Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Hospitality industry worst for alcohol-related problems

A new analysis of government data finds that 15 percent of employees in the hospitality industry suffer from serious alcohol-related problems.

26 Mar 2008

Beta-blockers heal the heart via the brain when administered during heart failure

Up to now, it was thought that beta-blockers work directly on the heart, but the new study shows that the drugs may also act via the brain, suggesting that future therapies to treat cardiovascular disease could be targeting the central nervous system.

26 Mar 2008

Coagulation in patients with anxiety disorders

"The blood froze in my veins" or "My blood curdled" - these common figures of speech can be taken literally, according to the latest studies.

26 Mar 2008

Male babies born prematurely more vulnerable to heart problems

Hunter researchers have discovered that male babies born prematurely are more vulnerable to cardiovascular complications than female babies.

26 Mar 2008

Cardiovascular and metabolic issues in patients with thyroid dysfunction

Thyroid experts will present the latest information on cardiovascular and metabolic issues in patients with thyroid disorders, including those who have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) or an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), at a day-long scientific meeting on Friday, March 28, 2008 at the Marriott Metro Center in Washington, DC.

26 Mar 2008

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