Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

QualityMetric announces new tool to measure pain accurately

According to the National Centers for Health Statistics, 76.2 million Americans report problems with chronic pain; more than diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined. The same report notes that the annual cost of chronic pain in the United States, including healthcare expenses, lost income, and productivity, is estimated to be $100 billion.

21 Sep 2009

The Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics 2009 to feature PLCs' RenalGuard System

PLC Systems Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: PLCSF), a company focused on innovative cardiac and vascular medical device-based technologies, today announced that it will demonstrate its RenalGuard System(TM) at Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) 2009, sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation, September 21 - 25, 2009, in San Francisco, California. More than 11,000 clinicians and professionals are expected to attend this event.

21 Sep 2009

Children’s Health Network acquired by MEDNAX

MEDNAX, Inc. (NYSE: MD) has completed the acquisition of Children’s Health Network (CHN), a physician group practice that provides a variety of inpatient pediatric physician services at 11 hospitals in four states.

21 Sep 2009

First Analyses of TYRX's AIGISRx Anti-Bacterial Envelope Retrospective Registry

TYRX, Inc., a leader in the commercialization of implantable medical-pharmaceutical devices, will present the first analyses of results from its AIGISRx Anti-Bacterial Envelope Retrospective Registry during the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT 2009) meeting in San Francisco, CA.

21 Sep 2009

Columbia University Medical Center performs the 100th ATS 3f Aortic Bioprosthesis implant

ATS Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATSI), manufacturer and marketer of state-of-the-art cardiac surgery products and services, today announced that Columbia University Medical Center has achieved 100 implants of the ATS 3f(R) Aortic Bioprosthesis. Based on the precept that 'Form Follows Function,' the ATS 3f Aortic Bioprosthesis is a revolutionary next generation stentless pericardial aortic tissue valve that is unlike any other valve.

21 Sep 2009

Better visualization of soft tissues using Toshiba's LCI

To continue its commitment to advancing medical imaging technology and improving diagnosis, Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. introduces Low-Contrast Imaging (LCI) for Toshiba’s InfinixTM-i systems with mid (12” x 12”) and large (12” x 16”) flat-panel detectors (FPD). Toshiba will demonstrate its low-contrast imaging capabilities at this year’s Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) annual meeting in San Francisco, Sept. 21 – Sept. 25, 2009 (Booth #705).

21 Sep 2009

Invatec launches a 3-dimensional distal Embolic Protection System for Carotid Artery Stenting

Invatec, a comprehensive innovator of interventional products, today introduced FiberNet®, a 3-dimensional distal Embolic Protection System (EPS) for Carotid Artery Stenting with the lowest crossing profile (0.031’’) and highest performance capabilities on the market, manufactured by Lumen Biomedical. FiberNet provides superior deliverability and can be used in vessels ranging from 3.5 to 7 mm.

21 Sep 2009

PTA balloon catheter for high pressure dilation procedures

Invatec, a comprehensive innovator of interventional products, today announced the availability of REEF HP, a PTA Balloon Catheter, ideal for use in all peripheral high pressure dilatation procedures. The “lesion-specific” design of the balloon material is particularly useful in “hard-to-dilate” situations and the availability of variable shaft lengths mean that the Reef HP is equally suited to both arteriovenous (AV) shunts (50cm shaft),and peripheral applications (80/120cm shaft).

21 Sep 2009

Research counters criticisms of Canadian health care system

Bloomberg reports that allegations that the Canadian health care system offers inferior treatment, rationing and long lines are wrong, according to wide-ranging and long-standing research.

21 Sep 2009

Hypertension Diagnostics' revenue decreases by 9.2% for the fiscal year 2009

Hypertension Diagnostics, Inc. (OTCBB: HDII), today announced audited financial results for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2009.

21 Sep 2009

New self-expanding peripheral stent system launched by Invatec

Invatec, a comprehensive innovator of interventional products, today launched their latest self-expanding peripheral stent system, Maris Plus. The Maris Plus stent has a “lesion-specific” design with larger sizes to meet the clinical requirements of the iliac region. The Maris Plus becomes the sixth stent platform now marketed by Invatec for the treatment of Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), greatly optimizing visibility, flexibility and ease of use for the physician.

21 Sep 2009

Identification of nitric oxide using lasers and sensors

Nitric oxide, a gas well known to scientists for its myriad functions, has proven challenging to measure accurately outside the laboratory. A team of Princeton and Rice University researchers has demonstrated a new method of identifying the gas using lasers and sensors that are inexpensive, compact and highly sensitive. Such a portable device, suitable for large-scale deployment, could be of great value to atmospheric science, pollution control, biology and medicine.

21 Sep 2009

AFib ablated using visually-guided laser balloon catheter

Physicians at The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York became the first in the U.S. to ablate atrial fibrillation using a visually-guided laser balloon catheter.

21 Sep 2009

CT-guided tube pericardiostomy, an effective treatment for pericardial effusion

Pericardial effusion, the collection of fluid around the heart, typically occurs in patients following heart surgery and is usually treated using an invasive surgical drainage technique. However researchers have discovered that a minimally invasive procedure called CT-guided tube pericardiostomy is just as effective - requiring no recovery time, fewer resources, and provides an 89 percent cost savings over the surgical drainage technique, according to a study published in the October issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR).

21 Sep 2009

Postmenopausal women benefit as much from exercise as younger women

In two papers based on the experiments and published in recent months, UC Berkeley researchers report that postmenopausal women can achieve the same health benefits from regular, vigorous exercise as younger women do.

21 Sep 2009

A new study links 45,000 deaths a year to lack of insurance

Researchers find that 45,000 deaths a year can be linked to the lack of health insurance. But, some question the study's merits. CBS News reports that the study was conducted by a team "that tracked more than 9,000 people for up to 13 years, comparing the health of those with insurance to those without. After factoring in education and income, smoking, drinking and obesity, researchers found that the uninsured had about a 40 percent higher risk of death, linking 45,000 American deaths a year to lack of insurance. In 1993 it was 25 percent" (Axelrod, 9/17).

21 Sep 2009

Study reveals that KCNE2 and KCNQ1 mutations can results in thyroid dysfunction

Genes previously known to be essential to the coordinated, rhythmic electrical activity of cardiac muscle -- a healthy heartbeat -- have now also been found to play a key role in thyroid hormone (TH) biosynthesis, according to Weill Cornell Medical College researchers.

21 Sep 2009

Four single-letter variations in SNPs increse prostate cancer risk

deCODE genetics (Nasdaq: DCGN) today announced that a team of its scientists and academic colleagues from Finland, Spain, the Netherlands and the United States have today published the discovery of four novel single-letter variations in the sequence of the human genome (SNPs) conferring increased risk of prostate cancer.

21 Sep 2009

Abbott Prism HIV O Plus assay approved by FDA

The U. S. Food and Drug Administration today announced approval of the Abbott Prism HIV O Plus assay, as a screening tool designed to detect the presence of certain antibodies to HIV. The assay is one of five assays that run on the fully automated Abbott Prism System.

21 Sep 2009

CEO of New Mexico Software provides update on its business activities

New Mexico Software, Inc. (OTCBB: NMXC), a leading services provider of next-generation business and medical services, issued this letter today to shareholders and stakeholders of New Mexico Software to provide an update on significant business activities at the Company:

19 Sep 2009