Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Study finds greater weight management support in pistachio snackers

When it comes to healthy snacking and weight management, a new study bolsters the long-held view that not all calories are created equal. According to nutrition researchers at UCLA, choosing to snack on pistachios rather than pretzels as part of a healthy diet not only supports your body mass index (BMI) goals, but can support heart health too.

4 May 2011

AHA's new program helps educate Hispanic women about risk of heart disease

Heart disease remains the No. 1 killer of Hispanic women. On average, Hispanic women are likely to develop heart disease 10 years earlier than non-Hispanic white women. Yet, most are still unaware of this threat. This Mother's Day, the American Heart Association's Go Red Por Tu Corazon encourages daughters to have a heart-to-heart conversation that could potentially save their mother's life.

4 May 2011

Coronary artery bypass graft surgeries have declined by 30% between 2001 and 2008

Between 2001 and 2008, the annual rate of coronary artery bypass graft surgeries performed in the United States decreased by more than 30 percent, but rates of percutaneous coronary interventions did not change significantly, according to a study in the May 4 issue of JAMA.

4 May 2011

Fat stem cells may help develop new regenerative therapies for cardiovascular disease

Stem cells extracted from body fat may pave the way for the development of new regenerative therapies including soft tissue reconstruction following tumor removal or breast mastectomy surgery, the development of tissue-engineered cartilage or bone, and the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

4 May 2011

FibroGen announces proof-of-principle for FG-4592 Phase 2 study in hemodialysis patients

FibroGen, Inc., today announced proof-of-principle for oral anemia therapy FG-4592, a hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor, in end-stage renal disease patients receiving hemodialysis.

4 May 2011

Boston Scientific reports first use in Europe of Blazer Open-Irrigated Catheter

Boston Scientific Corporation today announced CE Mark approval and first use in Europe of its Blazer™ Open-Irrigated Catheter, the Company's latest radiofrequency ablation (RFA) catheter designed to treat a variety of arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, ventricular tachycardia and other supraventricular tachycardias. The product is being launched this quarter in select CE Mark countries.

4 May 2011

Low salt intake may increase risk of cardiovascular events

In a study conducted to examine the health outcomes related to salt intake, as gauged by the amount of sodium excreted in the urine, lower sodium excretion was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular death, while higher sodium excretion did not correspond with increased risk of hypertension or cardiovascular disease complications, according to a study in the May 4 issue of JAMA.

4 May 2011

TPO antibodies linked to abnormal thyroid levels in women after giving birth

Almost 1 in 20 women who gives birth will go on to develop thyroid problems within two years, according to a new study presented at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Rotterdam. This could have significant implications for the future health of the mother and child, as well as potentially presenting problems for future pregnancies.

4 May 2011

Pregnancy via egg donation for women with Turner's syndrome potentially risky

Pregnancy via egg donation for women with Turner's syndrome is potentially risky, both for the mother and the child, according to a multi-centre study presented today at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Rotterdam.

4 May 2011

Heart bypass surgery rates fall by 38% between 2001 and 2008: Study

According to latest the U.S. research, the number of heart patients getting bypass surgery fell by 38 percent between 2001 and 2008. This fall reflects several factors, including a decline in smoking rates, which has led to less coronary artery disease, said senior study author Dr. Peter Groeneveld, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

4 May 2011

Addition of family physicians linked to reduced risk of hospital readmissions

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center have found that by adding one family physician per 1,000, or 100 per 100,000, could reduce hospital readmission costs by $579 million per year, or 83 percent of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act target.

4 May 2011

Confusing research on salt and heart: Study

According to the latest European study, people who ate lots of salt were not more likely to get high blood pressure, and were less likely to die of heart disease than those with a low salt intake. This is contrary to what has been known till date. The U.S. guidelines recommend that Americans consume less than 2,300 milligrams of salt daily - 1,500 mg in certain people who are more at risk for high blood pressure or heart disease.

4 May 2011

PolyMedix Phase 1B/2 clinical study data presented at ATVB meeting

PolyMedix, Inc., an emerging biotechnology company focused on developing new therapeutic drugs to treat life-threatening infectious diseases and acute cardiovascular disorders, announced that clinical data with PMX-60056 were presented at the American Heart Association's Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology Meeting in Chicago on April 28, 2011.

4 May 2011

Thoratec reports $99.5 million revenue for first quarter 2011

Thoratec Corporation, a world leader in device-based mechanical circulatory support therapies to save, support and restore failing hearts, said today that revenues from continuing operations in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 were $99.5 million versus revenues of $99.3 million in the same period a year ago.

4 May 2011

Nile Therapeutics initiates cenderitide Phase I trial in heart failure

Nile Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company that develops novel therapeutics for heart failure patients, today announced dosing of the first patient in a Phase I clinical trial investigating the use of subcutaneous cenderitide.

3 May 2011

First implantation of WiCS wireless cardiac pacing system performed in Germany

EBR Systems, Inc., a privately held clinical stage company, announced today the first human implants of the WiCS Wireless Cardiac Stimulation System.

3 May 2011

MEDNAX first quarter revenue increases 15% to $382.3 million

MEDNAX, Inc. today reported earnings per share of 94 cents for the three months ended March 31, 2011, that were driven by strong revenue growth from both acquisitions and same-unit revenue, that led to operating margin expansion.

3 May 2011

Vidyo, American Well partner to enable Online Care services

Vidyo, Inc., the first company to deliver personal telepresence, today announced a partnership with American Well, whose Online Care Suite connects providers and patients for live, immediate, and clinically meaningful encounters using the Web or phone.

3 May 2011

Techne acquires Tocris Holdings

Techne Corporation announced today that it has acquired 100% ownership of Tocris Holdings Limited and subsidiaries, a leading supplier of reagents for non-clinical life science research.

3 May 2011

Study finds disparities in male, female patients for heart disease treatment at U.S. hospitals

A study released today by HealthGrades, the nation's leading, independent source of physician information and hospital quality ratings, found notable disparities in the treatment and outcomes of male and female patients at U.S. hospitals.

3 May 2011