Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

New study reveals statin therapy linked to reduced postoperative mortality

Statin drugs were first introduced to lower blood cholesterol concentrations; however, research is now discovering other benefits. A new study from France, published in the January 2011 issue of Anesthesiology, is the first to analyze the impact of preoperative chronic statin therapy on postoperative adverse events in surgical patients. Findings from the study suggest that statin therapy is associated with reduced postoperative mortality.

23 Dec 2010

mTORC1 cellular pathway affects aging phenotype

Whitehead Institute researchers have linked hyperactivity in the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) cellular pathway, to reduced ketone production, which is a well-defined physiological trait of aging in mice.

23 Dec 2010

NCI grants U-M Cancer Center $10.7M for study of colorectal and pancreatic cancer

The University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center has received a five-year $10.7 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to study colorectal and pancreatic cancer.

23 Dec 2010

Loyola researcher receives $1.3 million NIH grant to study key heart protein

Loyola University Health System researcher Sakthivel Sadayappan, PhD, has been awarded a four-year, $1.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study a protein that is critical for the normal functioning of the heart.

23 Dec 2010

FDA approves Novartis' Amturnide for treatment of high blood pressure

Today Novartis announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Amturnide (aliskiren, amlodipine and hydrochlorothiazide) tablets for the treatment of high blood pressure. Amturnide combines the only approved direct renin inhibitor worldwide, Tekturna (aliskiren), with the widely used calcium channel blocker amlodipine and the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ).

23 Dec 2010

People with high RBC folate levels more likely to have two tumor-suppressing genes

People with higher levels of folate in their red blood cells were more likely to have two tumor-suppressing genes shut down by methylation, a chemical off switch for genes, researchers report in the December issue of Cancer Prevention Research.

22 Dec 2010

New nanoparticle-based diagnostic platform provides rapid detection of sepsis

Blood poisoning can be fatal. If you suffer from sepsis, you used to have to wait as much as 48 hours for laboratory findings. A new diagnostic platform as big as a credit card will now supply the analysis after as little as an hour. This system is based on nanoparticles that are automatically guided by magnetic forces.

22 Dec 2010

New era for anticoagulant therapy

In a Guest Editorial published in the new publication Clinical Investigation, Dr Jeffrey Weitz and Dr John Eikelboom of McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada highlight the importance of the approval in October by the FDA of dabigatran etexilate (Pradaxa®; Boehringer Ingelheim). This new oral thrombin inhibitor provides an alternative to warfarin for long-term stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

22 Dec 2010

Excessive carbohydrates, rather than fat, may be the source of America's dietary woes

A growing number of top nutritional scientists are pointing to excessive carbohydrates, rather than fat, as the source of America's dietary woes. As reported in the Los Angeles Times on December 20, some researchers are saying that cutting carbohydrates is the key to reversing obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

22 Dec 2010

Gifts to help navigate daily routine best for people living with chronic conditions

For those living with chronic conditions, the best holiday gift is something that will make navigating the daily routine easier.

22 Dec 2010

Top ten advances in cardiovascular, stroke research in 2010

Research on reducing risks, improving medical treatment and improving lifestyle behaviors to fight the battle against heart disease and stroke are among the key scientific findings that make up this year's top cardiovascular and stroke research recognized by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

22 Dec 2010

First implantation of Medtronic Transcatheter Aortic Valve Prosthesis in US performed at Mount Sinai

David H. Adams, MD, Marie-Jos-e and Henry R. Kravis Professor and Chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Samin K. Sharma, MD, the Zena and Michael A. Weiner Professor and Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, and Annapoorna S. Kini, MD, Associate Professor and Associate Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at The Mount Sinai Medical Center, have performed the first implantation of the Medtronic CoreValve- Transcatheter Aortic Valve Prosthesis in the United States.

22 Dec 2010

Researchers receive $100,000 NFL grant to study tissue engineering for spinal injuries

Researchers from Cornell University and Weill Cornell Medical College have been awarded $100,000 by NFL Charities, the charitable foundation of the National Football League owners, to research tissue engineering for spinal injuries.

22 Dec 2010

New research sheds light on how neurons make connections with one another

Newly published research led by Professor Z. Josh Huang, Ph.D., of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory sheds important new light on how neurons in the developing brain make connections with one another.

22 Dec 2010

Poison centers raise concern over dangerous substance marketed as bath salts

Doctors and clinicians at U.S. poison centers are increasingly concerned about products marketed as bath salts that are causing increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, agitation, hallucinations, extreme paranoia and delusions.

22 Dec 2010

Takeda completes settlements in patent litigation over generic ACTOS, ACTOplus met, and duetact ANDAs

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited ("Takeda") today announced that Takeda and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. ("TPNA"), have completed settlements with all defendants in patent litigation brought against the companies in response to their Abbreviated New Drug Applications ("ANDAs") for generic ACTOS® (pioglitazone HCl), ACTOplus met® (pioglitazone HCl and metformin HCl), and duetact® (pioglitazone HCl and glimepiride).

22 Dec 2010

Majority of nurses are unaware of simple diagnostic test for sepsis

bioMerieux, a world leader in the field of in vitro diagnostics, announced the results of a survey demonstrating that most critical care nurses are unaware of a simple diagnostic test that may dramatically improve outcomes for sepsis patients.

22 Dec 2010

U.S. pivotal clinical trial of Medtronic CoreValve begins

Medtronic, Inc. today announced the beginning of its Medtronic CoreValve® U.S. Pivotal clinical trial in the United States. The first CoreValve transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) procedure was performed by David H. Adams, M.D., and Samin K. Sharma, M.D., at The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

22 Dec 2010

Amorcyte reports AMR-001 phase I trial results in heart attack patients

The American Heart Journal today reported results of a clinical trial evaluating Amorcyte, lead product candidate, AMR-001 for the treatment of damaged heart muscle following acute myocardial infarction.

22 Dec 2010