Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

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

When it comes to heart disease women get worse treatment than men

According to a new study, women in Europe who visit their doctor with the symptoms of possible heart disease are not taken as seriously as men.

6 Sep 2005

Total smoking ban in public places only viable option in the UK

Doctors, nurses and charities in the UK have renewed demands for a total ban on smoking in public places, and are warning that government plans to allow smoking in some pubs would increase health inequalities.

6 Sep 2005

Genetic hot spots double the risk of early heart disease

According to researchers in the UK there are six genetic "hotspots" that can double the risk of developing early heart disease.

6 Sep 2005

Double whammy of vitamin D and anti-inflammatory zaps prostate cancer cells

Scientists from Stanford University say they have discovered that vitamin D, known as the "sunshine vitamin,"can limit the growth of prostate cancer cells when combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

6 Sep 2005

Catheter interventions help to prevent stroke

According to WHO statistics, stroke is the second most frequent cause of death worldwide. Cardiac causes account for up to 20% of strokes. Transcatheter occlusion of patent foramen ovale and left atrial appendage eliminate the most important sources for cardiac embolism.

6 Sep 2005

Human tissue grown from stem cells, available for transplant in the next four years

A team of researchers from the University of Liverpool in the UK have embarked on an ambitious project which could see human tissue grown from stem cells, available for transplant in the next four years.

5 Sep 2005

Percutaneous aortic valve replacement - evolutionary and promising interventional cardiology procedure

Percutaneous aortic valve replacement is becoming a reality and brings new hope for a number of patients who cannot currently be treated with traditional surgical techniques.

5 Sep 2005

Gene B-myb essential in preventing tumors

A new study has confirmed that research done with zebrafish may be able to play a critical role in learning about the genetic basis of cancer and the mutations that can lead to it - and identified one gene in particular, B-myb, whose function is essential to preventing tumors.

5 Sep 2005

Single molecular anchor holds the key to treating many types of bacterial meningitis

By blocking the molecule's anchoring ability, researchers may be able to find a way to stave off the most common serious infection of the central nervous system and a major cause of childhood death and disability. The researchers' findings appear in the September 2005 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

5 Sep 2005

For post-menopausal women light to moderate exercise is best

A British expert says that although exercise is important for reducing the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease in post-menopausal women, too much exercise in pre-menopausal women may actually increase the risks.

5 Sep 2005

Phase II clinical study of ularitide

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) today highlighted results of a Phase II clinical study of ularitide, a synthetic form of a natriuretic peptide synthesized in the kidney for patients with acute decompensated congestive heart failure (ADHF).

5 Sep 2005

Metabolic Syndrome, a map of the cardiovascular damage

The metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities with abdominal obesity (increased waist circumference) at its centre. Although all forms of obesity have a negative impact on human health, metabolic syndrome describes a set of particularly adverse biochemical changes accompanying (abdominal) obesity.

5 Sep 2005

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Europe

Previously, several different definitions for the metabolic syndrome (MetS) had been proposed and used by researchers. This resulted in confusion about the frequency of the MetS and its relationship with mortality.

5 Sep 2005

Benefits of starting CHF treatment with beta-blocker, bisoprolol

Initiating treatment with the selective beta-blocker, bisoprolol, is as effective and well tolerated as beginning treatment with an ACE inhibitor. However, starting treatment with bisoprolol may reduce the risk of death especially in the first year of treatment.

5 Sep 2005