Congestive Heart Failure News and Research

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Congestive Heart Failure is a condition in which the heart can't pump blood the way it should. In some cases, the heart can't fill with enough blood. In other cases, the heart can't send blood to the rest of the body with enough force. Some people have both problems. "Heart failure" doesn't mean that your heart has stopped or is about to stop working. However, it's a serious condition that requires medical care. Heart failure develops over time as the pumping of the heart grows weaker. It can affect the right side of the heart only or both the left and right sides of the heart. Most cases involve both sides of the heart.

Japanese surgeons develop new technique to relieve airway obstruction in children

Several pediatric medical conditions, such as congenital heart disease, vascular compression, and congenital softening of the cartilage lining the trachea or bronchi, can compromise the airway and cause breathing difficulty.

18 May 2016

Computerized decision support tool can assist physicians in prescribing stroke prevention therapy

Physician-researchers in the College of Medicine at the University of Cincinnati have developed a computerized decision support tool that uses a combination of patient information and characteristics to assist physicians and patients with decisions about blood thinning treatment to prevent strokes in individuals with atrial fibrillation.

12 May 2016

Bayer-new phase 3 liver cancer data

Bayer has announced that a Phase III trial evaluating its oncology compound Stivarga® (regorafenib) tablets for the treatment of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has met its primary endpoint of a statistically significant improvement in overall survival. The study, called RESORCE, evaluated the efficacy and safety of regorafenib in patients with HCC whose disease has progressed after treatment with sorafenib. The safety and tolerability were generally consistent with the known profile of regorafenib. Detailed efficacy and safety analyses from this study are expected to be presented at an upcoming scientific congress.

4 May 2016

Herceptin drugs for breast cancer linked with increased risk of congestive heart failure

Breast cancer patients undergoing treatment with trastuzumab-containing regimens should be monitored for heart damage regardless of age. This is among the findings of a new study from the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) and the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, University Health Network.

20 Apr 2016

Edema Guard Monitor appears to reduce heart failure-related hospitalizations by more than half

In patients with heart failure, use of an investigational device that monitors the accumulation of fluid in the lungs appeared to cut heart failure-related hospitalizations by more than half, meeting the study's primary endpoint, and reduced deaths from any cause by 39 percent per year compared with standard assessment and treatment, researchers reported at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.

5 Apr 2016

Inhalable form of Ambrisentan drug could offer faster-acting treatment option for pulmonary edema

In a new study, researchers show an aerosolized, inhalable form of the drug Ambrisentan could offer a faster-acting treatment option for pulmonary edema, a life-threatening condition in which fluid accumulates in the lungs. Pulmonary edema is a significant risk for anyone spending time at high altitudes, and also affects people with chronic conditions including congestive heart failure and sickle cell anemia.

5 Apr 2016

Brominated fire retardants overstimulate aldosterone in a way that may lead to cardiovascular disease

Brominated fire retardants, used in many consumer products and known to cause hormonal irregularities, overstimulates an adrenal gland hormone in a way that may lead to the development of cardiovascular disease, new research in human cells finds. Researchers will present their study results Saturday at the Endocrine Society's 98th annual meeting in Boston.

4 Apr 2016

Valley Hospital to evaluate potential new treatment alternative for AFib patients

The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, NJ, is one of 15 U.S. sites currently enrolling patients in a research study to evaluate a potential new treatment alternative for patients with symptomatic persistent and long standing persistent atrial fibrillation (AFib).

13 Mar 2016

Over-expression of heme oxygenase-1 enzyme protects the heart from doxorubicin damage

Life-threatening heart damage is an adverse side effect of the cancer drug doxorubicin, damage that also limits the use of newer chemotherapeutic agents such as trastuzumab and imatinib. The ability to protect the heart from these side effects would benefit patients, including cancer survivors who are at risk of developing heart damage years later, and it also could allow safer use of these drugs at higher doses.

26 Feb 2016

Unique cardiovascular disease risk calculator for black adults may not be necessary: Study

Although cardiovascular disease risk prediction models are developed with predominantly white populations, application of models to a large black population finds that they work well in black individuals and are not easily improved on, suggesting that a unique risk calculator for black adults may not be necessary, according to a study published online by JAMA Cardiology.

25 Feb 2016

Ohio State researchers develop new approach to enhance heart function, cardiovascular performance

For the first time, scientists at The Ohio State University have engineered new calcium receptors for the heart to tune the strength of the heartbeat in an animal model. The research is published online by the journal Nature Communications.

24 Feb 2016

ACC, AHA support implementation of proposed cardiovascular measures, with reservations

Quality measures announced today by the Core Quality Measures Collaborative represent a step forward in reducing paperwork and confusion while also allowing providers to focus on measures that impact patient outcomes, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) said in support of implementation of the proposed cardiovascular measures. But the groups expressed reservations about blood pressure targets included in the measures.

17 Feb 2016

Eisai's Halaven receives FDA approval for treatment of patients with metastatic liposarcoma

Eisai Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Halaven (eribulin mesylate) Injection (0.5 mg per mL) for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic liposarcoma who have received a prior anthracycline-containing regimen.

29 Jan 2016

Involving family members in care may reduce hospital readmissions

A new study finds that educating and involving family members in the care of a loved one who has memory loss may significantly reduce hospital readmissions.

28 Jan 2016

Early diagnosis, treatment of sleep apnea may reduce hospital readmissions for heart failure patients

Early diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea may reduce six-month readmissions for patients hospitalized with heart failure, according to research recently published online by the American Journal of Cardiology.

27 Jan 2016

Specialized oral nutrition supplement associated with 50% lower death rate in older patients

Results from a new clinical trial show that a specialized oral nutrition supplement was associated with a 50 percent lower death rate in older malnourished patients with a heart or lung disease 90 days following hospitalization.

18 Jan 2016

Alignment Healthcare, HCA West Florida partner to better serve Medicare beneficiaries in West Florida

Alignment Healthcare, a company focused on improving the health of the Medicare population, announced that it has joined forces with HCA West Florida to better serve Medicare beneficiaries in three West Florida counties: Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota.

13 Jan 2016

Novel therapy may help in diagnosing, treating heart disease in humans

A novel therapy tested by University of Guelph scientists for treating a fatal heart disorder in dogs might ultimately help in diagnosing and treating heart disease in humans.

12 Jan 2016

Millions of older adults make infectious disease-related emergency department visits each year

Investigators estimate that during 2012, there were more than 3.1 million emergency department visits for infectious diseases among elderly US adults.

5 Jan 2016

Pacemaker Induced Transient Asynchrony could help slow down progression of heart failure

Johns Hopkins has demonstrated in animals that applying a pacemaker's mild electrical shocks to push the heart in and out of normal synchronized contraction for part of each day may be an effective way to slow down the progression of heart failure, a disorder that afflicts millions of Americans.

24 Dec 2015