Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Hospital admissions for diabetes on the rise

The number of hospital admissions for diabetes increased by almost 12 percent between 1999 and 2003, according to a new report released by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) in conjunction with American Diabetes Month.

11 Nov 2004

Effective research could prevent half of the world's deaths

Health systems research has the potential to produce dramatic improvements in health worldwide and to meet some of the major development challenges in the new millennium.

11 Nov 2004

Sirolimus drug-coated stent causes less inflammation than bare metal stents

In the treatment of coronary artery disease, a sirolimus drug-coated stent causes less inflammation than bare metal stents, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association annual meeting by Loyola University Health System, Maywood, Ill.

11 Nov 2004

Millions of people threatened by the diabetes time bomb

Millions of lives are threatened by the dual epidemics of diabetes and obesity that are bound to explode in this century, international diabetes and obesity organizations said today in the run up to World Diabetes Day.

11 Nov 2004

Shp2 protein plays a critical role in obesity

A team of researchers led by The Burnham Institute's Gen-Sheng Feng, Ph.D. has discovered that a protein called Shp2 plays a critical role in obesity.

11 Nov 2004

The risk of developing metabolic syndrome increases the more a person drinks

The risk of developing metabolic syndrome increases the more a person drinks – and beginning a heavy drinking pattern early in life seems to add extra risk, according to a first-of-its-kind study presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2004.

11 Nov 2004

Heavy drinking after suffering a heart attack doubles risk of dying

Heavily drinking – or binging – even intermittently, almost doubles a person’s risk of dying after a heart attack, compared to that of a moderate drinker, according, to a first-of-its-kind study, reported at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2004.

11 Nov 2004

Four major U.S. ethnic groups less likely to have cholesterol controlled

Compared with non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics who qualify for cholesterol-lowering drug treatment are less likely to have their “bad” LDL cholesterol controlled to recommended levels, researchers reported at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2004.

11 Nov 2004

Atorvastatin slows down mental decline and improves depressive symptoms in people with Alzheimer’s disease

The cholesterol-lowering drug atorvastatin slowed down mental decline and improved depressive symptoms in people with Alzheimer’s disease, according to a small pilot study reported at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2004.

11 Nov 2004

Most food stamp beneficiaries can’t afford heart-healthy food

Most food stamp beneficiaries can’t afford heart-healthy food options, according to a study of low-income, African-American-residents in a Boston neighborhood that was presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2004.

11 Nov 2004

Women with arrhythmias may also benefit from implantable cardioverter-defibrillators

A small study of patients with heart failure not caused by blocked arteries indicates that women, as well as men, may benefit from implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD), reported researchers at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2004.

11 Nov 2004

Too much vitamin supplementation could be harmful

Daily vitamin E doses of 400 international units (IU) or more can increase the risk of death and should be avoided, researchers reported at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2004.

11 Nov 2004

New test for heart surgery patients

Researchers in Aberdeen have launched a study to see whether a new blood test can better predict the outcome for patients facing heart surgery.

11 Nov 2004

Bretylium tosylate has unique benefits for patients with acute myocardial infarction

An "old" drug has unique benefits for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI; commonly known as heart attack), a finding that may contribute to a new understanding of how heart attacks develop, according to an article in the September/October American Journal of Therapeutics.

10 Nov 2004

Smoking and high salt intake, but not tea and alcohol, implicated in acid reflux

Smoking and a high dietary salt intake significantly increase the risk of acid reflux, but tea and alcohol, often thought to be culprits, seem to have little impact, finds a large study in Gut.

10 Nov 2004

The more often parents eat out, the lower their intake of fruits and vegetables

Research at Saint Louis University finds that families who eat out are more likely to skimp on the fruits and vegetables.

10 Nov 2004

Metabolic syndrome associated with cognitive decline in elderly persons

Elderly individuals with the metabolic syndrome, a grouping of several common conditions including abdominal obesity, low level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL, the “good cholesterol”), hypertension, and high triglyceride and blood sugar levels, are more likely to experience cognitive impairment than those without this syndrome, according to a study in the November 10 issue of JAMA.

10 Nov 2004

Calcium channel blocker reduces adverse cardiovascular events

The calcium channel blocker amlodipine decreases the risk of cardiovascular events (such as heart attack or heart-disease related deaths) in patients with coronary artery disease and normal blood pressure, as does the ACE inhibitor enalapril, but to a lesser extent, according to a study in the November 10 issue of JAMA.

10 Nov 2004

Heart jacket effective treatment for heart failure

The concept is simple: to halt deterioration of the heart muscle, wrap it in a mesh-like net to prevent further enlargement in patients with heart failure. It's like a jacket for the heart.

10 Nov 2004

A new medication has dramatically reduced mortality among African-American patients suffering from heart disease

A new medication has dramatically reduced mortality among African-American patients suffering from heart disease, according to results of a study including UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas researchers.

9 Nov 2004