Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator effective in preventing sudden cardiac death in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

High-risk patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy appear to have reduced risk of sudden cardiac death with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator that terminates dangerous heart rhythm disorders, according to a study in the July 25 issue of JAMA.

25 Jul 2007

Alkaline diet can combat the effects of acid reflux

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), more commonly known as acid reflux, affects 19.8 percent of adults in the United States (roughly 47.3 million people).

25 Jul 2007

Merck appoints David Kelley, M.D., to key role in growing Diabetes and Obesity franchise

Merck & Co., Inc. has announced that David E. Kelley, M.D., has been named vice president, franchise integrator for Diabetes & Obesity. Dr. Kelley joins Merck after 20 years on staff at the University of Pittsburgh, where he most recently served as professor of medicine and director of the Obesity & Nutrition Research Center.

24 Jul 2007

Link between low cholesterol levels and cancer

Millions of Americans take statins to lower their cholesterol, but how low should you go?

24 Jul 2007

Low literacy can shorten life

Not being able to read doesn't just make it harder to navigate each day. Low literacy impairs people's ability to obtain critical information about their health and can dramatically shorten their lives.

24 Jul 2007

Initiative to improve heart failure care at nation's hospitals makes major gains

A national initiative designed to improve heart-failure patient care in hospitals proved effective at increasing hospital adherence to key quality-of-care performance measures and reducing the length of hospital stays for patients.

24 Jul 2007

Being elderly and illiterate means a significantly higher mortality rate

Researchers in the U.S. have found that being elderly and being unable to read and understand basic health information is a bad combination.

24 Jul 2007

Don't drink the fizzy stuff!

Drinking more than one soft drink daily whether it's regular or diet may be associated with an increase in the risk factors for heart disease, Framingham researchers reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

24 Jul 2007

Adult survivors of childhood leukemia exercise less putting themselves at risk for obesity

Overcoming pediatric cancer may only mark the beginning of a young survivor's lifelong battle to stay healthy.

24 Jul 2007

A quarter of adult New Yorkers have elevated blood mercury levels

A quarter of adult New Yorkers have elevated blood mercury levels, according to survey results released today by the Health Department, and the elevations are closely tied to fish consumption.

24 Jul 2007

Cut out the sodas - cut down the metabolic syndrome risk!

According to a large U.S. study, soda drinks, whether they be diet or regular, are linked to an increased risk of metabolic syndrome among middle-age adults.

23 Jul 2007

Discovery of novel 'molecular dictator with a conscience'

University of New South Wales (UNSW) researchers have uncovered an important naturally occurring mechanism in the body where "bad" cells that cause blockages in our blood vessels are kept under strict growth control, while "good" cells that keep our blood vessels free of clots and growths are left unaffected.

23 Jul 2007

Medical students respond positively to simulated patient experience

When a vomiting, simulated patient mannequin was rolled into the lecture hall last fall to teach large numbers of first- and second-year Wake Forest University School of Medicine students about the brain and nervous system, Michael T. Fitch, M.D., Ph.D., wasn't sure what to expect.

23 Jul 2007

IDM Pharma plans to amend NDA for Mifamurtide (L-MTP-PE) for the treatment of osteosarcoma

IDM Pharma, Inc. has announced that it has recently met with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and informed the FDA that the Company intends to take immediate action to supplement the data in its current New Drug Application (NDA) for mifamurtide (L-MTP-PE), formerly known as Junovan, which is being reviewed for the treatment of children and adolescents with non-metastatic osteosarcoma.

23 Jul 2007

Urgent needs of HIV-positive women discussed

Women Living Positive, a roundtable discussion at the IAS congress in Sydney, featured the perspectives of an international panel, including experts in HIV research and medicine, an HIV-positive woman and a member of Australia's National Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NAPWA), on the progress that has been made, and what remains to be done to address the needs of HIV-positive women.

23 Jul 2007