Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Stem cells from umbilical cord blood may help build new heart valves

Children with heart defects may someday receive perfectly-matched new heart valves built using stem cells from their umbilical cord blood, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2008.

11 Nov 2008

Obesity raises levels of hormone leptin

Obese people who don't have high cholesterol or diabetes might think they're healthy - despite the extra pounds.

11 Nov 2008

Increased heart attack deaths in NYC ambulance diversions confirmed in new research

Ambulance diversions from nearby, crowded New York emergency rooms to more distant emergency departments are associated with increased deaths among patients suffering from heart attacks, according to a paper presented at a meeting of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS®).

11 Nov 2008

Obstructive sleep apnea may be risk factor for sudden cardiac death

After studying the sleep characteristics of nearly 11,000 adults in an overnight sleep laboratory, Mayo Clinic researchers suggest that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) - and, in particular, the low nighttime oxygen saturation of the blood it causes - may be a risk factor for sudden cardiac death (SCD).

11 Nov 2008

Secondary prevention program may reduce risks after heart attack

An intensive, comprehensive, long-term secondary prevention program lasting up to three years after cardiac rehabilitation appears to reduce the risk of a second non-fatal heart attack and other cardiovascular events, according to a report in the November 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine , one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

11 Nov 2008

Cardiopulmonary bypass for child heart surgery does not affect IQ

The use of cardiopulmonary bypass does not cause short-term neurological problems in children and teenagers after surgery for less complex heart defects, according to pediatric researchers.

11 Nov 2008

New performance measures on performance measurement and reperfusion therapy

The ACC/AHA 2008 Task Force on Performance Measures' Statement on Performance Measurement and Reperfusion Therapy will webpost on Monday, November 10 at 2 pm ET.

11 Nov 2008

Simple blood test for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein is a useful marker for cardiovascular disease

This year, about 450,000 Americans will die of coronary heart disease – the leading cause of death for both men and women.

11 Nov 2008

Heart powered pacemakers and defibrillators

Surplus energy generated by the heart may one day help power pacemakers and defibrillators implanted in cardiac patients, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2008.

11 Nov 2008

Lack of sleep tied to greater risk of heart disease

Sleeping less than seven and a half hours per day may be associated with future risk of heart disease, according to a report in the November 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine , one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

11 Nov 2008

Sleep disorders linked to eye disease

If a good night's sleep helps the brain and body perform better, it's a good guess that sleep problems can cause more than just fatigue.

11 Nov 2008

Data expands the clinical utility of deCODE tests for heart attack, atrial fibrillation and stroke

Several presentations by deCODE genetics scientists and independent researchers at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2008 being held at the New Orleans Convention Center from November 8 to12 are expected to expand upon the clinical utility of evaluating individual risk of heart attack, or atrial fibrillation and stroke, respectively, by measuring the genetic markers that are the basis of the deCODE MI and deCODE AF tests.

11 Nov 2008

Daily rhythms in endothelial cells may explain why heart attacks occur most often in early morning hours

It's not just the stress of going to work. Daily rhythms in the activity of cells that line blood vessels may help explain why heart attacks and strokes occur most often in early morning hours, researchers from Emory University School of Medicine have found.

11 Nov 2008

Dealing with the festive season when you have an eating disorder

The approach of holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas can be anxious times for those suffering from an eating disorder but researchers say they don't have to be difficult.

11 Nov 2008

Trial of investigational drug for treatment of advanced heart failure

UC San Diego Medical Center is currently enrolling patients in a Phase 2 clinical trial of an investigational drug for the treatment of advanced heart failure.

10 Nov 2008

Researchers discover genetic basis for some common congenital birth defects

A multidisciplinary research team at Case Western Reserve University led by Gary Landreth, Ph.D., a professor in the School of Medicine's Department of Neurosciences, has uncovered a common genetic pathway for a number of birth defects that affect the development of the heart and head.

10 Nov 2008

Cancer risk from cardiac CT overstated

Radiology and cardiovascular researchers from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, S.C., today presented new data that shows the risk of cancer from exposure to radiation during computed tomography for cardiovascular disease has been overstated and that new estimates are several times lower than previously published conclusions.

10 Nov 2008

Education delays onset of the dementia

A test that reveals brain changes believed to be at the heart of Alzheimer's disease has bolstered the theory that education can delay the onset of the dementia and cognitive decline that are characteristic of the disorder.

10 Nov 2008

Blood pressure control inequality linked to deaths among blacks

Racial disparity in the control of hypertension contributes to the deaths of almost 8,000 black men and women in the United States annually, according to a first-of-its-kind study published today in the Annals of Family Medicine by University of Rochester Medical Center researchers.

10 Nov 2008

Black and south Asian people benefiting less from interventions to reduce blood pressure

People from black and south Asian communities in the UK are not benefiting as much as white people from doctors' interventions to reduce their blood pressure, according to a new study published today in the journal Annals of Family Medicine.

10 Nov 2008