Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Progerin may contribute to risk of atherosclerosis: Study

Progeria, also known as Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS), is a rare, fatal genetic disease characterized by an appearance of accelerated aging in children. All children with Progeria die of the same heart disease that affects millions of normal aging adults (atherosclerosis), but instead of occurring at 60 or 70 years of age, these children may suffer heart attacks and strokes even before age 10, and the average age of death is 13 years.

8 Sep 2010

TransOral Robotic Surgery removes head and neck cancer tumors, while preserving speech

An incisionless robotic surgical procedure is offering patients a new option to remove certain head and neck cancer tumors without visible scarring, while preserving speech and the ability to eat.

8 Sep 2010

Study suggests better quality primary care improves health

Financial incentives in primary care cut heart disease deaths and hospital admissions, particularly among people from deprived areas, finds research published online in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

8 Sep 2010

Israeli Supreme Court dismisses Taro's appeal in favor of Sun Pharma

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. today announced that the Supreme Court of Israel has unanimously dismissed the appeal by Taro Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. of the previous ruling by the Tel-Aviv District Court holding that the Israeli special tender offer (STO) rules do not apply to the Tender Offer by Sun's subsidiary, Alkaloida Chemical Company Exclusive Group Ltd., to purchase all outstanding Ordinary Shares of Taro for USD 7.75 net per Ordinary Share in cash.

8 Sep 2010

Lack of sleep likely to develop diabetes, heart disease: Research

People who sleep less than six hours a night may be three times more likely to develop a condition which leads to diabetes and heart disease, according to researchers at the University of Warwick.

8 Sep 2010

Abbott completes acquisition of Piramal's Healthcare Solutions

Abbott has completed its acquisition of Piramal's Healthcare Solutions business, propelling it to market leadership in the Indian pharmaceutical market and further accelerating the company's growth in emerging markets.

8 Sep 2010

NIH awards St. Jude $8.6M to focus on anticancer agent research in children

With its new expansion of the Pharmacogenomics Research Network (PGRN), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded St. Jude Children's Research Hospital a prestigious grant to focus on anticancer agent research in children.

8 Sep 2010

BMJ investigation raises concern on rosiglitazone diabetes drug safety

A BMJ investigation into the top-selling diabetes drug rosiglitazone (Avandia) raises concerns about its safety and the whole system by which drugs are evaluated, regulated, and promoted around the world.

8 Sep 2010

Obesity directly accelerates progression of acute lymphoblastic leukemia

The first study to demonstrate that obesity can directly accelerate the progression of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has been conducted at The Saban Research Institute of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and will be published in Cancer Prevention Research, on October 5, 2010. Obesity has been associated with an increased incidence of many cancers, including leukemia, but it has been unknown whether the increase in incidence was a direct effect of obesity or associated with genetic, lifestyle, health, or socio-economic factors.

8 Sep 2010

Interventions targeting social cognition most effective in mitigating loneliness

Changing how a person perceives and thinks about others was the most effective intervention for loneliness, a sweeping analysis of previous research has determined. The findings may help physicians and psychologists develop better treatments for loneliness, a known risk factor for heart disease and other health problems.

8 Sep 2010

Studies examine health care use, quality

The New York Times: A new study finds "that more than half of the 354 million doctor visits made each year for acute medical care, like for fevers, stomachaches and coughs, are not with a patient's primary physician, and that more than a quarter take place in hospital emergency rooms. The authors of the study, which was published Tuesday in the journal Health Affairs, said it highlighted a significant question about the new federal health care law: can access to primary care be maintained.

8 Sep 2010

BioAlliance Pharma receives European patent for acyclovir Lauriad tablets for recurrent herpes labialis

BioAlliance Pharma SA, a company dedicated to the supportive care and treatment of cancer patients, today announced the grant of a European patent protecting its product acyclovir Lauriad.

8 Sep 2010

AHRQ releases free evidence-based guides for eight health conditions

HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality today released a series of free evidence-based guides designed to help Spanish speakers understand and compare the risks, benefits and side effects of treatments for eight health conditions.

7 Sep 2010

UCSF scientists to receive two grants for personalized medicine research

UCSF scientists will receive two grants totaling $15.1 million over the next five years to expand their research into how genes affect an individual's response to medication and to strengthen a global network of researchers involved in these efforts.

7 Sep 2010

Bligh explains plans for asset sales

According to Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, new developments are on the horizon only if her Government continues with the sell off of $15 billion of public assets. She revealed this in her annual State of the State address at the mid point of her term in Government yesterday while reviewing the past 18 months and forecasting the next stage of the state's development.

7 Sep 2010

Short sleep duration associated with elevated risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke

People who sleep less than six hours a night may be three times more likely to develop a condition which leads to diabetes and heart disease, according to researchers at the University of Warwick.

7 Sep 2010

Medtronic launches CoreValve delivery system with AccuTrak Stability Layer for TAVI

Medtronic, Inc. today announced CE Mark approval and the first global use and launch of the Medtronic CoreValve® delivery system with AccuTrak™ Stability Layer for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). AccuTrak's proprietary technology allows physicians to achieve enhanced control and accuracy in the deployment of the CoreValve device.

7 Sep 2010

AtheroMed initiates enrollment in Phoenix Atherectomy catheter trial for PAD

AtheroMed, Inc. announced today the start of enrollment in the EASE study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Phoenix Atherectomy™ catheter, a minimally invasive device for the treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in the legs. EASE - Endovascular Atherectomy Safety and Effectiveness - is an FDA-approved Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) clinical trial that will enroll 90 patients at up to 20 clinical sites.

7 Sep 2010

St. Jude Medical to invest $60M in CardioMEMS

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, and privately-held CardioMEMS today announced that they have reached an agreement under which St. Jude Medical will make a $60 million equity investment in CardioMEMS, a medical device company that has developed a wireless sensing and communication technology to assess cardiac performance.

7 Sep 2010

GI Dynamics announces data on EndoBarrier therapy for type 2 diabetes, obesity

GI Dynamics, a leader in non-surgical, endoscopic treatments for type 2 diabetes and obesity, today announced data with the EndoBarrier Gastrointestinal Liner at 12 months showing significant weight loss and cardiovascular and metabolic improvements in obese patients.

7 Sep 2010