Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Prostate cancer treatment options discussed in a study

A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) appears to support the theory outlined in earlier studies that men with more advanced forms of prostate cancer don't benefit from a combination of hormone and radiation therapy.

9 Sep 2009

New findings may help identify treatments for diabetes and hyperinsulinemia

By investigating a rare and severe form of diabetes in children, University of Iowa researchers have discovered a new molecular mechanism that regulates specialized pancreatic cells and insulin secretion. The mechanism involves a protein called ankyrin, which UI researchers previously linked to potentially fatal human heart arrhythmias.

9 Sep 2009

Free pedometers from Humana for spectators at the Utah Championship in Sandy

Have you ever wondered how many steps you take during a round of golf? You can find out for sure — and maybe even win a prize — during the Nationwide Tour’s Utah Championship, thanks to a promotion from Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), the official health benefits company of the PGA TOUR.

9 Sep 2009

Humana Military announces the URAC re-accreditation for its Case Management Program

Humana Military Healthcare Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), recently received re-accreditation for its Case Management Program from URAC, a Washington, D.C.-based health care accrediting organization that establishes quality standards for the industry.

9 Sep 2009

European Dynamic Annuloplasty Activation study completes patient enrollment

MiCardia (MiCardia Corporation, Irvine, California) today announced the completion of enrollment in its European “DYANA” (Dynamic Annuloplasty Activation) study, designed to support submission for CE mark of the firm’s Dynaplasty technology in Europe.

9 Sep 2009

Nutrisystem D program helps overweight type 2 diabetic people lose weight

Results from a clinical study conducted at the Temple University School of Medicine and published today in the journal Postgraduate Medicine(1), show that a pre-packaged, portion controlled meal plan helped overweight individuals with type 2 diabetes lose significantly more weight and reduce their A1C test scores (a 90-day measure of blood sugar control) by almost a full point greater than those following a standard hospital-based diabetes support and education program, according to the findings.

9 Sep 2009

Regular usage of CGM devices help manage diabetes

The latest data from groundbreaking human clinical trials of the effectiveness of continuous glucose monitors (CGM) show that the primary determinant of improvements in achieving better diabetes control is regular use of monitors - six days per week or more - rather than the age of patients, and that benefits continue well past the time when people with type 1 diabetes begin using the devices - including experiencing fewer low blood sugar emergencies.

9 Sep 2009

FDA approves the distribution of IMRISNV and IMRIScardio systems

IMRIS Inc. ("IMRIS" or the "Company") today announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), permitting the Company to market its newest products, IMRISNV and IMRIScardio in the United States.

9 Sep 2009

Research study examines the depression rate in chronic kidney disease patients

One in five patients with chronic kidney disease is depressed, even before beginning long-term dialysis therapy or developing end-stage renal disease, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.

9 Sep 2009

New procedure for transapical valve replacement minimizes trauma and blood loss

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (NYSE: EW), the world leader in the science of heart valves, announced today the first successful clinical use of its new lower-profile Ascendra 2 transapical delivery system, designed to benefit both patients and physicians by minimizing trauma and blood loss, and facilitating transcatheter heart valve delivery and deployment.

9 Sep 2009

Adverse impact of drinking during pregnancy highlighted by health department

In recognition of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Week, the Pennsylvania Department of Health today reminded women about the serious implications of drinking while pregnant.

9 Sep 2009

Individuals with upper-GI symptoms visit general practitioners often

Patients with upper gastrointestinal (GI) complaints visit their general practitioner (GP) more often than patients with other conditions. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Family Practice found that people with dyspepsia, heartburn, epigastric discomfort and other upper-abdominal complaints had almost twice as many GP contacts, which were ultimately associated with problems in all organ systems.

9 Sep 2009

USA Today's 24-hour emergency room visit

A team of USA Today reporters spent a full, 24-hour day in the emergency room at University of Virginia Medical Center in late August. "The key elements of today's debate on health care converge in the ER, from the cutting-edge quality of the U.S. system to the millions of uninsured people who show up for care," according to the report. A key reform goal is covering an estimated 46 million uninsured Americans. But the task is expensive, and in many cases, born by ERs under the current system.

8 Sep 2009

Pharos Innovations' RPM technology enables healthcare cost reduction

Pharos Innovations announced today that results of the Henry Ford Health System Patient-Centered Team Care program show a 36% reduction in expected all-cause hospital admissions for enrolled heart failure patients after six months of enrollment and a return of 2.3:1 vs. program costs.

8 Sep 2009

Exposure to air pollution can cause heart attack

It's well known that measures such as exercise, a healthy diet and not smoking can help reduce high blood pressure, but researchers at the University of Michigan Health System have determined the very air we breathe can be an invisible catalyst to heart disease.

8 Sep 2009

Fourth-quarter and fiscal year end 2009 results announced by Palatin Technologies

Palatin Technologies, Inc. (NYSE Amex: PTN) today announced results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended June 30, 2009. For the year ended June 30, 2009, total revenues were $11.4 million, compared to $11.5 million for year ended June 30, 2008. Palatin's net loss for the year ended June 30, 2009 was $4.8 million, or $(0.06) per basic and diluted share, compared to a net loss of $14.4 million, or $(0.17) per basic and diluted share, for the year ended June 30, 2008.

8 Sep 2009

RONA MS Bike Tour organized for the benefit of the Quebec Division of the MS Society a huge success

The 20th edition of the RONA MS Bike Tour, organized for the benefit of the Quebec Division of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, ended last weekend in a glow of unbelievable generosity. Together, the 1,500 cyclists raised $1,450,000, which will fund research and services for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their families. Participants got together in the Victoriaville area on August 22 and 23, and in the Levis region on August 29 and 30.

8 Sep 2009

Newly established McClay Foundation to encourage healthcare research in Northern Ireland

Speaking last week Sir Allen McClay, Chairman of the Almac Group, formally announced the establishment of the McClay Foundation, a charitable trust, one of the first of its kind in Northern Ireland.

8 Sep 2009

Chronic pediatric cough linked to reflux and allergies

New research shows that chronic cough in children is most often caused by gastroesophageal reflux and allergies. Researchers from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA, evaluated 40 patients aged 5 to 12 years with chronic cough (> 8 weeks in duration) with no obvious cause. Each patient underwent extensive multispecialty testing. Results showed that reflux was the single most commonly associated factor of chronic cough by itself (27.5 percent), followed by allergy (22.5 percent).

8 Sep 2009

Aquaculture supplies half of the total fish and shellfish for human consumption

Aquaculture, once a fledgling industry, now accounts for 50 percent of the fish consumed globally, according to a new report by an international team of researchers. And while the industry is more efficient than ever, it is also putting a significant strain on marine resources by consuming large amounts of feed made from wild fish harvested from the sea, the authors conclude.

8 Sep 2009