Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Australian blood expert calls for changes in the way blood is stored

A leading Australian haematologist is renewing his call for changes in the way blood is stored and used for transfusions.

25 Mar 2008

Excessive texting a sign of mental illness

According to an expert in the U.S., sending excessive text messages and e-mails may be an indication of a mental illness.

25 Mar 2008

Report says anger endemic in British society

According to a new report 'anger' is a problem which is endemic in British society, but little is done about it.

25 Mar 2008

Study shows how ignorance can be influential

In the current issue of The RAND Journal of Economics, USC researchers provide a challenge to the classic economic model of information manipulation, in which knowing more than anybody else is the key to influence.

25 Mar 2008

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease related to cardiovascular fitness

Patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have suboptimal levels of cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, body composition and physical fitness, according to a new study.

25 Mar 2008

REST protein protects embryonic stem cells' versatility and self-renewal

A protein known as REST blocks the expression of a microRNA that prevents embryonic stem cells from reproducing themselves and causes them to differentiate into specific cell types, scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center report in the journal Nature.

25 Mar 2008

New drug targets for Huntington's disease

Research funded by the Wellcome Trust has provided a number of promising new drug targets for Huntington's disease, a neurodegenerative disease.

25 Mar 2008

Severe psoriasis linked to serious medical conditions including cardiovascular disease, depression and cancer

It has long been known that psoriasis, a chronic skin condition characterized by thick, red, scaly plaques that itch and bleed, can have a significant negative impact on a patient's overall quality of life.

25 Mar 2008

Mutant proteins could lead to new treatment for heart disease

Heart damage due to blocked arteries remains the leading cause of disease and death in the Western world, but a Florida State University College of Medicine researcher is helping to open new pathways toward treating the problem.

25 Mar 2008

Hospitals that participate in clinical trials may provide better patient care

Hospitals that participate in clinical trials appear to provide better care for patients with heart attacks or other acute heart events and have lower death rates than hospitals that do not participate in clinical trials, according to a report in the March 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

25 Mar 2008

Dieting and medication may reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertension

Adults with hypertension may be able to lower their weight and their blood pressure by following a weight-loss diet or using the medication orlistat, according to a meta-analysis of previously published studies reported in the March 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

25 Mar 2008

Birth of an enzyme

Mankind triumphed in a recent 'competition' against nature when scientists succeeded in creating a new type of enzyme for a reaction for which no naturally occurring enzyme has evolved.

25 Mar 2008

Methamphetamine use and pulmonary arterial hypertension

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA), in conjunction with leading pulmonary hypertension specialists, has announced the launch of an educational campaign to raise awareness of the association between pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and stimulant use, particularly methamphetamine use.

24 Mar 2008

Happily married adults have lower blood pressure than singles

New research shows that happily married adults have lower blood pressure than singles with supportive social networks, suggesting marriage may literally be a matter of the heart.

24 Mar 2008

Are dual cord blood banks the answer to increasing stem cell demand?

In this week's BMJ, two senior doctors, Professors Nicholas Fisk and Rifat Atun, analyse the UK's growing cord blood banking industry and the potential impact of a new bank that provides blood for both personal and public use.

24 Mar 2008

A polyphenols-rich diet keeps the heart younger

This finding comes out from a study by the University of Grenoble in collaboration with the other Centres participating to the FLORA Project, a European Commission funded research studying the effects of flavonoids, a variety of polyphenols, on human health.

24 Mar 2008

Taking correct medications on time easier with a pill card

Free, online instructions for creating a pill card -- an illustrated medication schedule -- using only a personal or laptop computer and printer are now available from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, a part of the US. Department of Health and Human Services.

24 Mar 2008

Cholesterol-associated gene variants can predict cardiovascular events

A study appearing in this week's New England Journal of Medicine confirms that a combination of gene variants previously associated with cholesterol levels does reflect patients' cholesterol levels and can signify increased risk of heart attack, stroke or sudden cardiac death.

20 Mar 2008

Low levels of dietary folate linked to sperm abnormalities

Healthy men who report lower levels of the nutrient folate in their diets have higher rates of chromosomal abnormalities in their sperm, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

20 Mar 2008

Parental observations and perceptions important in detecting sleep problems in children

A new study from the University of Rochester has found that parental observations and perceptions of their childrens' sleep habits are a valuable supplement to objective laboratory tests in detecting obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

20 Mar 2008