertension. Congregants learn about hypertension, medication management, weight control, healthy cooking habits and perform yoga exercises to reduce stress.

14 Dec 2011

People with myotonic muscular dystrophy more likely to develop cancer

People who have the most common type of adult muscular dystrophy also have a higher risk of getting cancer, according to a paper published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

14 Dec 2011

Statins linked with reduced risk of death among hospitalized flu patients

The two main ways to prevent and control influenza today are annual immunization and antiviral drugs. A team of investigators has found that statins, cholesterol-lowering drugs, may offer an additional treatment to complement these approaches and reduce mortality among patients hospitalized with influenza.

14 Dec 2011

Standard chemotherapy regimen may increase survival rates in limited stage Hodgkin's lymphoma patients

New research led by the NCIC Clinical Trials Group (CTG) at Queen's University has proven patients with limited stage Hodgkin's lymphoma have a better chance of long-term survival if they undergo a standard chemotherapy regimen as opposed to radiation-based treatment.

14 Dec 2011

Mandatory screening helps identify more athletes with SCT

In response to a lawsuit after a college football player died from complications due to sickle cell trait (SCT) during a workout, the NCAA implemented mandatory SCT screening of all Division I student-athletes.

14 Dec 2011

High-intensity intermittent exercise lowers blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics

Researchers at McMaster University have found that brief high intensity workouts, as little as six sessions over two weeks, rapidly lower blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics, offering a potential fix for patients who struggle to meet exercise guidelines.

13 Dec 2011

First Edition: December 13, 2011

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz talked with former Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Donald Berwick, who defended these federal health programs, but said they are trapped in a U.S. health system that promotes wasteful spending and inefficient care.

13 Dec 2011

Horticultural activities influence mentally challenged people's ANS and cortisol response

Participation in horticultural activities can improve confidence and social skills, cultivate a positive attitude, and rejuvenate the mind and body. Many studies have emphasized the effects of horticultural activities in relation to physical and psychological rehabilitation, but few have considered the influence of these types of activities on mentally challenged people's autonomic nervous system (ANS) and on the stress hormone cortisol.

13 Dec 2011

ISIS-FXIRx reduces Factor XI activity without bleeding in healthy volunteers

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today positive results from a Phase 1 study with ISIS-FXIRx. The results demonstrated that treatment with ISIS-FXIRx produced dose-dependent statistically significant reductions of up to 78 percent in Factor XI activity.

13 Dec 2011

'Twinning' team approach improves pediatric lymphoma outcomes

In an African county lacking any specialists in children's cancers, a team approach that "twins" Rwandan physicians with Boston-based pediatric oncologists has shown it can deliver expert, curative care to young patients stricken with lymphoma.

13 Dec 2011

Inaccurate blood pressure assessment may impact hypertension treatment decisions

Because some clinicians fail to stick to official recommendations for blood pressure monitoring, a number of patients are misclassified, which could have an impact on decisions about their treatment. According to Gretchen Ray and colleagues, from the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy, when routine blood pressure monitoring in clinics is compared with measurements based on the latest guidelines, 93 percent of patients have different blood pressure readings.

13 Dec 2011

PET scans can provide insight into process that causes aortic stenosis

Patients with life-threatening heart valve disease could be helped with alternative scanning techniques that provide greater insight into the condition.

13 Dec 2011

Low-volume high-intensity exercise training may help treat type 2 diabetes

Regular exercise has proven benefits in preventing and treating type 2 diabetes, but many patients find it tough to meet the American Diabetes Association guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise a week.

13 Dec 2011