Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

It's pure science fiction! - human embryo to be created from two mothers

Scientists in Britain have been given permission to create a human embryo that will have genetic material from two mothers.

10 Sep 2005

Depression may hasten the progression of heart disease

In a study of 32 people with heart failure, the 14 patients who felt the most depressed had nearly twice the levels of this protein in their blood.

7 Sep 2005

More heart victims die when clot-buster drug is used before angioplasty

Currently it is fairly common practice to give heart attack patients a clot-busting drug a few hours before planned angioplasty.

7 Sep 2005

MRC call for proposals in experimental medicine

The Medical Research Council (MRC) has launched a Call for Proposals in experimental medicine today as part of its £15 million commitment to promote the translation of laboratory research into clinical practice for the benefit of patients.

7 Sep 2005

Putting the risk of breast cancer and postmenopausal Hormone Therapy (HT) into perspective

Two similar comprehensive literature reviews and an editorial about the varying risk with different postmenopausal hormone therapy regimens have been published this month in Human Reproduction Update.

7 Sep 2005

New study dispels role of B vitamins in preventing heart attacks

According to the findings of a new study, by giving B vitamins to heart attack survivors their risk of having another attack is not reduced, and it may in fact do more harm than good.

6 Sep 2005

Part of largest randomised international trial program ever conducted in atrial fibrillation (AF) discontinued

Study treatments for the ACTIVE W trial of the ACTIVE (Atrial Fibrillation Clopidogrel Trial with Irbesartan for Prevention of Vascular Events) program have been discontinued due to a significant difference in efficacy, in favour of the standard oral anticoagulation (OAC) over antiplatelet therapy (clopidogrel plus aspirin).

6 Sep 2005

Killer secondhand smoke campaign flares up in the UK

According to new research by the National Health Service (NHS), 60 per cent of smokers light up and smoke without asking for permission, despite the fact that most non-smokers mind if other people are smoking nearby.

6 Sep 2005

Exposure to secondhand smoke kills as many women in China as does smoking

The study estimated that in 2002, 48,400 women in China died from lung cancer and ischemic heart disease attributed to passive smoking compared with 47,300 lung cancer and heart disease deaths from "active" smoking.

6 Sep 2005

British Heart Foundation gene research helped by thousands of brothers and sisters

An unusual British Heart Foundation (BHF) 'DNA database' from brothers and sisters across the UK has enabled researchers to pinpoint six genetic 'hotspots' that can double the risk of developing early heart disease.

6 Sep 2005

Endovascular stent grafting successful in patients with abdominal and thoracic aneurysms

Endovascular stent grafting has been successfully used in patients with abdominal and thoracic aneurysms and has been explored as a less invasive alternative in patients with stable type B aortic dissection.

6 Sep 2005

Strong social gradient in the metabolic syndrome

It is well documented that individuals with higher social status have lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). This is generally not explained by differences in lifestyle factors such as smoking and lack of exercise.

6 Sep 2005

Health groups file brief urging tougher remedies in tobacco lawsuit

The six public health organizations that intervened in the federal government's tobacco lawsuit filed a brief last Wednesday urging the judge to strengthen the remedies proposed by the government

6 Sep 2005

Strokes and heart attacks can be prevented in people with high blood pressure

Most strokes and heart attacks in people with high blood pressure can be abolished by simply combining effective, modern blood pressure lowering drugs with treatment to reduce cholesterol.

6 Sep 2005

Study - no effect of fish oil on life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia

In patients with an increased risk of heart rhythm problems, cardiac arrest or arrhythmia, eating fish oil did little to reduce that risk.

6 Sep 2005

Children who use community health centers may be at a particularly high risk of being obese

Children who use community health centers may be at a particularly high risk of being obese, according to a new study. This association between obesity and the type of health delivery system used was present regardless of race, ethnicity or geographic characteristics.

6 Sep 2005