Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

U.S. health care system offers good value in terms of life expectancy gains despite rising costs

U.S. residents have benefited from increases in health care costs since 1960 through increased life expectancy, according to a study published on Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, the AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports.

1 Sep 2006

Modern radiation therapy ups lung cancer survival

Modern three-dimensional radiation therapy has been proven to be more successful at curing lung cancer than older two-dimensional radiation therapy for some patients with early stage lung cancer, according to a new study.

31 Aug 2006

Grumpy old men run out of puff earlier

In the normal course of aging, lung power will decline for most people, but now researchers say that anger and hostility can accelerate that process.

31 Aug 2006

The latest big thing - Obesity!

As the obesity fanfare continues researchers in Britain say a person's body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference are the easiest ways of predicting health risks due to excess weight, particularly amongst older men.

31 Aug 2006

Omega-3 fatty acids may prevent more sudden deaths than defibrillators

Omega-3 fatty acids may prevent more sudden deaths than automated external defibrillators in homes and public places or implanted defibrillators, according to the results of a new study.

31 Aug 2006

A wake-up call for parents of children with sleep apnea

In what is believed to be the first study showing neural changes in the brains of children with serious, untreated sleep apnea, Johns Hopkins researchers conclude that children with the disorder appear to suffer damage in two brain structures tied to learning ability.

31 Aug 2006

Largest review of Loeys-Dietz syndrome to date

At least three severe, potentially fatal genetic diseases leave patients with aortas so flimsy that they can rupture in pregnancy and labor or even lesser activities, often without warning.

31 Aug 2006

Most effective treatments for people with coronary artery disease

Medication, angioplasty or surgery? For some heart disease patients, there's no clear-cut choice. The key to getting the best care is to follow your individual doctor's advice, new research shows.

31 Aug 2006

Researchers analyze increases in medical expenses versus improvements in health

Despite dramatic increases in health expenses since 1960, the return on medical spending is high, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard University and the University of Michigan.

30 Aug 2006

Variation in 3 genes influences risk of age-related macular degeneration

Researchers in Boston have discovered a new common, noncoding variant in the Complement Factor H (CFH) gene that is associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of irreversible visual impairment and blindness among persons aged 60 and older.

30 Aug 2006

VIOXX reduces risk of colorectal polyps

A researcher from Dartmouth reports the results of a clinical trial that shows that the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor rofecoxib (VIOXX.) reduces the risk of colorectal adenomas, or polyps.

30 Aug 2006

Anger and hostility compromise lung function and hasten the natural decline in lung power

Longstanding anger and hostility compromise lung function and hasten the natural decline in lung power that is a normal part of aging, reveals research published ahead of print in Thorax.

30 Aug 2006

NIH seeks input on proposed repository for genetic information

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking public input on a proposed new policy designed to facilitate the research community's access to data resulting from NIH-funded, genome-wide association studies.

30 Aug 2006

Research illustrates BAG3 protein's importance in maintaining mature skeletal muscle

Muscle cells that should grow stronger with use instead self-destruct when a protein called BAG3 isn't around, researchers have shown.

30 Aug 2006

Vitamin D supplements should be given to Asian children from birth up to the age of two years

Vitamin D deficiency can cause rickets, poor tooth formation, convulsions, general ill health, and stunted growth. And it has been linked to an increased risk of multiple sclerosis, certain cancers, and cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and mental health problems in later life.

30 Aug 2006

Celebrex shown to reduce incidence of potentially pre-malignant colorectal polyps

An international team of scientists reports that a single 400-milligram daily dose of celecoxib, commonly called Celebrex. and manufactured by Pfizer, significantly reduced recurrence of adenomas, or pre-malignant colon tumors - within three years of previous adenoma removal.

30 Aug 2006