Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Obesity disproportionately burdens low-income, ethnic minority populations

Obesity is likely to affect individuals in low-income areas where fresh fruits and vegetables may not be as plentiful, according to a new University of Houston study.

2 Dec 2004

Small social circles tied to heart disease death in women

Women with suspected coronary artery disease and smaller social networks die at twice the rate of those who have a larger circle of social contacts, according to a new study.

1 Dec 2004

African Americans more likely to carry genetic variants known to stimulate inflammatory response

Specific variants in genes that encode proteins regulating inflammation may hold a key to explaining a host of disease processes known to cause increased risk of illness and death among African Americans, according to a study from the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH).

1 Dec 2004

Drinking water could help people suffering from low blood pressure who faint while standing

Ordinary tap or bottled water could help people suffering from low blood pressure who faint while standing, claim researchers from Imperial College London and St Mary's Hospital.

1 Dec 2004

Higher incidence of rejection following early steroid withdrawal

A new study on early steroid withdrawal following liver transplantation found that there was a higher incidence of rejection and a lower incidence of glucose intolerance necessitating treatment for diabetes.

1 Dec 2004

Novel anti-obesity compound shows promise for treatment of obesity

Arena Pharmaceuticals announced today results from the dosing phase of its Phase 1b clinical trial of APD356, an orally administered small molecule designed to regulate satiety (and perhaps metabolism) for the treatment of obesity.

30 Nov 2004

Rimonabant could be safer for treating obesity than previous weight-loss drugs

ECRI, a nonprofit health services research agency, recently published a Health Technology Forecast profile on a novel pharmaceutical agent that is in development for the treatment of obesity.

30 Nov 2004

Israeli developed fruit called pomelit, lowers blood cholesterol

People who eat the Israeli-developed fruit known in Hebrew as pomelit (a cross between a grapefruit and a pomelo) or drink its juice regularly will be able to lower their blood cholesterol and increase their blood antioxidant activity, thus improving their chances of preventing blocked heart arteries and heart attacks, says a researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

30 Nov 2004

Type 1 diabetes could be prevented by a new nasal insulin vaccine

A world-leading medical trial conducted in Melbourne suggests that the onset of type 1 diabetes could be prevented in many at-risk people by a new nasal insulin vaccine.

29 Nov 2004

Venom from one of the world’s deadliest snakes is being developed as a new drug to treat heart failure

“The team has isolated a unique set of active molecules from Taipan venom and research shows they are extremely effective at easing the heart’s workload,” he said.

29 Nov 2004

Nurses struggle to cope with violent patients

Nurses who bottle up anger triggered by a violent incident at work are more likely to become nervous, worn out and depressed, a team of psychologists at The University of Nottingham has found.

29 Nov 2004

Stress affects molecules believed to play a key role in cellular aging

There have been many studies that have shown that your health is greatly affected by how you react to stressful events in life-setbacks or deadlines at work, conflicts and losses at home.

29 Nov 2004

Lighter air more than doubles COPD patients’ endurance

It certainly makes sense: COPD sufferers have varying degrees of serious breathing difficulties, which keeps them from almost any kind of exercise, especially in advanced stages. So maybe “lighter than air” air would be easier to breath, reduce shortness of breath and perhaps even allow them to do some exercise with all of its physical and mental benefits.

29 Nov 2004

Metabolic syndrome is a public health time bomb

The metabolic syndrome is a public health time bomb. It may affect as many as 1 in 5 adults in some parts of Europe, greatly increasing the risk of developing heart disease and stroke.

29 Nov 2004

Elevated BMI may not increase risk of death among men with heart attack or stroke

BMI, or body mass index, is considered an indicator of both mortality and heart attack risk among middle-aged and older men free of major diseases. However, the impact of BMI on mortality in men who have already had a heart attack or stroke has not been clearly established.

29 Nov 2004

Tougher action needed to stop cigarette sales to children

Retailers should be licensed to sell cigarettes, and the licence revoked if they are caught selling tobacco to children, the Australian Medical Association (WA) said today.

29 Nov 2004

New computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) methods for cancer

Not all masses are cancer. When a person undergoes a scan to identify a lump or nodule, the radiologist looks at the texture, the borders and the shape to determine if it is malignant or just a benign growth.

29 Nov 2004

Cancer survival rates differ among ethnic groups in New Zealand

There were 115,811 adult patients with an invasive cancer recorded on the New Zealand Cancer Registry between 1994 and 2002. The study linked these patients to the Mortality Collection in order to calculate survival rates. Ethnicity (Maori, Pacific, and non-Maori/non-Pacific) was assigned from hospitalisation and health administration databases.

24 Nov 2004

Cord blood registry sees FDA regulation as good for consumers and industry

Beginning in May 2005, cord blood banks must meet new federal safety standards mandated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

24 Nov 2004

New Yorkers reported having one or more respiratory problems after 9/11

Most enrollees in the World Trade Center Health Registry reported having one or more respiratory problems that either began or got worse in the weeks and months after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City

24 Nov 2004