Cardiology News and Research

Latest Cardiology News and Research

The Big Apple bans bad fat!

The municipal board of health for New York city has banned the use of artificial trans fats at all restaurants and food outlets in the city.

5 Dec 2006

FDA advisory panel on drug-eluting stents to include physicians with industry ties

FDA will waive rules that prohibit advisory panel members from having financial ties to companies whose products are being reviewed to allow six physicians with ties to Johnson & Johnson and other heart device manufacturers to serve on a panel examining the possible health risks of drug-eluting stents, Bloomberg/South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.

5 Dec 2006

Pfizer stops all Torcetrapib trials

On December 2, 2006, FDA was notified that Pfizer will suspend a large, Phase 3 trial evaluating the investigational cardiovascular therapy torceptrapib/atorvastatin (T/A) due to an increased rate of mortality (death) in patients receiving the combination compared to those receiving atorvastatin alone.

4 Dec 2006

Getting too close to magnets can have fatal consequences for heart patients

According to Swiss researchers some magnets which are used in many new commercial products can interfere with implanted heart devices such as pacemakers and the consequences can be fatal.

4 Dec 2006

Drug coated heart stents more likely to cause blood clots

A review and analysis of studies on drug-coated heart devices known as stents, has found that patients with them are four to five times more likely to get blood clots when compared to the older bare-metal variety.

4 Dec 2006

Gene therapy to treat erectile dysfunction shows promise

The first human study using gene transfer to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) shows promising results and suggests the potential for using the technology to treat overactive bladder, irritable bowel syndrome and asthma, according to the researchers.

2 Dec 2006

CleveMed awarded $245,000 NIH grant to develop a device for quantifying the efficacy of alternative medicine techniques

Cleveland Medical Devices has announced that it has been awarded $245,000 in NIH SBIR funding.

2 Dec 2006

Why COX-2 inhibitors such as Vioxx can cause heart attacks and strokes

COX-2 inhibitors are primarily used to treat pain in conditions such as arthritis. They work by blocking the COX-2 enzyme, which is expressed at sites of inflammation and underlies the production of hormones called prostaglandins which swell the joints and cause the feeling of pain.

2 Dec 2006

Interruptions in antiretroviral treatment increases risk of developing AIDS-related diseases

Interruptions in an HIV-positive person's antiretroviral treatment regimen can increase the risk of developing AIDS-related diseases and sometimes can be fatal, according to a study published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, the Los Angeles Times reports.

2 Dec 2006

West Virginia pilot project would create incentive program for Medicaid beneficiaries to live healthier

The New York Times on Friday examined new revisions to the West Virginia Medicaid program that will "reward 'responsible' patients with significant extra benefits or -- as critics describe it -- punish those who do not join weight-loss or anti-smoking programs, or who miss too many appointments, by denying important services" to help reduce costs.

2 Dec 2006

Genetically engineered blood protein can be used to split water into oxygen and hydrogen

Scientists have combined two molecules that occur naturally in blood to engineer a molecular complex that uses solar energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, says research published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

2 Dec 2006

Old red wines best for a healthy heart

According to British scientists when it comes to the health benefits of red wine, the good old French or Italian reds are by far the best option.

2 Dec 2006

In 25 years AIDS will be the number one killer disease

A study by World Health Organisation (WHO) researchers has predicted that by the year 2030 AIDS will claim as many as 6.5 million lives per year.

29 Nov 2006

Don't kid yourself by cutting down on cigarettes

According to new research smokers who believe they are reducing their risk for heart disease by cutting back on cigarettes, are kidding themselves.

28 Nov 2006

A male contraceptive pill - but will they take it?

British scientists say a male contraceptive pill could be on the market within five years.

28 Nov 2006

Poor memory and slow reactions linked to heart attacks

According to British research, people with a below average mental agility are prone to heart attacks.

27 Nov 2006

Folic acid shown to prevent heart attacks and stroke

British researchers have found enough scientific evidence to support the claim that folic acid is both an easy and inexpensive way to reduce heart disease and strokes.

27 Nov 2006

Man sent to prison for knowingly spreading HIV

A man in the U.S. infected with HIV, who knowingly exposed three women to the virus, has been sentenced to almost three years in prison.

27 Nov 2006

No good reason to invest in new fetal oxygen monitor

New technology for measuring blood oxygen levels of a baby during labor which was intended to provide information useful for preventing birth complications, apparently offers no apparent benefit.

23 Nov 2006