Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

New comorbidity index helps predict post-transplant survival

Patients awaiting liver transplantation who also suffer from other medical problems may face poorer survival after transplantation.

6 Nov 2007

NSAIDs may lower risk of Parkinson's disease

Over-the-counter pain medications known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may reduce a person's risk of Parkinson's disease, according to a study published in the November 6, 2007, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

6 Nov 2007

Effects of weight gain and subsequent weight loss on endothelial function

When lean healthy young adults gained about 9 pounds, the functioning of their blood vessel lining became impaired -- but shedding the weight restored proper functioning, according to a Mayo Clinic research report.

6 Nov 2007

Microtek Medical introduces disposable stethoscope covers

Microtek Medical Holdings Inc. has announced the release of StethoClean, a new device that offers clean, disposable stethoscope covers to protect each patient from germs and infectious disease.

6 Nov 2007

New risk factor for heart attack patients identified

If you go to the hospital within one to two hours of the onset of symptoms of a heart attack, your chances of getting proper treatment are nearly 70 percent greater than those who wait 11 to 12 hours before seeking treatment, according to results presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2007 in Orlando, Fla.

6 Nov 2007

Seasonal differences in blood pressure

Fewer people treated for high blood pressure return to normal pressure levels in the winter compared to those treated in the summer, Veterans Affairs (VA) researchers reported at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2007.

6 Nov 2007

64-slice CT scans a good test for clogged arteries

A study by an international team of cardiac imaging specialists, led by researchers at Johns Hopkins, concludes that sophisticated computed tomography (CT) scans of the heart and its surrounding arteries are almost as reliable and accurate as more invasive procedures to check for blockages.

6 Nov 2007

Hypertension or atrial fibrillation linked to Alzheimer's disease progression

Alzheimer's disease (AD) may progress more rapidly in people with high blood pressure or a form of irregular heartbeat, atrial fibrillation, according to results of a Johns Hopkins study published in the Nov. 6, 2007, issue of Neurology.

6 Nov 2007

Heart failure patients benefit from nurse-led intervention

Heart failure patients are more likely to comply with important non-medication interventions, such as fluid and salt restrictions and regular weighing, when they have intensive support from a heart failure nurse and multidisciplinary team than if they do not, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2007.

6 Nov 2007

Childhood BMI rebound influences heart disease late in life

The earlier in life children reach their lowest body mass index (BMI) signals potential heart disease risk factors and may become evident as early as age 7, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2007.

6 Nov 2007

Women with implantable cardioverter defibrillators fare less well than men

While ICDs—implantable cardioverter defibrillators—are the device of choice to manage abnormal heart rhythms, a new study led by cardiologists at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine suggests that women with ICDs fare less well than their male counterparts.

6 Nov 2007

New review of catheterization after heart attack

In a subset of patients suffering heart attack, adding stents to clot-busting medical therapy after the optimal treatment window ends isn't justified, say researchers from Duke University Medical Center.

6 Nov 2007

Impact of various diabetes treatments on patients' health after heart attack.

Mayo Clinic researchers helped clarify a growing concern about the link between diabetes mellitus treatments and heart attack with the first large, population-based study showing that a group of common medications does not reduce diabetic patients' heart attack survival rates.

6 Nov 2007

More effective method of treating high blood pressure

Scientists at Robarts Research Institute have developed a simplified and more effective method of treating high blood pressure.

6 Nov 2007

Breastfeeding boosts infants' IQs, but only if the babies have a specific genetic variant

This study looked at how long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAS), which are present in human milk but not in cow's milk or most infant formulas, are metabolized. LC-PUFAS in breast milk, the authors said, is believed to enhance cognitive development because the fatty acids are required for efficient neurotransmission and are involved in neuronal growth and regeneration.

6 Nov 2007

Breastfeeding babies offers them long-term heart-health benefits

Breastfed babies are less likely to have certain cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in adulthood than their bottle-fed counterparts, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2007.

6 Nov 2007

Breast cancer screening may not be cost-effective for older women on dialysis

For older women on dialysis, routine mammograms to screen for breast cancer may not be a cost-effective use of medical resources, according to a paper being presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 40th Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in San Francisco.

6 Nov 2007