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Trial of percutaneous coronary intervention added to optimal medical therapy in patients with stable coronary heart disease

Percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) involve opening partially blocked arteries to improve blood flow to the heart. These procedures are performed more than 1 million times a year.

3 Apr 2007

Effective postoperative pain control using continuous peripheral nerve block reduces days of hospitalization

Effective postoperative pain control using continuous peripheral nerve block reduced average length-of-stay by nearly a day, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine physicians reported today during the 81st Clinical and Scientific Congress of the International Anesthesia Research Society at the Buena Vista Palace in Orlando, Fla.

3 Apr 2007

We need to balance out our intake of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids

A new study suggests that people whose diets contain dramatically more of one kind of polyunsaturated fatty acid than another may be at greater risk for both clinical depression and certain inflammatory diseases.

3 Apr 2007

New understanding of the mechanics of hearing

Modern hearing aids, though quite sophisticated, still do not faithfully reproduce sound as hearing people perceive it.

3 Apr 2007

New treatment possibilities for Huntington's disease

Howard Florey Institute have opened up new treatment possibilities for Huntington's disease by proving a scientific theory incorrect.

3 Apr 2007

Halting neurogenesis improves working memory in mice

New research from Columbia University Medical Center may explain why people who are able to easily and accurately recall historical dates or long-ago events, may have a harder time with word recall or remembering the day's current events.

3 Apr 2007

New type of chemistry promises less expensive drugs

With a newly discovered method of assembling organic molecules, a team of Princeton University chemists may have found a way to sidestep many of the expensive and hazardous barriers that stand in the way of drug development.

3 Apr 2007

New blood thinner thrombin-receptor antagonist may work without bleeding risk

When studying a new blood thinner, one of the first signs the drug is working is seeing a slight increase in minor bleeding, nose bleeds and bruising, an inconvenient side effect of preventing the blood clots that are the leading cause of heart attack and stroke.

3 Apr 2007

Regular health exams increase likelihood that older adults will get recommended cancer screenings

If you're 50 or older, seeing your doctor every year or two for a checkup may be a good defense against cancer, according to a new study by researchers at UC Davis, the University of Washington, and Group Health Cooperative in Seattle.

2 Apr 2007

H63D genetic defect linked to increased risk of stroke

One of the most common genetic defects passed on through families significantly increases a person's chance of having a stroke, according to a study published in the March 27, 2007, issue of Neurology?, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

2 Apr 2007

Few surgeons routinely refer breast cancer patients for reconstruction

Forty-four percent of surgeons do not refer the majority of their breast cancer patients to a plastic surgeon prior to the initial surgery when the woman is choosing her treatment course, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

2 Apr 2007

Quality of child care early in life can have a lasting impact later development

The most recent analysis of a long-term NIH-funded study found that children who received higher quality child care before entering kindergarten had better vocabulary scores in the fifth grade than did children who received lower quality care.

2 Apr 2007

Dual renin system blocking drug combo provides additional blood pressure-lowering effects

A combination of two medicines that act against the effects of the enzyme renin are more effective in lowering blood pressure than either of the medicines alone, according to a study presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 56th Annual Scientific Session.

2 Apr 2007

$Drug that mimics HDL does not reduce risk of death for heart attack patients with refractory shock$

Drug that mimics HDL does not reduce risk of death for heart attack patients with refractory shock

Patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), such as heart attack and recent-onset chest pain, remain at considerable risk of experiencing further serious cardiovascular problems despite improvements in care.

2 Apr 2007

Tilarginine does not reduce risk of death after heart attack

The medication tilarginine, a drug that was believed could be beneficial for patients who develop cardiogenic shock (low blood pressure due to impaired cardiac function) after a heart attack, did not reduce the risk of death up to six months after a heart attack, according to a JAMA study published online March 26.

2 Apr 2007

Body uses a 'dual key' system to secure immune system

"Dual key" activation, in which two people must act in concert to launch a weapon, is often installed to safeguard highly destructive arms.

2 Apr 2007

Effect of Torcetrapib on the progression of coronary atherosclerosis

Investigators report that torcetrapib, a drug that substantially raises high-density lipoprotein cholesterol or HDL (the "good" cholesterol), did not slow the progression of plaque buildup in the coronary arteries as measured using an ultrasound probe (IVUS).

2 Apr 2007

New contrast agent selectively targets and highlights malignant micro-calcifications in the breast

Harvard Medical School researchers are working on a new, simpler way to distinguish malignant tumors from non-cancerous masses when screening for breast cancer.

2 Apr 2007

Information technology boosts mammography screening rates

Findings of a new Mayo Clinic study published in Archives of Internal Medicine show that a computerized mail and phone reminder program can significantly increase the percentage of patients receiving preventive health services and improve the value of health care.

2 Apr 2007

Community-based measures fail to reduce HIV levels

Interventions that target individuals with a high risk of contracting HIV have a negligible impact on HIV transmission in the general population, according to a new study of communities in Zimbabwe, published today.

2 Apr 2007