Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

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

Master stem cell capable of producing new heart tissue

Researchers in the United States believe they have discovered a "master" embryonic cardiac stem cell.

22 Nov 2006

Whoever said people were much the same was wrong!

An international research team have come up with a new genetic map which could demand a fundamental shift in how we think genes work.

22 Nov 2006

BACE 1 gene may hold the key to Alzheimer's

Canadian scientists have found a specific gene which they believe may hold the key to the degenerative brain disorder Alzheimer's disease.

21 Nov 2006

Africa's health problems are getting worse says the WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says regardless of promises of better healthcare by governments and donor countries, millions of mothers, newborn babies and children continue to die each year in Africa from preventable diseases.

20 Nov 2006

British reserve and stoicism could be a killer

According to a survey by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), 40% of Brits would not make 999 their first call if they suspected they were having a heart attack, and another 64%, say they would call someone other than 999 first if they were experiencing the main symptom of a heart attack, chest pains.

20 Nov 2006

Army docs use of dangerous drug labelled irresponsible and inappropriate

American soldiers critically wounded in Iraq are being treated with a potent, experimental, blood-coagulating drug despite evidence it can cause clots in the lungs, heart and brain, leading to strokes, heart attacks and death.

20 Nov 2006