Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Abbott to acquire Evalve for $410 million

Abbott announced today a definitive agreement to acquire the outstanding equity of Evalve, Inc., the global leader in the development of devices for minimally invasive repair of cardiac mitral valves.

10 Sep 2009

FDA approves Supplemental New Drug Application for DOXIL

Centocor Ortho Biotech Products, L.P. today announced that it received a Complete Response letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding its Supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for DOXIL (doxorubicin HCI liposome injection) in combination with docetaxel for the treatment of women with locally advanced and metastatic breast cancer.

10 Sep 2009

Endothelin research update to be presented at APS' 11th International Conference

Recent research to block the effects of endothelin, a powerful substance that constricts blood vessels and stimulates cell growth, has led to successful treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension and provides hope for treating other chronic diseases.

10 Sep 2009

The first CardioGraft patch with MatrACELL technology implant performed

LifeNet Health, a leading allograft bio-implant company, announces the first implant of a CardioGraft(TM) allograft cardiac patch product with MatrACELL(TM)( )decellularization technology. The surgery was performed at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo by Gary K. Lofland, MD, FACS, Section Chief, Cardiovascular Surgery at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo, The Joseph Boon Gregg/Missouri Endowed Chair in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Professor of Surgery, UMKC.

10 Sep 2009

METOZOLV drug approved for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease

Wilmington Pharmaceuticals announced today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing approval for METOZOLV ODT (metoclopramide HCl), an orally disintegrating formulation of metoclopramide for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and diabetic gastroparesis.

10 Sep 2009

Affymax to complete Hematide Phase 3 clinical study by the end of 2009

Affymax, Inc. today announced that it has notified clinical trial sites to complete treatment of patients in the Phase 3 clinical program for the investigational drug, Hematide, by the end of 2009.

10 Sep 2009

REPEL-CV approved for cardiac surgeries

SyntheMed, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: SYMD), a biomaterials company engaged in the development and commercialization of anti-adhesion products, announced today that REPEL-CV, the company's bioresorbable adhesion barrier film for the reduction of adhesions following cardiac surgery, has received approval from the Brazilian Ministry of Health for use in all patients who undergo open-heart surgery.

10 Sep 2009

Non-invasive CR-2000 Research System to be used in START clinical trial

Hypertension Diagnostics, Inc., today announced that its non-invasive HDI/PulseWave CR-2000 Research System (CR-2000) has been selected for use in the Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment (START) substudy on Arterial Elasticity that will examine blood vessel function and cardiovascular risk during HIV infection.

10 Sep 2009

U.S patent for Tryton Side Branch Stent System

Tryton Medical, Inc., the leading developer of stents designed to definitively treat bifurcation lesions, announced today that a U.S. patent has been awarded for the company’s Tryton Side Branch Stent™ System.

10 Sep 2009

Varying physical activity for optimal health benefits

How hard and for how long should you exercise in order to shed excess abdominal fat and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease?

10 Sep 2009

Researchers find link between traffic noise and increased blood pressure

Traffic noise raises blood pressure. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Environmental Health have found that people exposed to high levels of noise from nearby roads are more likely to report suffering from hypertension.

10 Sep 2009

Lead exposure may result in cardiovascular mortality

Growing evidence shows that exposure to lead in the environment is associated with cardiovascular disease, including increased risk of hypertension. However, those studies have looked at lead concentrations in blood, not bone lead, a better indicator of cumulative lead exposure over time.

10 Sep 2009

Risk of NAFLD lowers with routine physical activities

Researchers from the University of Sydney, Australia determined that patients with a sedentary lifestyle who engage in routine physical activities lower their risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

10 Sep 2009

OSI Systems signs partnership agreement with Irish software firm, dabl

OSI Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSIS), a vertically-integrated provider of specialized electronic products for critical applications in the Security and Healthcare industries, today announced that its Healthcare division, Spacelabs Healthcare, has entered into an agreement with Irish software firm, dabl® Ltd.

10 Sep 2009

Free, online self-assessment quiz helps assess health and lifestyle risks for PAD

As recent medical studies continue to highlight the seriousness of peripheral arterial disease (or PAD) and its association with heart attack, stroke and early mortality, the Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation recommends that older Americans, smokers and diabetics take its free, online self-assessment quiz.

10 Sep 2009

Society of Interventional Radiology's resources emphasize on PAD

The Society of Interventional Radiology offers numerous resources just in time for September's national peripheral arterial disease (or PAD) awareness month. As recent medical studies continue to highlight the seriousness of PAD, these resources are welcome additions to libraries for interventional radiologists and primary care physicians who want to learn more about minimally invasive treatments for this disease that affects an estimated 10 million people in the United States.

10 Sep 2009

Clinical study investigates laboratory and clinical implications of proton pump inhibitor drugs

Fears about the cancer causing effects of the second most prescribed group of drugs in the Western world have been put to rest, following the largest ever study into their use.

10 Sep 2009

Obesity experts call on policymakers to adopt obesity recommendations

The Obesity Society and other steering committee members of the Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance, and two former US Surgeons General, join together today to develop effective recommendations to urge policymakers to act on the inclusion of obesity as the largest and most urgent driving factor in healthcare reform.

10 Sep 2009

Center for Health Studies is renamed as SEATTLE-Group Health Research Institute

SEATTLE-Group Health Research Institute is the new name of Group Health Center for Health Studies. Since 1983, it has been doing research to improve health and health care for all. The Institute is the research arm of Group Health Cooperative, and it is changing its name to reflect this relationship more clearly.

10 Sep 2009

Contradictions between personal and systemic health issues could thwart reform

Health care reform efforts must confront a paradox, the Los Angeles Times reports: "Millions of Americans say the system they depend on for everything from routine flu shots to life-saving heart surgery is broken and needs fixing.

9 Sep 2009