Cardiology News and Research

Latest Cardiology News and Research

Use of blockers and statins to prevent heart complications during surgery questioned

The use of drugs to prevent heart complications during surgery is called into question in this week's BMJ.

23 Jun 2007

Medical error is the fifth-leading cause of death in the U.S.

Millennium Research Group (MRG) has conducted a detailed and thorough analysis of the acute care clinical information systems (CIS) market and finds that a major driver in the US is the demand for improvement in patient safety.

23 Jun 2007

Hyperglycemia and adverse pregnancy outcome study (HAPO)

Gestational diabetes may place a much higher percentage of pregnant women -- and their unborn babies -- at risk for adverse outcomes than previously believed, according to a major international study presented at the American Diabetes Association's 67th Annual Scientific Sessions.

23 Jun 2007

Alternative to blood test to detect drugs in the body

The presence of narcotic substances in a person's body can usually be detected by a blood or urine test.

23 Jun 2007

Toronto at forefront of stem cell technology

A $20-million deal announced to license Canadian stem cell technology in the U.S. underscores the Toronto area's global leadership in stem cell research.

23 Jun 2007

New risk marker for overweight children

A study of 40 overweight children in Edmonton has revealed they all share something in common aside from being heavy: each one of them has high levels of apoB48, a structural protein found in intestinal cholesterol.

23 Jun 2007

Link between levels of urate in the blood and risk of Parkinson's disease

In a new, large-scale, prospective study exploring the link between levels of urate in the blood and risk of Parkinson's disease, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have found that high levels of urate are strongly associated with a reduced risk of the disease.

23 Jun 2007

Irish Smokefree law reduces smoking in the home

Around one in five Irish smokers are lighting up less at home since the introduction of the smoking ban in 2004, new research has revealed.

23 Jun 2007

Strong work ethic and sense of place delays elderly heart patients from seeking care

A strong work ethic and sense of place appear to influence how elderly rural Albertans with congestive heart failure manage their illness, in that these values may delay them from seeking help at critical times, a University of Alberta study shows.

23 Jun 2007

Goltz syndrome gene found

Researchers funded in part by the National Institutes of Health have identified the gene that accounts for most cases of Goltz syndrome, a rare skin disorder that can also affect bone and eye development.

23 Jun 2007

40 percent of parents willing to have their child's DNA stored in a government biobank

Genetic testing holds great promise for the future. Information generated by genetic testing may provide information that leads to new treatments for common diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.

23 Jun 2007

Mid-life stroke in women

More women than men appear to be having a stroke in middle age, according to a study published June 20, 2007, in the online edition of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

23 Jun 2007

Estrogen use lowered one risk factor for heart disease among some younger postmenopausal women

A follow-up study to the federally funded Women's Health Initiative should help allay one concern in a subset of women in their 50s who are considering taking estrogen to relieve hot flashes.

23 Jun 2007

Three-dimensional ultrasound scanner provides in-depth view of the brain

Biomedical engineers at Duke's Pratt School of Engineering have adapted a three-dimensional ultrasound scanner that might guide minimally invasive brain surgeries and provide better detection of a brain tumor's location.

23 Jun 2007

Estrogen HRT can limit plaque accumulation in arteries

Estrogen can limit significantly the accumulation of plaque in the arteries of women in their 50s, according to a study published on Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports (Newson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/20).

22 Jun 2007

Indiana Medicaid program to enroll disabled, elderly in managed care plans

The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration is negotiating two managed care contracts for state Medicaid beneficiaries who are blind, elderly or disabled, agency Secretary Mitch Roob said on Tuesday, the AP/Louisville Courier-Journal reports.

22 Jun 2007