Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Discovery of eight previously unknown genes that affect blood pressure

Eight previously unknown genes that affect blood pressure were recently identified in a comprehensive international study comprising 34,433 Europeans. The findings of the study, in which Uppsala University researchers participated, are being presented in the Web edition of Nature Genetics.

11 May 2009

Seniors need more sun!

Spending more time in the sunshine could help older people to reduce their risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.

11 May 2009

Self-reported diagnosis of heart disease: Less than one in five heart problems are diagnosed before symptoms appear

Clinicians are missing golden opportunities to identify heart disease before patients start displaying symptoms, according to a study of 13,877 people published in the May issue of UK-based IJCP, the International Journal of Clinical Practice.

11 May 2009

Discovery of major new treatment target in diseased arteries

Removing a single protein prevents early damage in blood vessels from triggering a later-stage, frequently lethal complication of atherosclerosis, according to research published online today in the journal Nature Medicine. By eliminating the gene for a signaling protein called cyclophilin A (CypA) from a strain of mice, researchers were able to provide complete protection against abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).

11 May 2009

Scientific publishing giant guilty of some shonky behaviour

It has been revealed that the academic publisher Elsevier has admitted its Australian office produced six fake medical journals between 2000 and 2005.

11 May 2009

FDA approves Samsca tablets (tolvaptan) to treat hyponatremia

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Samsca tablets (tolvaptan) to treat hyponatremia, an abnormally low concentration of sodium in the blood.

8 May 2009

Survey examines wait times for appointments with specialists in 15 U.S. cities

Atlanta residents seeking appointments with certain specialists wait an average of 11.2 days, which is the shortest wait time among 15 cities polled in a survey released on Wednesday, the Detroit Free Press reports.

7 May 2009

New device for patients too sick for open-heart surgery

An innovative device that acts like a belt to reshape an enlarged, leaky heart valve is providing a minimally invasive treatment option for patients who are too sick for open-heart surgery.

7 May 2009

Hypoglycemia poses a serious health threat for patients with chronic kidney disease

Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, poses a serious health threat for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN).

7 May 2009

Kidney disease patients reap rewards of prevention

Making sure you see your doctor and have tests run on a regular basis can prevent serious complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN).

7 May 2009

Research confirms benefits of mobile health screening program to help diagnose at-risk populations

Results presented today at the American Society of Hypertension's Twenty Fourth Annual Scientific Meeting (ASH 2009) reveal that hypertension is still disproportionally prevalent in African-American women living in Boston’s inner city neighborhoods, despite recent improvements in diagnostic and treatment options.

7 May 2009

Low blood pressure may increase risk of heart attack and stroke

Data from the Treating to New Targets (TNT) trial presented today at the American Society of Hypertension's Twenty Fourth Annual Scientific Meeting (ASH 2009) show that low blood pressure levels may lead to increased risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attack and stroke. These data supplement previous findings from the TNT trial of atorvastatin showing aggressive LDL cholesterol-lowering reduced cardiovascular events.

7 May 2009

FDA licenses Sanofi Pasteur's new flu vaccine manufacturing facility

Sanofi Pasteur announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has licensed its new influenza vaccine manufacturing facility.

7 May 2009

Significantly increased mortality rate in elderly patients with nocturia

Patients suffering from nocturia, the need to urinate at least twice during the night, may have a significantly increased risk for mortality.

7 May 2009

FDA approve Fanapt tablets (iloperidone) to treat adults with schizophrenia

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Fanapt tablets (iloperidone) to treat adults with schizophrenia, a chronic, severe and disabling brain disorder.

7 May 2009

Studies indicate why females do not fare as well as men in undergoing angioplasty for heart attacks

Age, condition and treatment delay are among the reasons women who undergo angioplasty for heart attack often do not fare as well as do men, according to two studies presented today at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 32nd Annual Scientific Sessions.

6 May 2009

Anti-clotting action of clopidogrel (Plavix) reduced by common heartburn drugs

The anti-clotting action of the medication clopidogrel (Plavix) can be compromised by common drugs for the treatment of heartburn and ulcers resulting in a roughly 50% increase in the combined risk of hospitalization for heart attack, stroke and other serious cardiovascular illnesses, according to a new study presented today at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 32nd Annual Scientific Sessions.

6 May 2009

Results from study comparing safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stents and bare-metal stents

The Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) announced that its landmark study comparing the safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stents and bare-metal stents was published today in The New England Journal of Medicine.

6 May 2009

Metoclopramide versus droperidol for extreme nausea, vomiting during pregnancy

Nausea and vomiting are telltale indicators of pregnancy, affecting more than 80 percent of future mothers. For a few moms-to-be, symptoms can become so severe that hospitalization is required.

6 May 2009

Prevalence and physiological predictors of sleep apnea in patients with heart failure

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA) are not markedly decreased in heart failure (HF) patients managed with beta-blockers and spironolactone, reports a study in the March issue of Journal of Cardiac Failure, published by Elsevier.

6 May 2009