Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

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

AHA recommends Omega-3 EPA/DHA intake for individuals with elevated triglyceride levels

The American Heart Association recently issued its first ever statement on triglyceride management that includes recommendations for Omega-3 EPA/DHA intake.

3 May 2011

Belly fat predicts heart-disease risk better than BMI: Study

According to the latest study the fat around the belly is the chief culprit in the link between obesity and cardiovascular disease. This study raises the possibility that people can be overweight without significantly raising their heart risk, so long as they carry the extra fat in places other than their belly. In fact, a few extra pounds may even lower the risk of death from heart disease, researchers found.

3 May 2011

U.Va, Coulter Foundation partner for translational research in biomedical engineering

The University of Virginia and the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation have teamed to create a $20 million endowment to foster research collaboration between biomedical engineers and clinicians, with the goal of developing new technologies to improve patient care and human health.

3 May 2011

Coronary artery disease patients with high BMI may face higher risk of death

One of the largest studies of its kind has found that people with coronary artery disease who have even a modest beer belly or muffin top are at higher risk for death than people whose fat collects elsewhere. The effect was observed even in patients with a normal Body Mass Index.

3 May 2011

Doctors should consider catheterization for diagnosing children with heart defects: AHA

Doctors should consider using catheterization as a treatment tool in addition to its established role in diagnosing children with heart defects, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement.

3 May 2011

Esperion reports positive results from ETC-1002 Phase 1 study in dyslipidemia

Esperion Therapeutics, a privately held biotechnology company working to discover, develop and commercialize treatments for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, today announced the results from a Phase 1 study and four preclinical studies for ETC-1002 at the Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology 2011 Scientific Sessions in Chicago.

3 May 2011

Statins can help reduce lung damage in severe abdominal sepsis

Statins may be best known for their ability to reduce cholesterol, but a research report appearing in the May 2011 issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology shows that these same drugs could also play a crucial role in the reduction of lung damage resulting from severe abdominal sepsis and infection.

3 May 2011

First cryoablation procedure using new mapping catheter performed at Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital

Baylor Jack and Jane Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital today announced the first patient procedure in the U.S. using the Achieve Mapping Catheter, an intra-cardiac electrophysiology diagnostic catheter that can be used to assess pulmonary vein isolation when treating paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

3 May 2011

Cyberonics initiates first implant of AspireSR product in epilepsy patients

Cyberonics, Inc., a global leader in epilepsy management, today announced the first implant of its AspireSR™ seizure response product on April 27, 2011.

3 May 2011