Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

First neurovascular unit opens at Krembil Neuroscience Centre

The first neurovascular unit (NVU) in Canada opened today at the Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, which is part of the University Health Network.

1 Dec 2011

First study to investigate risk factors for CCSVI in patients without neurological disease

The first study to investigate risk factors for the vascular condition called CCSVI (chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency) in volunteers without neurological disease has identified what the researchers call a remarkable similarity between this condition and possible or confirmed risk factors for multiple sclerosis.

1 Dec 2011

Timely acute care reduces total stroke and TIA costs

New research published in the journal Age and Ageing suggests that timely acute care immediately after a stroke reduces the level of disability in stroke survivors and the associated need for long-term care, therefore reducing aftercare costs.

1 Dec 2011

Santaris Pharma wins two LNA patent re-examination cases in the U.S.

Santaris Pharma A/S, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of RNA-targeted therapies, today announced that it has won two significant patent re-examination cases brought by Isis Pharmaceuticals.

1 Dec 2011

Viewpoints: Entrenchment on Capitol Hill; Medicaid's woes; Presidential mistake on Berwick

Last week's failure of the budget super committee, despite its super powers, is only the latest breakdown in an attempt at compromise in Washington. Politicians keep trying to fashion failsafe solutions to the capital's uncompromising mind-set, without understanding that there is no external escape from an environment that rewards those who stand tenaciously on their principles and demonize their opponents. Members of Congress need to change their minds about compromise, or voters will need to change the members of Congress.

1 Dec 2011

Novel nanocarbon platform shows potential for future bioelectronic implants

Researchers have demonstrated, for the first time, a graphene-based transistor array that is compatible with living biological cells and capable of recording the electrical signals they generate.

1 Dec 2011

Boston Scientific provides new warranty for ICDs and CRT-Ds

Boston Scientific Corporation announced that, along with today's introduction of a new family of INCEPTA and ENERGEN implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-Ds), it is providing an extended warranty for these devices in the U.S. and many international countries of up to 10 years, depending on model.

1 Dec 2011

NovaSom introduces MediTrack OSA management platform

NovaSom, Inc., the leader in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) home testing and cost-containment solutions, announces the launch of its next generation MediTrack cloud-based CRM application.

1 Dec 2011

Alzheimer's disease affects women more than men

Many women suffer memory loss and/or confusion at some point in their lives, but as many as 5 million Americans suffer from a much more serious disease, Alzheimer's. According to statistics from the National Institute on Aging, Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia in older people. Alzheimer's is a progressive brain disease; it is irreversible and causes a decline in memory and cognitive skills.

1 Dec 2011

Potential test to diagnose membranous nephropathy in early stages

Research conducted by a pair of physicians at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center (BMC) has led to the development of a test that can help diagnose membranous nephropathy in its early stages.

1 Dec 2011

Loyola to study vitamin D deficiency in people of African descent

Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine researchers have received a five-year, $2.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study vitamin D deficiency in people of African descent.

1 Dec 2011

Inflammasome may lead to more damage following heart attack

Virginia Commonwealth University researchers have found that an inflammatory mechanism known as inflammasome may lead to more damage in the heart following injury such as a heart attack, pointing researchers toward developing more targeted strategies to block the inflammatory mechanisms involved.

30 Nov 2011

Coronary CTA reveals different heart attack risk scenarios for men and women

Findings on coronary CT angiography (CTA), a noninvasive test to assess the coronary arteries for blockages, show different risk scenarios for men and women, according to a study presented today at the Radiological Society of North America.

30 Nov 2011

Ranbaxy receives FDA approval for first generic version of cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the first generic version of the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor.

30 Nov 2011

FDA clears Abbott's new ARCHITECT 25-OH Vitamin D assay

Abbott announced today it has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a fully-automated 25-OH Vitamin D assay performed on its widely used ARCHITECT laboratory testing platform.

30 Nov 2011

More female doctors than male - gender equality or feminization of the profession?

New research asks if medicine is fast becoming a woman’s domain. In the UK, female doctors are set to outnumber their male counterparts by 2017, a trend that British press headlines have dubbed “worrying” and “bad for medicine.”

30 Nov 2011

Medicare to pay for obesity counseling sessions

The United States Medicare program for the elderly will cover counseling for obesity. Obesity rates have hit the highest in the past few years and this measure is an attempt to curb the epidemic.

30 Nov 2011

Pfizer backs its highest grosser Lipitor

Pfizer’s Lipitor, a blood cholesterol lowering drug, is a popular one the among general population. However now that a generic competition for the drug has arrived in the market the company has devised discounts and incentives for patients, insurers and companies that process prescriptions that will, at least for the next six months, make the brand name drug about as cheap as or cheaper than the generics.

30 Nov 2011

Study investigates 'missing link' between environmental factors and heart failure

A University of Cambridge study, which set out to investigate DNA methylation in the human heart and the 'missing link' between our lifestyle and our health, has now mapped the link in detail across the entire human genome.

30 Nov 2011

Study finds no difference in running economy of senior runners

Runners over the age of 60 are the fastest-growing group in the sport. A new study from the University of New Hampshire suggests that their running can remain fast as they age, too.

30 Nov 2011