Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

HHS Secretary announces new $250M investment to improve health and well-being of Americans

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced $250 million in new Affordable Care Act investments to support prevention activities and develop the nation's public health infrastructure.

19 Jun 2010

Bracco release confirms Positron's market growth prediction of cardiac PET

Positron Corporation, a leader as a molecular imaging and solutions company specializing in the field of Nuclear Cardiology, cites an article posted on AuntMinnie.com, the largest community website for medical imaging professionals, relating to the growth in cardiac PET.

19 Jun 2010

Investigators discover new way to harness thrombin's anti-blood clotting properties

In research led by a Saint Louis University investigator, molecular biologists have discovered a way to harness the enzyme thrombin's anti-blood clotting properties. The finding opens the door to new medications that will treat diseases related to thrombosis, the presence of blood clots in blood vessels, which is responsible for nearly a third of all deaths in the U.S.

19 Jun 2010

Ancient circadian clock regulates insulin production

The pancreas has its own molecular clock. Now, for the first time, a Northwestern University study has shown this ancient circadian clock regulates the production of insulin. If the clock is faulty, the result is diabetes.

19 Jun 2010

Most men admitted for heart attack had erectile dysfunction

Seven out of 10 men admitted to hospital for a heart attack (acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)) had erectile dysfunction (ED) in the six months prior to their admission according to new data presented today at the World Congress of Cardiology (WCC) Scientific Sessions in Beijing, China.

19 Jun 2010

Patients' relationship with primary care physician improves health care quality: Study

Patients who report having a regular doctor either at a community health center or at the physician's office report receiving better quality health care, and have a better health care experience, than patients who have a regular place of care, but lack an established physician relationship. The findings are part of a study published in the May Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, and authored by Anne Beal, MD, MPH, head of the Aetna Foundation, and Susan Hernandez, MPA, formerly of The Commonwealth Fund.

19 Jun 2010

United American Healthcare acquires Pulse Systems

United American Healthcare Corporation today announced it has acquired privately held Pulse Systems, LLC. Based in Concord, Calif., Pulse Systems, LLC provides contract manufacturing services to the medical device industry, with a focus on precision laser-cutting capabilities and the processing of thin-wall tubular metal components, sub-assemblies and implants, primarily in the cardiovascular market. For the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2009, Pulse Systems generated revenue of approximately $9.2 million.

19 Jun 2010

Research may identify reasons underlying increased risk of AAA in men

Research currently being undertaken at the University of Leicester may identify reasons underlying an increased risk of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in men.

19 Jun 2010

Hospitals work to reduce wait times, readmission rates

The Baltimore Sun writes about hospitals working to reduce emergency room wait times and then advertising the results. "St. Joseph Medical Center [in Towson, Md.] posts the anticipated wait time on its website. Harbor Hospital in South Baltimore has put up billboards and handed out brochures door-to-door to tell residents about its 'quick' emergency room experience.

19 Jun 2010

Tea and coffee consumption linked with reduced heart disease: Study

Coffee and tea drinkers may not need to worry about indulging - high and moderate consumption of tea and moderate coffee consumption are linked with reduced heart disease, according to a study published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology: Journal of the American Heart Association.

19 Jun 2010

Neupro improves wellbeing impaired by pain related to Restless Legs Syndrome

The first data to show that Neupro® (rotigotine transdermal system) significantly improved wellbeing and daily activities that are often impaired by pain related to Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) were presented this week at the 14th International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

18 Jun 2010

Additional positive data from Ardea Biosciences' RDEA594 Phase 2 program presented at EULAR

Ardea Biosciences, Inc. announced that additional positive data from its Phase 2 program for RDEA594, its lead product candidate for the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout, are being presented at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology hosted by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) in Rome, Italy. RDEA594, a first-in-class selective inhibitor of the URAT1 transporter, treats the underlying cause of gout by increasing the excretion of uric acid in order to bring the body's levels of uric acid into a normal range.

18 Jun 2010

Genzyme signs repurchase agreement with Goldman, Sachs

Genzyme Corporation announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Goldman, Sachs & Co. to repurchase $1 billion of Genzyme common stock under an accelerated stock repurchase program. Proceeds from its recently concluded debt offering will be used to support this first tranche of Genzyme's overall $2 billion share repurchase plan announced in May.

18 Jun 2010

St. Jude Medical's Therapy Cool Flex Ablation Catheter granted European CE Mark approval

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, today announced European CE Mark approval of the Therapy™ Cool Flex™ Ablation Catheter at the 17th World Congress in Cardiac Electrophysiology and Cardiac Techniques (CardioStim). The ablation catheter is the industry's first to have a fully-irrigated and flexible tip, which can potentially improve the safety and efficacy of cardiac ablation procedures.

18 Jun 2010

Gladstone Institute researcher to receive Kyoto Prize in Advanced Technology

The non-profit Inamori Foundation (President: Dr. Kazuo Inamori) today announced that Dr. Shinya Yamanaka will receive its 26th annual Kyoto Prize in Advanced Technology, which for 2010 focuses on the fields of Biotechnology and Medical Technology. Dr. Yamanaka, 47, will receive the award for his pioneering work in developing a technology to generate pluripotent stem cells that does not require the use of human embryos.

18 Jun 2010

Women receive greater clinical benefit from CRT-Ds than men: Study

Boston Scientific Corporation today announced results from a sub-analysis of the MADIT-CRT trial data that showed women received a greater clinical benefit from its cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-Ds) than men. The results were presented during the 17th Cardiostim World Congress by Jonathan Steinberg, M.D., Chief of Cardiology and Director of the Al-Sabah Arrythmia Institute, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York.

18 Jun 2010

BioSante announces presentation of LibiGel safety update at ENDO 2010

BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc., will present a LibiGel safety update at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society (ENDO), being held from June 19-22, 2010 in San Diego, California.

18 Jun 2010

Risk of MI increases six-fold in young women with RA: Study

Rheumatoid Arthritis patients face a two-fold increased risk of suffering a Myocardial Infarction (MI, heart attack) versus the general population, which is comparable to the increased risk of MI seen in diabetes patients, according to results of a new study presented today at EULAR 2010, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism in Rome, Italy.

18 Jun 2010

USFDA approves Sun Pharma's generic Xanax ANDA

Sun Pharma announced that USFDA has granted an approval for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) to market a generic version of Xanax®, alprazolam tablets.

18 Jun 2010

New data shows racial-ethnic groups living in similar environment differ in cardiovascular risk profiles

Racial-ethnic groups living in a similar environment and with access to universal healthcare differed strikingly in their cardiovascular risk profiles according to new data presented today at the World Congress of Cardiology Scientific Sessions in Beijing, China.

18 Jun 2010