Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Rising triglyceride levels may be behind rising rates of obesity

A new 30-year analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database conducted by the National Lipid Association (NLA) indicates that while Americans are doing a better job of managing LDL or "bad" cholesterol, the percentage of adults with high triglycerides, a blood fat linked to heart disease, has doubled, leaving many people at risk for potentially life-threatening events such as heart attack or stroke.

10 Nov 2008

Headphones for MP3 players interfere with heart defibrillators, pacemakers

Headphones for MP3 players placed within an inch of pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) may interfere with these devices, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2008.

10 Nov 2008

Low-dose aspirin does not appear to reduce risk of CV events in patients with diabetes

Low-dose aspirin as primary prevention did not appear to significantly reduce the risk of a combined end point of coronary, cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a new study in JAMA.

10 Nov 2008

Low levels of potassium in diet linked to high blood pressure

As a risk factor for high blood pressure, low levels of potassium in the diet may be as important as high levels of sodium - especially among African Americans, according to research being presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 41st Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

10 Nov 2008

Hispanics less likely to have repeat revascularizations 1 year after angioplasty

Hispanic patients were 57 percent less likely than Caucasian patients to undergo coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) one year after successful angioplasty, a type of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to open blockages in the coronary arteries.

10 Nov 2008

New hybrid technology for disease prevention

The earlier cancer is diagnosed, the better the chance of effecting a cure.

10 Nov 2008

Heart failure hospitalization rates rise among nation's seniors

Heart failure is reaching epidemic levels among seniors in the United States, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2008.

10 Nov 2008

Latest glaucoma research

Glaucoma-related highlights of today's scientific program of the 2008 Joint Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy) and European Society of Ophthalmology (SOE) include a study that correlates optic nerve damage in glaucoma patients with carotid artery narrowing and potentially elevated risk for stroke, and a survey that looks at how the practice of fasting, common to the world's seven major religions, may affect patient compliance with treatment for glaucoma and other eye diseases.

10 Nov 2008

GE Healthcare showcases new cardiology technology

GE Healthcare continues to re-invent and re-imagine cardiology and the innovations that may help fuel the field through the future.

10 Nov 2008

Flu shots may reduce risk of blood clots forming in veins

Flu shots may reduce the risk of blood clots forming in veins by 26 percent, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2008.

10 Nov 2008

Stents no help for patients with narrow kidney arteries

Using stents to open up kidney arteries is commonly done in patients with atherosclerotic renovascular disease, but the procedure provides no benefit, according to a paper being presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 41st Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

10 Nov 2008

New research on chronic corticosteroid use

An analysis of large population databases has recently yielded important findings about chronic corticosteroid use.

10 Nov 2008

Crestor (rosuvastatin calcium) shown to significantly reduce major cardiovascular events

New data from the JUPITER study demonstrated that Crestor (rosuvastatin calcium) 20 mg significantly reduced major cardiovascular (CV) events (defined in this study as the combined risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, arterial revascularization, hospitalization for unstable angina, or death from CV causes) by a dramatic 44% compared to placebo (p<0.001) among men and women with elevated hsCRP but low to normal cholesterol levels.

10 Nov 2008

Scientists on a quest to find the right prescription for exercise

Canadian scientists have a plan in the pipeline to explore just why exercise is so beneficial to the body.

9 Nov 2008

Pycnogenol cuts jetlag in half

Scientists have found that Pycnogenol, a natural plant extract from the bark of pine trees, can reduce jetlag symptoms by half. Pycnogenol is the patented trade name for a water extract of the bark of the French maritime pine (Pinus pinaster ssp. atlantica), which is grown in coastal southwest France.

9 Nov 2008

We all know physical activity is good for you. But why exactly is it good for you?

What effect does exercise have on the cells and tissues of the body? What do we need to know so that we can use physical activity more effectively to combat chronic diseases such as arthritis, diabetes and heart disease? And what social and psychological factors prevent people from exercising or playing sports?

8 Nov 2008

New equation provides more accurate estimates of the glomerular filtration rate

A newly developed equation produces more accurate estimates of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) - a key indicator of kidney function in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to research being presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 41st Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

8 Nov 2008

New guidelines for congenital heart disease

These days most children born with congenital heart disease live well into adulthood, thanks to innovative surgical, interventional and medical treatments.

8 Nov 2008

Number of custodial grandparents in U.S. has nearly doubled since 1970

Precautionary health measures such as mammograms and cholesterol tests that identify the risk of heart disease are critical for the well-being of women over 50.

7 Nov 2008

Study compares survival following different heart disease treatments in patients with ESRD

For patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) on dialysis who also must be treated for heart disease, stents provide the best one-year survival compared with other revascularization treatments, but bypass surgery provides the best long-term survival, according to a paper being presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 41st Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

7 Nov 2008