Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Life expectancy in Europe

A 14-nation study found that in 2003 Portugal had the lowest life expectancy at birth for men, -almost 4 years less than the highest (Sweden).

9 Jul 2006

New aspect of prion disease - agent causes heart damage

Until now, prion disease has been thought of as a chronic neurological condition.

9 Jul 2006

Researchers use proteins to 'switch on' heart tissue repair system

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine are utilizing a protein to "switch on" the ability to repair damaged heart tissue.

9 Jul 2006

Discovery of gene mutation gives hope for Down syndrome and Alzheimer's victims

Researchers in the U.S. have discovered a gene mutation that shrivels brain cells which they suspect is responsible for the mental retardation seen in Down syndrome.

6 Jul 2006

Obese women at greater risk of disease and death

Experts say that obesity is a disease that now affects nearly one-third of the adult American population, approximately 60 million people, and the latest study on the condition suggests that health risks to women who are obese may have been underestimated.

6 Jul 2006

Adopting multiple healthy habits may significantly lower risk of coronary heart disease in men

A prospective study of 42,847 middle-aged and older U.S. men participating in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study has found that a healthy lifestyle is associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), even among men taking antihypertensive or lipid-lowering medications.

5 Jul 2006

Sildenafil boosts high altitude exercise up to 45% for some cyclists

Sildenafil (Viagra) significantly improved the cardiovascular and exercise performance measures of trained cyclists at high altitude, mostly because the drug helped some participants improve a lot -- up to 45% -- while others showed little change. Sildenafil provided no benefit at sea level.

5 Jul 2006

Safety of popular painkiller Tylenol questioned

According to a new study the popular painkiller Tylenol may not be as safe to take as previously thought.

5 Jul 2006

New Australian 'assassin' drug has huge potential

Australian researchers have come up with a new drug which they believe has the potential to fight a wide range of illnesses and diseases including cancer, age-related blindness, heart disease and arthritis.

5 Jul 2006

Fat and clever and rich - equals depression

Major depression is a leading cause of disability globally and according to American researchers people who are obese are more at risk of suffering from a psychiatric disorder.

4 Jul 2006

Hospital quality measures do not fully account for the variation in hospital death rates for heart attack patients

Hospital quality measures do not fully account for the variation in hospital death rates for heart attack patients, according to a study in the July 5 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association.

4 Jul 2006

Obesity associated with psychiatric disorders

Obesity is associated with a 25 percent increase in the risk of developing mood and anxiety disorders and a 25 percent decrease in likeliness for substance abuse.

4 Jul 2006

86 percent higher risk of death for extremely obese women

While obesity has generally been viewed as a single significant health concern, a University of Pittsburgh study suggests that not all obese women share the same health risks.

4 Jul 2006

Health risks for women who are extremely obese underestimated

The health risks for women who are extremely obese may be underestimated as a new study indicates they have a higher prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol than women at lower levels of obesity.

4 Jul 2006

Gabapentin is as effective as estrogen for menopause symptoms

University of Rochester researchers, who have been investigating new therapies for hot flashes for several years, report in the July Obstetrics and Gynecology journal that the seizure drug gabapentin is as effective as estrogen

3 Jul 2006

Clozapine has serious health consequences

Patients who take clozapine, the most effective antipsychotic drug, have significantly higher rates of metabolic syndrome, according to a first-of-a-kind study by University of Rochester Medical Center researchers.

3 Jul 2006

Researchers develop T-cells from human embryonic stem cells

Human embryonic stem cells can be genetically manipulated and coaxed to develop into mature T-cells, raising hopes for a gene therapy to combat AIDS.

3 Jul 2006

Minimally invasive angioplasty and stenting restores blood flow to kidneys

A pilot study suggests that the results of minimally invasive angioplasty and stenting to restore blood flow to the kidneys can be significantly improved if a suction device is used to remove the material blocking the vessel.

3 Jul 2006

Potential permanent genetic cure for hemophilia A

A discovery by Medical College of Wisconsin and BloodCenter of Wisconsin researchers in Milwaukee may be a key to a permanent genetic cure for hemophilia A patients, including a subset who do not respond to conventional blood transfusions.

3 Jul 2006

Bone marrow adult stem cells repair a damaged heart

Researchers at the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine at Toronto General Hospital have discovered the 'SOS' distress signal that mobilizes specific heart repair cells from the bone marrow to the injured heart after a heart attack.

3 Jul 2006