Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Researchers examine outcomes related to antiplatelet therapy in patients undergoing CEA

Despite the common clinical practice among surgeons to discontinue their patients' anti-platelet therapy prior to surgery, a recent study of patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) indicated that this practice may be unnecessary.

13 Dec 2010

Exemestane may provide post-surgery option for postmenopausal women with hormone-receptor positive breast cancer

Exemestane, an aromatase inhibitor that blocks production of estrogen, may provide another post-surgery option for postmenopausal women with hormone-receptor positive, early-stage breast cancer.

13 Dec 2010

HRSA ranks UCLA's heart transplant program as best in the U.S.

A new survey by an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources has recognized the heart transplant program at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center as the nation's best.

13 Dec 2010

Research programs embody the promise of anti-aging medicine.

Sometimes the value of research lies as much in exposing false remedies as in discovering true breakthroughs. Scientists at the country's first school of gerontology and in laboratories around the University of Southern California do both, mindful of their responsibility to a society focused on healthful aging.

13 Dec 2010

New study says boxers are at substantial risk for acute injuries to head, heart, and skeleton

Boxers are at substantial risk for acute injuries to the head, heart, and skeleton. Subacute consequences after being knocked out include persistent symptoms such as headaches, impaired hearing, nausea, unstable gait, and forgetfulness.

13 Dec 2010

EU, India leaders meet to discuss trade deal, some concerned deal will jeopardize drug access in developing countries

On Friday, Indian Commerce Minister Anand Sharma and EU Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht met to "present a status report on the ongoing free trade talks" that some health advocates fear could limit the supply of generic medications in developing countries, according to Business Standard. "An EU source said the report would signal that talks had made excellent progress and should be wrapped up by early next year," according to the news service (Aiyar, 12/10).

13 Dec 2010

e-cigarettes – Debate rages around globe

Following misleading advice that ‘e-cigarettes’ are a “healthy way” to quit smoking, thousands of smokers are switching to these electronic cigarettes. According to the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and anti-smoking groups these smokeless, battery-powered e-cigarettes packed with nicotine have not been tested for safety and could pose a serious health risk. Electronic cigarettes contain an inhaler, an atomiser and nicotine suspended in propylene glycol and water. At present they are banned in NSW and Victoria but overseas suppliers sell them online.

12 Dec 2010

New MyHospitals website stumbles against criticism

The government’s brand new MyHospitals website faced criticism on its first day, with allegations that old data is being displayed that is far from the current truth. The site is comparing emergency department and elective surgery care in 769 public and 153 private hospitals across the country.

12 Dec 2010

Medication for depression ended before recommended time

Swedish women's use of antidepressants is twice as high as that of Swedish men. However, among both female and male new users, one fifth fills only one prescription. "This can be an indication of choices being made to end treatment before the recommended time," says researcher Karolina Andersson Sundell at the Nordic School of Public Health.

10 Dec 2010

Stroke falls from third to fourth leading cause of death

A new report, "Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2008," released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), says that for the first time in 50 years, stroke has fallen from the third to the fourth leading cause of death.

10 Dec 2010

Pfizer withdraws Thelin for treatment of PAH, discontinues global clinical studies

Pfizer Inc. announced today that, in the interest of patient safety, it is voluntarily withdrawing Thelin® (sitaxentan) for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in regions where it is approved (the European Union, Canada and Australia). In addition, Pfizer is discontinuing clinical studies of Thelin worldwide.

10 Dec 2010

Aastrom Biosciences prices public offering

Aastrom Biosciences, Inc., a leading developer of expanded autologous cellular therapies for the treatment of severe, chronic cardiovascular diseases, today announced that it has priced a public offering of 10,000,000 units, with each unit consisting of one share of the Company's common stock and one warrant to purchase one share of common stock, at a purchase price of $2.25 per unit for an aggregate offering amount of $22.5 million.

10 Dec 2010

HRT with estrogen alone may reduce risk of breast cancer: Study

While endogenous estrogen (i.e., estrogen produced by ovaries and by other tissues) does have a well-known carcinogenic impact, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) utilizing estrogen alone (the exogenous estrogen) provides a protective effect in reducing breast cancer risk, according to study results presented at the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held Dec. 8-12.

10 Dec 2010

Repeated cerebral trauma in boxing career may result in boxer's dementia

Up to 20% of professional boxers develop neuropsychiatric sequelae. But which acute complications and which late sequelae can boxers expect throughout the course of their career? These are the questions studied by Hans Förstl from the Technical University Munich and his co-authors in the current issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2010; 107[47]: 835-9).

10 Dec 2010

HeartWare prices public offering of convertible senior notes due 2017

HeartWare International, Inc. announced today the pricing of a public offering of $125 million principal amount of convertible senior notes due 2017 (the "notes") pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") yesterday.

10 Dec 2010

Process of activating helicopter EMS delays treatment for heart attacks beyond recommended times

Helicopter emergency medical services can be a life saver for patients needing immediate care. But, according to a University of Cincinnati study, the process of activating them often delays treatment beyond recommended times.

10 Dec 2010

Serodus licenses selective serotonin-4 antagonist for potential heart failure treatment from Roche

Serodus AS today announced that it has entered into a license agreement with Roche for a selective serotonin-4 (5-HT4) antagonist for the potential treatment of heart failure (RO1160367).

10 Dec 2010

STENTYS initiates international APPOSITION III self-apposing stent study in AMI patients

STENTYS S.A., which develops innovative stents to treat Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI), announced today that it has begun the international APPOSITION III study of its self-apposing stent, with 50 patients already enrolled out of a total of 500. The trial primary endpoint is Major Adverse Cardiac Events at 12 months post-procedure.

10 Dec 2010

First genetic test on developing risk of Alzheimer's disease and heart attacks

Alzheimer and heart attacks have been found to share common genetic basis. The research leads the way to the first genetic test on developing the risk of the diseases even at a young age. According to Federico Licastro, an immunologist at the University of Bologna who coordinated the study published in the scientific journal, Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, a test is now ready. "They are already selling it in America", he says, citing the case of a private firm in New Mexico (USA) that collaborated on the study. "But the tests could easily be also conducted wherever, using a simple blood test".

10 Dec 2010

Fibrin microthreads support mesenchymal stem cell growth

A research team at Worcester Polytechnic Institute has demonstrated the feasibility of a novel technology that a surgeon could use to deliver stem cells to targeted areas of the body to repair diseased or damaged tissue, including cardiac muscle damaged by a heart attack. The technique involves bundling biopolymer microthreads into biological sutures and seeding the sutures with stem cells. The team has shown that the adult bone-marrow-derived stem cells will multiply while attached to the threads and retain their ability to differentiate and grow into other cell types.

10 Dec 2010