Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Research suggests common mechanism is associated with different human diseases

Inherited mutations in voltage-gated sodium channels (Navs) are associated with many different human diseases, including genetic forms of epilepsy and chronic pain. Theodore Cummins and colleagues, at Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, have now determined the functional consequence of three such mutations.

29 Dec 2009

Cholesterol expert offers simple resolutions and advice for staying heart healthy in New Year

Family physician and cholesterol expert Michael Cobble, M.D., has some simple resolutions and fun advice for staying heart healthy in the new year. Cobble is a board-certified clinical lipidologist (NLA), certified hypertension specialist (ASH), medical director of the private practice Canyons Medical Center in Sandy, Utah, and Chief Medical Officer at Atherotech, Inc., developer of the VAP Cholesterol Test.

29 Dec 2009

Nutrient-rich foods for weight loss

For the majority of Americans who are unhappy with their weight at any given moment, the New Year brings mixed emotions: the renewed resolution to shed pounds and the challenge of learning how to eat right to reach those goals.

29 Dec 2009

Genesys Health System to pay $669,413 over Medicare false claim allegations

Genesys Health System has agreed to pay the United States $669,413 to settle a lawsuit alleging that the health care provider violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to Medicare, the Justice Department announced today.

28 Dec 2009

Cambridge Heart completes $1.8 million Series D preferred stock financing

Cambridge Heart, Inc., today announced that it has completed a private placement of Series D convertible preferred stock, raising proceeds of approximately $1.8 million.

28 Dec 2009

AMICAS enters into definitive merger agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of Thoma Bravo

AMICAS, Inc., a leader in image and information management solutions, today announced that on December 24, 2009, it entered into a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of Thoma Bravo, LLC, in a transaction valued at approximately $217 million.

28 Dec 2009

Discovery of beta cell defending enzyme raises hope for new treatments against diabetes

Cells in your body are constantly churning out poisonous forms of oxygen (oxidants) and mopping them up with a countervailing force of proteins and chemicals (anti-oxidants).

28 Dec 2009

PhRMA applauds Senate for passing health care reform

"We applaud the Senate for taking an important and historic step toward expanding high-quality, affordable health care coverage and services to tens of millions of Americans, many of whom are struggling today financially. While considerable work remains to be done in reconciling differences between the Senate and House bills, we remain convinced that comprehensive health care reform, if done in a smart way, will benefit patients, our economy and the future of our nation.

27 Dec 2009

UNICEF chief to step down after term ends in 2010

UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman will not seek a second term as head of the agency after her term expires in a few months, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced "with great regret" on Wednesday, Xinhua reports. In a statement, Ban said that Veneman "fulfilled her mandate with immense dedication, and I have been impressed by her extraordinary energy and determination to improve children's health, education and well-being around the world" (12/23).

27 Dec 2009

SemBioSys Genetics' Apo AI(Milano) program progress update

SemBioSys Genetics Inc. provided an update today on its progress on plant-produced Apo AI(Milano) in light of the Apo AI(Milano) license agreement between Pfizer Inc. and The Medicines Company, of Parsippany, New Jersey.

24 Dec 2009

Calorie disclosure requirement in healthcare reform legislation ineffective and expensive, says VMI

A group representing some of the nation's most prominent vending companies today called on Congress to drop language that would require vending companies to disclose the caloric content of vended food and beverage products prior to the point of sale, Vend Marketing Institute (VMI) Executive Director Chris Stave announced today. The requirement is included in both the House and Senate versions of the healthcare reform legislation currently being debated in Congress, and would apply to any business which owns or operates 20 or more vending machines.

24 Dec 2009

DSMB completes review of patient enrollment data in ZOLL Medical's CIRC trial

ZOLL Medical Corporation, a manufacturer of resuscitation devices and related software solutions, announced today that the first planned review of data related to patient enrollment in the CIRC (Circulation Improving Resuscitation Care) Trial by the trial Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) has been completed and the trial is proceeding with patient enrollment as originally designed.

24 Dec 2009

Eclipsys acute care EMR retains its No. 2 ranking in KLAS awards

Eclipsys Corporation®, The Outcomes Company®, today announced that the company’s focus on delivering an enterprise portfolio of high-quality health information software solutions is reflected in the findings of the 2009 “Top 20 Best in KLAS Award: Software and Professional Services” report (2009 Top 20 Best in KLAS Awards report).

24 Dec 2009

CPF, ATS and health groups launch campaign to raise awareness on lung health

The Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis (CPF) announced today it is joining with the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and lung health organizations around the globe for 2010: The Year of the Lung, a multi-faceted campaign that aims to raise awareness about the importance of lung health, generate social and political support for preventing and treating lung disease and encouraging increased public and private funding for lung disease research and development.

24 Dec 2009

Eli Lilly and Kowa Pharmaceuticals America to co-promote LIVALO in the U.S

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), Kowa Company, Limited, and Kowa's U.S. subsidiary, Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc., today announced that Lilly and Kowa Pharmaceuticals America have entered into a co-promotion agreement in the United States to commercialize LIVALO® (pitavastatin). Lilly and Kowa have also entered into a licensing agreement in Latin America. LIVALO is a statin approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August 2009 for the treatment of primary hyperlipidemia and mixed dyslipidemia.

24 Dec 2009

Study reveals genomic switches separate autoimmune disorders in different clusters

Genomic switches can predispose an individual to one set of autoimmune disorders but protect the same person against another set of them, scientists at Stanford University School of Medicine have found.

24 Dec 2009

Union Bank and AHA announce new sponsorship agreement

Union Bank, N.A., and The American Heart Association (AHA) have announced a four-year agreement to promote the AHA’s Start! movement in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties.

24 Dec 2009

Cardiac marker POC test: A successful concept of point-of-care diagnostics

Cardiac marker POC tests are now widely used in hospitals and have emerged as a successful model of the concept of point-of-care diagnostics, according to a new report from Kalorama Information. The 2008 world market for POC cardiac enzymes and tests is estimated at $490 million, and growing at 12% a year for the past three years, according to "Point of Care Diagnostics 2010 and Beyond: Rapid Testing at a Crossroads," from healthcare market research publisher Kalorama Information.

24 Dec 2009

Interdisciplinary approach essential for treating men’s' sexual dysfunction

Modern, couple-oriented treatment for male sexual dysfunction takes the psychosocial aspects of sex into account, as well as focussing on the purely physical aspects of the problem.

24 Dec 2009

Anti-inflammatory coxib medications inhibit aspirin's protective qualities

A new study conducted at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) reveals that Celebrex and other anti-inflammatory coxib medications may counter the positive effects of aspirin in preventing blood clots.

24 Dec 2009