Heart Disease

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    Google News: Heart Disease

  • Vegetarian kids - Los Angeles Times

    6 Nov 2009 | 5:53 pm
    Los Angeles TimesVegetarian kidsLos Angeles TimesA meat-free meal plan, it stressed, may lower rates of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. This doesn't mean that raising meat-free and more »

  • Determining the Best Way to Prevent Sudden Death in Athletes - U.S. News & World Report

    6 Nov 2009 | 1:47 pm
    Determining the Best Way to Prevent Sudden Death in AthletesU.S. News & World ReportWhile exercise can dramatically cut the chance of heart disease, during the minutes you actually are exercising, your risk of a heart attack or sudden death

  • Information about diabetes - ABC7Chicago.com

    6 Nov 2009 | 1:47 pm
    Information about diabetesABC7Chicago.comThe ABC's for Diabetes: If you have diabetes, you are at high risk for heart attack and stroke. Heart disease is more likely to strike you and at an earlier Eating nuts can help prevent Type-2 DiabetesSouthern California InFocusOfficials fighting diabetesMonmouth Daily Review AtlasDiabetes forum focuses on age, geneticsYuma Sunall 7 news articles »

  • Go Red for Women luncheon empowers women to reduce heart disease risk Nov. 18 - Quad-Cities Online

    6 Nov 2009 | 10:28 am
    Go Red for Women luncheon empowers women to reduce heart disease risk Nov. 18Quad-Cities OnlineGo Red For Women is the American Heart Association's movement to raise awareness about heart disease, the No. 1 cause of death for women. The American Heart Association Launches Go Red Por Tu Corazon at the Latin HispanicBusiness.com (press release)American Heart Association raises over $250000 locallyQuad-Cities Onlineall 5 news articles »

  • Kidney Function Can Affect Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Even in people ... - ModernMedicine

    6 Nov 2009 | 10:26 am
    ModernMedicineKidney Function Can Affect Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Even in people ModernMedicine kidney function was monitored over nine years, and found that the steeper the decline in kidney function, the higher the risk of coronary heart disease. Kidney Function Decline Increases Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Premature Insciences OrganisationWorsening Kidneys Linked to Risk of Heart FailureRenal Business TodayPoor kidney function may increase heart attack riskIndia Business Blog (blog)Little About (blog)all 21 news articles »
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    Google News: Heart Attacks

  • Drinking eight cups of tea a day 'reduces heart attack and stroke risk' - Telegraph.co.uk

    7 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am
    World NewsDrinking eight cups of tea a day 'reduces heart attack and stroke risk'Telegraph.co.ukDrinking up to eight cups of tea a day offers "significant health benefits", including a lower risk of heart attack and stroke, according to research. TEA IS A REAL TONICUK ExpressEight cups of tea a day can boost your heart and brainDailyIndia.comall 11 news articles »

  • Heart attack ruled homicide in bar fight - Chronicle-Telegram

    6 Nov 2009 | 11:37 pm
    Heart attack ruled homicide in bar fightChronicle-TelegramLORAIN - The death of a Lorain man who collapsed after an assault outside a Lorain bar on Oct. 18 has been ruled a homicide. Lorain County Coroner Paul and more »

  • Selectman 'fair' after heart attack - Cape Cod Times

    6 Nov 2009 | 11:04 pm
    Selectman 'fair' after heart attackCape Cod TimesMyers, 49, was stricken by a "massive" heart attack, his wife, Wanda Myers, said in a statement. The heart attack poses "complications to other organs of and more »

  • Information about diabetes - ABC7Chicago.com

    6 Nov 2009 | 1:47 pm
    Information about diabetesABC7Chicago.comThe abc's for Diabetes: If you have diabetes, you are at high risk for heart attack and stroke. Heart disease is more likely to strike you and at an earlier and more »

  • Kidney Function Decline Increases Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Premature ... - Insciences Organisation

    6 Nov 2009 | 1:13 pm
    ModernMedicineKidney Function Decline Increases Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Premature Insciences OrganisationDeclining kidney function may increase an individual's risk for heart attack, peripheral arterial disease and early death even among those without kidney Poor kidney function may increase heart attack riskIndia Business Blog (blog)Worsening Kidneys Linked to Risk of Heart FailureRenal Business TodayPoor kidney function may increase heart attack riskLittle About (blog)all 21 news articles »
 
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    MedWorm: Heart Disease

  • Macrovascular diabetic complications: clinical characteristics, diagnosis and management

    6 Nov 2009 | 5:11 am
    O diabetes melito (DM) é um fator de risco independente para doença arterial coronariana, acidente vascular cerebral, doença vascular periférica e insuficiência cardíaca, que são as principais causas de morte nesses pacientes. Além disso, pacientes com DM e doença cardiovascular têm pior prognóstico, por apresentarem menor sobrevida, maior risco de recorrência da doença e pior resposta aos tratamentos propostos. Os avanços diagnósticos e terapêuticos das últimas décadas já mostram uma redução do risco de eventos cardiovasculares nesses pacientes, mas o risco absoluto…

  • Small Increases In Phosphorus Mean Higher Risk Of Heart Disease

    6 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am
    Higher levels of phosphorus in the blood are linked to increased calcification of the coronary arteries a key marker of heart disease risk, according to a study in an upcoming issue of Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). "This may help to explain why even early-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with increased cardiovascular risk that is not otherwise explained by traditional risk factors," comments Katherine R. (Source: Cardiovascular / Cardiology News From Medical News Today)

  • Small Increases In Phosphorus Mean Higher Risk Of Heart Disease

    6 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am
    Higher levels of phosphorus in the blood are linked to increased calcification of the coronary arteries a key marker of heart disease risk, according to a study in an upcoming issue of Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

  • Health Minister Welcomes Torfaen's Hearty Lives Initiative, UK

    6 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    Health Minister Edwina Hart will attend the launch of a new initiative to reduce heart disease in Torfaen. The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has awarded £1.5million in funding and resources to Torfaen Local Health Board to tackle heart disease in the area. It comes as part of the health charity's UK-wide Hearty Lives programme to reduce geographical inequalities in heart disease. (Source: Cardiovascular / Cardiology News From Medical News Today)

  • Health Minister Welcomes Torfaen's Hearty Lives Initiative, UK

    6 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    Health Minister Edwina Hart will attend the launch of a new initiative to reduce heart disease in Torfaen. The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has awarded £1.5million in funding and resources to Torfaen Local Health Board to tackle heart disease in the area. It comes as part of the health charity's UK-wide Hearty Lives programme to reduce geographical inequalities in heart disease. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
 
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    MedWorm: Cardiomyopathy

  • Anaesthesia in septic patients: good preparation and making the right choice?

    5 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pm
    Septic patients may require anaesthesia for surgery or to facilitate endotracheal intubation for respiratory failure. These patients frequently start with a deranged haemodynamic state including vasodilation with hypotension, and cardiomyopathy, making induction of anaesthesia a potentially hazardous task. Anaesthetic agents are well known to decrease contractility and cause vasodilation, in part from direct effect of the drugs, and in part due to the "state of anaesthesia" which causes reduced sympathetic tone. Before induction, the physician should understand the haemodynamic state…

  • Pancreatic iron loading predicts cardiac iron loading in thalassemia major

    5 Nov 2009 | 8:03 am
    Diabetes mellitus and cardiomyopathy are common in chronically transfused thalassemia major patients, occurring in the second and third decades of life. We postulated that pancreatic iron deposition would precede cardiac iron loading, representing an environment favorable for extrahepatic iron deposition. To test this hypothesis, we examined pancreatic and cardiac iron in 131 thalassemia major patients over a 4-year period. Cardiac iron (R2* > 50 Hz) was detected in 37.7% of patients and pancreatic iron (R2* > 28 Hz) in 80.4% of patients. Pancreatic and cardiac R2* were correlated (r2 =…

  • Current variables, definitions and endpoints of the European Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Registry

    4 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pm
    Conclusion: The EuroCMR Registry offers an opportunity to provide information about the clinical utility of routine CMR in a large number of cases and a diverse population. Furthermore it has the potential to gather information about the prognostic value of CMR in specific patient populations. (Source: BioMed Central)

  • The role of echocardiography in guiding management in dilated cardiomyopathy

    4 Nov 2009 | 6:08 am
    This article therefore explores the pivotal role of echocardiography in the evaluation and management of patients with DCM. (Source: European Journal of Echocardiography)

  • Restrictive cardiomyopathies

    4 Nov 2009 | 6:08 am
    constitute a heterogenous group of heart muscle conditions that all have, in common, the symptoms of heart failure. Diastolic dysfunction with preserved systolic function is often the only echocardiographic abnormality that may be noted, although systolic dysfunction may also be an integral part of some specific pathologies, particularly in the most advanced cases such as amyloid infiltration of the heart. By far, the majority of restrictive cardiomyopathies are secondary to a systemic disorder such as amyloidosis, sarcoidosis, scleroderma, haemochromatosis, eosinophilic heart disease, or as…
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    MedWorm: Cardiac Arrhythmia

  • Acetaminophen combinations protect against iron-induced cardiac damage in gerbils.

    3 Nov 2009 | 11:26 am
    This study tested if acetaminophen, N-methyl-D-glucamine dithiocarbamate (NMGDTC), deferoxamine, and combinations of these agents reduce excess iron content, prevent iron-induced pathology, reduce cardiac arrhythmias, and reduce mortality in iron-overloaded gerbils. Eight groups of 16 gerbils received iron dextran injections (ferric hydroxide dextran complex, 120 mg/kg, ip) or saline solution (controls) twice/wk for 8 wk. The 8 groups were treated every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with one of the following: saline control, acetaminophen, 150 mg/kg, ip), acetaminophen (150 mg/kg, po),…

  • Melanocyte-like cells in the heart and pulmonary veins contribute to atrial arrhythmia triggers

    3 Nov 2009 | 6:54 am
    Atrial fibrillation is the most common clinical cardiac arrhythmia. It is often initiated by ectopic beats arising from the pulmonary veins and atrium, but the source and mechanism of these beats remains unclear. The melanin synthesis enzyme dopachrome tautomerase (DCT) is involved in intracellular calcium and reactive species regulation in melanocytes. Given that dysregulation of intracellular calcium and reactive species has been described in patients with atrial fibrillation, we investigated the role of DCT in this process. Here, we characterize a unique DCT-expressing cell population…

  • Reduction in Cardiac Kir3.4 Channel Expression Causes Congenital Long QT Syndrome: A Functional Role of Girk Currents in Ventricular Repolarization

    31 Oct 2009 | 4:00 pm
    Ventricular repolarization is promoted by delayed rectifier potassium currents. Mutations in the genes underlying these currents, primarily IKr, IKs, and IK1, have been found to cause congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS), which is an inherited disorder leading to sudden cardiac death from fatal cardiac arrhythmias. Kir3.1/3.4 channels have been ascribed a prominent role in atrial and nodal parasympathetic regulation, where acetylcholine-mediated muscarinic stimulation leads to activation of this channel complex, thereby generating G-protein-coupled inward rectifier potassium channel current…

  • Epicardium-Derived Cells as Progenitors of Cardiac Fibroblasts: A Possible Role in Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy?

    31 Oct 2009 | 4:00 pm
    Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia (ARVC) is an inherited disease characterized by replacement of healthy myocardium with fibrous and fatty tissue, cardiac arrhythmias, and sudden death. ARVC has been associated with mutations in desmosomal proteins, most prominently in the gene coding for plakophilin-2 (PKP2). How disruption of desmosomal proteins in cardiac myocytes leads to the disproportionate extent of fibrosis, and fat accumulation, observed in ARVC-afflicted hearts is unclear. Here, we propose that fibrofatty infiltration has its origins (at least in part) in…

  • Coupling of Isolated Adult Rabbit Ventricular Myocytes to Fibroblasts Under Stress Induces Afterdepolarizations

    31 Oct 2009 | 4:00 pm
    Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is the most lethal cardiac arrhythmia, yet the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. VF occurs most commonly in the presence of markedly increased tissue fibrosis, as seen in aging or heart disease. We hypothesize that electrotonic coupling of ventricular myocytes to fibroblasts under stress can augment stress effects to impair myocyte repolarization reserve and promote the emergence of known VF triggers such as early afterdepolarizations (EADs) and triggered activity. (Source: Heart Rhythm)
 
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    MedWorm: Cardiology

  • Silent PAD predicts adverse outcome in stroke/TIA patients

    6 Nov 2009 | 4:52 am
    The presence of asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease in patients with stroke or transient ischemic attack is a major risk factor for recurrent vascular events, a study indicates. (Source: MedWire News - Cardiology)MedWorm Sponsor Message: Looking for a medical communications company? MedWrite International specializes in delivering global strategic medical marketing communications. Visit MedWrite's site to learn more.

  • No Advantage To Off-Pump CABG

    6 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am
    A study of 2,203 cardiac surgery patients from Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers nationwide revealed that coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) completed "off-pump," meaning without a heart-lung machine, had no advantages in patient outcomes compared to the traditional "on-pump" procedure. A. Laurie Shroyer, Ph.D. (Source: Cardiovascular / Cardiology News From Medical News Today)

  • Small Increases In Phosphorus Mean Higher Risk Of Heart Disease

    6 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am
    Higher levels of phosphorus in the blood are linked to increased calcification of the coronary arteries a key marker of heart disease risk, according to a study in an upcoming issue of Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). "This may help to explain why even early-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with increased cardiovascular risk that is not otherwise explained by traditional risk factors," comments Katherine R. (Source: Cardiovascular / Cardiology News From Medical News Today)

  • Research Findings Key For Understanding, Interpreting Genetic Testing For Long QT Syndrome

    6 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    Results of a long QT syndrome (LQTS) study published in the current issue of Circulation play an important role in understanding genetic testing's role in diagnosing disease, according to the senior author, Michael Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D. A pediatric cardiologist at Mayo Clinic, Dr. Ackerman directs Mayo's Long QT Syndrome Clinic and is the director of the Mayo Clinic Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory. (Source: Cardiovascular / Cardiology News From Medical News Today)

  • Study Suggests Dentists Can Identify Patients At Risk For Fatal Cardiovascular Event

    6 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    A new study indicates dentists can play a potentially life-saving role in health care by identifying patients at risk of fatal heart attacks and referring them to physicians for further evaluation. (Source: Cardiovascular / Cardiology News From Medical News Today)
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    MyHeartCentral.com

  • Stroke centers offer best shot at right treatment

    5 Nov 2009 | 10:59 am
    Stroke victims who are taken directly to a trained stroke center are more likely to receive the necessary clot-busting drugs--and receive them more quickly--than those taken to a regular hospital, research suggests.

  • Fructose boosts blood pressure risk: study

    5 Nov 2009 | 9:12 am
    New research suggests that a diet high in fructose, a major ingredient in sugary sodas and other sweetened foods, raises the risk of developing high blood pressure.

  • Hypertension likely in children of Alzheimer's patients

    5 Nov 2009 | 9:04 am
    According to new research, people who have a parent with Alzheimer's disease have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, arterial disease, and markers of inflammation than people who do not have a parent with the condition.

  • Illness, surgery not linked to seniors' mental decline

    5 Nov 2009 | 6:09 am
    New research published in the journal Anesthesiology suggests that illness and surgery don't contribute to long-term cognitive decline in seniors, nor do they accelerate the development of dementia.

  • 'Off-pump' heart surgery not as effective: study

    5 Nov 2009 | 5:59 am
    Heart patients who have their coronary bypass surgery "off-pump," or without being placed a heart-lung machine, have poorer long-term outcomes, a new study suggests.
 
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    Scientific American Topic - Heart Disease

  • "On-pump" heart bypass surgery beats out beating-heart technique

    5 Nov 2009 | 12:38 pm
    The best bypass surgery choice may be to use a heart–lung machine, after all, according to a new study published Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine . [More]

  • Sneezes Provoke Fears Beyond Illness

    4 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am
    [The following is an exact transcript of this podcast.] With H1N1 on the rise and flu shots hard to find, few things are as terrifying as [sneeze sound]. But now a report in the journal Psychological Science suggests that coughing and sneezing can spread more than viruses. They also spread fear, of germs and more. [More]

  • Hearing Our Heartbeats

    3 Nov 2009 | 12:00 pm
    [More]

  • Could Eating Too Much Soy Be Bad for You?

    2 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm
    Seeking healthful foods, Americans are eating more soy than ever. But recent research with animals shows that consuming large amounts could have harmful effects on female fertility and reproductive development. [More]

  • TED MED: The power of the mind over the body

    31 Oct 2009 | 5:36 am
    TED MED[www.tedmed.com] wrapped up with compelling personal stories that celebrated the power of the human mind to help the body endure or to reach physical achievements. The sold-out meeting in San Diego, held for the first time in five years, had during the past four days covered a spectrum of themes, including research on engineering life to create cures and regenerative medicine , the need to collect information about a patient’s environment , the personalization of health care , the quest to slow aging , and technologies, such as robots , to make it more practical for the elderly…
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    Cholesterol Management 101

  • Advanced Lipoprotein Testing

    3 Nov 2009 | 2:33 am
    I originally posted on this topic 16 months ago after the untimely death of Tim Russert. Since that time, thousands of people have died from cardiovascular disease. It is the number one killer in the USA and approximately over 2600 people die each die from it each day.Last week, the book that I co-authored with Tom Dayspring M.D. and William Cromwell M.D., two noted lipidologists, was published. It is titled Lipid and Lipoprotein Disorders: Current Clinical Solutions. I thought it was apropos to try and draw attention again to this most important topic.Hyperlipidemia is the most modifiable…

  • Heart Disease in Women - Where Do We Stand?

    5 Oct 2009 | 12:51 pm
    I wanted to interrupt our series on "Markers of Cardiovascular Risk" to write about heart disease in women. I have a large number of female patients who still do not know the extent of heart disease in women. They are often told by their primary care physician that if they take estrogen replacement therapy then they are protected from heart disease. Nothing could not be further from the truth.Atherothrombotic disease is the number one cause of morbidity and mortality in American women. Real progress in both our understanding and making therapeutic progress in women began in the mid 1990s, as…

  • Elevated Homocysteine: Cardiovascular Risk Factor or Hype?

    14 Sep 2009 | 1:27 pm
    Homocysteine is an amino acid that cannot be synthesized by the human body. It is synthesized from the essential amino acid called methionine in the body. An essential amino acid means that it is indispensable for life. Methionine must be supplied in the diet. High levels of methionine can be found in sesame seeds, brazil nuts, fish, meats and some other plant seeds. Most fruits and vegetables contain very little of it. Most legumes are also low in methionine.Although at first not generally accepted, epidemiologic trials conducted over the past 25 years have provided ample support for the…

  • Markers of Cardiovascular Risk - PLAC Test

    12 Aug 2009 | 5:39 am
    Lp-PLA2(PLAC TEST)I have received several calls over the past several months asking if I did the PLAC test. In thinking what I would write about, I decided that I would begin a series devoted to explaining the newest risk factors that can be used as markers of increased cardiovascular risk. The first marker I want to discuss is Lipoprotein-associated Phospholipase A2( Lp-PLA2). Lp-PLA2 can be measured using a widely available laboratory test called the PLAC test. It is an enzyme that, in humans, is bound to the lipoprotein particles. Liporotein particles are the vehicles that drive…

  • Noninvasive Methods to Assess Atherosclerosis: Part 4

    7 Jul 2009 | 8:42 am
    We are going to finish up our series discussing two modalities which most people are not familiar with as way to assess for atherosclerosis.Cardiac Magnetic Resonance ImagingMRI uses radio waves and magnets to create images of your organs and tissues. Unlike computed tomography scans (also called CT scans) or conventional x-rays, MRI imaging doesn't use ionizing radiation or carry any risk of causing cancer.Cardiac MRI is a sophisticated powerful imaging system tool that provides superb anatomic, functional, and tissue images. Since MRI is done for nearly everything, many centers now perform…
 
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    About.com Heart Disease

  • Does Daylight Savings Time Cause Heart Attacks?

    4 Nov 2009 | 10:26 pm
    Now that we've said goodbye to Daylight Savings Time for another 6 months, perhaps (according to researchers reporting in the New England Journal of Medicine last year), we'd be better off saying goodbye forever. That's because, they say, there is an association between switching to DST in the spring, and heart attacks. Do we really need to add Daylight Savings Time to the long list of useful, enjoyable or fattening pleasures of life that we're supposed to give up? Read about it here. Does Daylight Savings Time Cause Heart Attacks? originally appeared on About.com Heart Disease on Thursday,…

  • Statins Might Be Helpful With Flu, and Other Serious Infections

    31 Oct 2009 | 10:57 pm
    This weekend at the Infectious Diseases Society of America in Philadelphia, researchers from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that statins (drugs prescribed for reducing cholesterol levels) may be associated with a reduced risk of dying from influenza. The study was conducted by reviewing data from the CDC's Emerging Infections Program. Among 2800 patients from 10 states admitted to the hospital with confirmed cases of severe influenza in 2007-2008, those who were taking statins had a mortality rate that was half that of patients not taking statins. This result…

  • Nine "New" Cardiac Risk Factors Are Found Wanting

    29 Oct 2009 | 1:19 am
    In an era when "preventive health" is all the rage, and we are all being urged to assess our risk factors for heart disease, developing and marketing new tools for cardiac risk assessment has become a big business. In fact, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) notes that more than 100 "emerging" cardiac risk factors are being advanced, by someone or another, as being potentially important. Accordingly, the USPSTF recently conducted several systematic reviews to evaluate the usefulness of nine of the most commonly promoted "emerging" cardiovascular risk factors. They concluded that…

  • More Evidence that Coronary Artery Disease Is Different In Women

    26 Oct 2009 | 12:10 am
    For several years, cardiologists have known that coronary artery disease (CAD) in women can be quite different than it is in men. Women's symptoms may be different, the diagnostic tests that are used for CAD can give the "wrong" answer in women, and the underlying disease itself can be quite different. It now appears that a new, possibly more significant difference has turned up. You can read all about it here.More Evidence that Coronary Artery Disease Is Different In Women originally appeared on About.com Heart Disease on Monday, October 26th, 2009 at 07:10:27.Permalink | Comment | Email…

  • Medical Treatment for Coronary Artery Disease

    23 Oct 2009 | 12:29 am
    Evidence from clinical trials now indicates that in patients with stable angina, medical treatment can be as effective as the more invasive treatments we hear so much about, treatments like bypass surgery, angioplasty and stents. But what, exactly, is medical therapy for angina? It turns out that treating angina medically is an art that involves the judicious use of several treatment modalities, some of which are well-known to doctors and others less so. You can read all about the medical therapy of angina here. Medical Treatment for Coronary Artery Disease originally appeared on About.com…
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    About.com Heart Disease: What's Hot Now

  • bypass surgery

    heartdisease.guide@about.com
    6 Nov 2009 | 2:04 am
    In coronary artery bypass surgery -- also called coronary artery bypass grafting, or CABG -- surgeons graft a healthy artery or vein to a diseased coronary artery, beyond the areas that are blocked by plaques. This procedure allows blood to bypass the diseased part of the artery, and improves the supply of blood the heart muscle.

  • Top 10 Heart Disease Articles (MVP)

    heartdisease.guide@about.com
    6 Nov 2009 | 2:04 am
    Top 10 heart disease articles: inappropriate sinus tachycardia metabolic syndrome x heart disease articles bundle branch block decent shape

  • How Does the Heart Beat?

    heartdisease.guide@about.com
    6 Nov 2009 | 2:04 am
    The cardiac electrical signal spreads across the right and left ventricles.

  • Stent restenosis

    heartdisease.guide@about.com
    6 Nov 2009 | 2:04 am
    Is it safe to stop Plavix for surgery after drug-coated stents?

  • Cardiac syndrome x

    heartdisease.guide@about.com
    6 Nov 2009 | 2:04 am
    Cardiac syndrome x - chest pain with normal coronary arteries
 
 
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    Scientific American Topic - Heart Attacks

  • "On-pump" heart bypass surgery beats out beating-heart technique

    5 Nov 2009 | 12:38 pm
    The best bypass surgery choice may be to use a heart–lung machine, after all, according to a new study published Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine . [More]

  • Sneezes Provoke Fears Beyond Illness

    4 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am
    [The following is an exact transcript of this podcast.] With H1N1 on the rise and flu shots hard to find, few things are as terrifying as [sneeze sound]. But now a report in the journal Psychological Science suggests that coughing and sneezing can spread more than viruses. They also spread fear, of germs and more. [More]

  • Hearing Our Heartbeats

    3 Nov 2009 | 12:00 pm
    [More]

  • Could Eating Too Much Soy Be Bad for You?

    2 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm
    Seeking healthful foods, Americans are eating more soy than ever. But recent research with animals shows that consuming large amounts could have harmful effects on female fertility and reproductive development. [More]

  • TED MED: The power of the mind over the body

    31 Oct 2009 | 5:36 am
    TED MED[www.tedmed.com] wrapped up with compelling personal stories that celebrated the power of the human mind to help the body endure or to reach physical achievements. The sold-out meeting in San Diego, held for the first time in five years, had during the past four days covered a spectrum of themes, including research on engineering life to create cures and regenerative medicine , the need to collect information about a patient’s environment , the personalization of health care , the quest to slow aging , and technologies, such as robots , to make it more practical for the elderly…
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    WebMD Health

  • Oral Contraceptives May Help Treat Asthma

    6 Nov 2009 | 3:37 pm
    Treatment with oral contraceptives may benefit premenopausal women with asthma, even if their asthma symptoms are not strongly linked to their monthly menstrual cycles, early research suggests.

  • First Impressions Surprisingly Accurate

    6 Nov 2009 | 2:52 pm
    A new study shows that we can accurately evaluate strangers' personalities based just on appearance.

  • Expert Panel Rejects Abstinence-Only Sex Ed

    6 Nov 2009 | 2:38 pm
    There's no evidence that abstinence-only sexual education programs cut teens' risk of sexually transmitted disease, HIV, or pregnancy, a task force of public health experts finds.

  • Early Morning Colon Cancer Tests Work Best

    6 Nov 2009 | 12:35 pm
    Colon cancer screening exams may be more effective if done very early in the day rather than later, yielding more polyps per patient, says a new study.

  • Aspirin May Prevent Prostate Cancer Recurrence

    6 Nov 2009 | 11:51 am
    The use of anti-clotting drugs, including aspirin, appears to lower the odds that cancer will recur in men undergoing radiation treatment for prostate cancer, researchers report.
 
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    MedWorm: Heart Attack

  • Bodybuilding.com Alert

    5 Nov 2009 | 10:28 am
    Bodybuilding.com and FDA notified healthcare professionals and patients of a nationwide and international recall of all lots and expiration dates of 65 dietary supplement products that were sold through the Company's website, www.bodybuilding.com.FDA believes that the recalled products contain the following ingredients that are currently classified, or the FDA believes should be classified, as steroids: "Superdrol," "Madol," "Tren," "Androstenedione," and/or "Turinabol." Acute liver injury is known to be a possible harmful effect of using…

  • USADSF President Fleischer Passes Away

    5 Nov 2009 | 7:42 am
    The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) mourns the sudden loss of Lawrence R. Fleischer, president of the USA Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF), who had a heart attack on Sunday evening, November 1 at Burbank, CA. He was on his way home after delivering the closing keynote at the American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA) conference in Phoenix, AZ. read more (Source: National Association of the Deaf)

  • Statins may protect against venous thromboembolism

    5 Nov 2009 | 7:29 am
    Patients with prior stroke or myocardial infarction who are treated with statins have a reduced risk for venous thromboembolism compared with nonusers, report researchers. (Source: MedWire News - Lipidology)

  • Usefulness of Triglycerides-to–High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Ratio for Predicting the First Coronary Event in Men

    5 Nov 2009 | 4:53 am
    In conclusion, the TG/HDL ratio has a high predictive value of a first coronary event regardless of BMI. (Source: The American Journal of Cardiology)

  • The 5-Year Clinical Outcomes After a Randomized Comparison of Sirolimus-Eluting Versus Bare-Metal Stent Implantation in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

    5 Nov 2009 | 4:50 am
    Because patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) were excluded from early randomized trials, only relatively short-term data from large multicenter studies comparing drug-eluting stents (DES) with bare-metal stents (BMS) are currently available. Unambiguous ascertainment of long-term compliance with thienopyridines is problematic in STEMI, which is a matter of serious concern (), and one observational registry suggested higher late (>6 months) unadjusted and adjusted mortality rates in STEMI patients with a DES compared with those with a BMS (). Thus, the use of…
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    Scientific American Topic - Cardiology

  • "On-pump" heart bypass surgery beats out beating-heart technique

    5 Nov 2009 | 12:38 pm
    The best bypass surgery choice may be to use a heart–lung machine, after all, according to a new study published Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine . [More]

  • Sneezes Provoke Fears Beyond Illness

    4 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am
    [The following is an exact transcript of this podcast.] With H1N1 on the rise and flu shots hard to find, few things are as terrifying as [sneeze sound]. But now a report in the journal Psychological Science suggests that coughing and sneezing can spread more than viruses. They also spread fear, of germs and more. [More]

  • Hearing Our Heartbeats

    3 Nov 2009 | 12:00 pm
    [More]

  • Could Eating Too Much Soy Be Bad for You?

    2 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm
    Seeking healthful foods, Americans are eating more soy than ever. But recent research with animals shows that consuming large amounts could have harmful effects on female fertility and reproductive development. [More]

  • TED MED: The power of the mind over the body

    31 Oct 2009 | 5:36 am
    TED MED[www.tedmed.com] wrapped up with compelling personal stories that celebrated the power of the human mind to help the body endure or to reach physical achievements. The sold-out meeting in San Diego, held for the first time in five years, had during the past four days covered a spectrum of themes, including research on engineering life to create cures and regenerative medicine , the need to collect information about a patient’s environment , the personalization of health care , the quest to slow aging , and technologies, such as robots , to make it more practical for the elderly…
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    Cardiovascular Ultrasound - Latest articles

  • The ischemic preconditioning effect of adenosine in patients with ischemic heart disease

    Bita Sadigh
    4 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm
    IntroductionIn vivo and in vitro evidence suggests that adenosine and its agonists play key roles in the process of ischemic preconditioning. The effects of low-dose adenosine infusion on ischemic preconditioning have not been thoroughly studied in humans.AimsWe hypothesised that a low-dose adenosine infusion could reduce the ischemic burden evoked by physical exercise and improve the regional left ventricular (LV) systolic function.Material and methodsWe studied nine severely symptomatic male patients with severe coronary artery disease. Myocardial ischemia was induced by exercise on two…

  • Predictors of right ventricular function as measured by tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion in heart failure

    Jesper Kjaergaard
    3 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm
    IntroductionTricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion (TAPSE) has independent prognostic value in heart failure patients but may be influenced by left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction. The present study assessed the association of TAPSE and clinical factors, global and regional LV function in 634 patients admitted for symptomatic heart failure.Methods & ResultsTAPSE were correlated with global and regional measures of longitudinal LV function, segmental wall motion scores and measures of diastolic LV function as measured from transthoracic echocardiography.LV ejection fraction, wall…

  • The accessory papillary muscle with inferior J-waves--peculiarity or hidden danger ?

    James Ker
    28 Oct 2009 | 5:00 pm
    Originally described in 1953, today the so-called J-wave is the source of much controversy. As a marker of so-called "early repolarization", this variant has been regarded as a totally benign variant since the 1960`s. However, since then a wealth of data have indicated that the J-wave may be a marker of a highly arrhythmogenic substrate with a resultant high risk of sudden cardiac death.In this case report a case of an accessory papillary muscle with a prominent J-wave is described. This may be the first of many possible cases where papillary muscle variants may be the cause of the…

  • Relationship between B-type natriuretic peptide levels and echocardiographic indices of left ventricular filling pressures in post-cardiac surgery patients

    Alessandro Salustri
    27 Oct 2009 | 5:00 pm
    Background: B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is increased in post-cardiac surgery patients, however the mechanisms underlying BNP release are still unclear. In the current study, we aimed to assess the relationship between postoperative BNP levels and left ventricular filling pressures in post-cardiac surgery patients. Methods: We prospectively enrolled 134 consecutive patients referred to our Center 8+/-5 days after cardiac surgery. BNP was sampled at hospital admission and related to the following echocardiographic parameters: left ventricular (LV) diastolic volume (DV), LV systolic volume…

  • Tissue Doppler Imaging can be useful to distinguish pathological from physiological left ventricular hypertrophy: a study in master athletes and mild hypertensive subjects

    Giorgio Galanti
    20 Oct 2009 | 5:00 pm
    Background: Transthoracic echocardiography left ventricular wall thickness is often increased in master athletes and it results by intense physical training. Left Ventricular Hypertrophy can also be due to a constant pressure overload. Conventional Pulsed Wave (PW) Doppler analysis of diastolic function sometimes fails to distinguish physiological from pathological LVH.The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of Pulsed Wave Tissue Doppler Imaging in differentiating pathological from physiological LVH in the middle-aged population. Methods: we selected a group of 80 master athletes, a…
 
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    BMC Cardiovascular Disorders

  • Beta-2 adrenergic receptor gene polymorphisms Gln27Glu, Arg16Gly in patients with heart failure

    Alfredo Jose Mansur
    2 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm
    Background: Beta-2 adrenergic receptor gene polymorphisms Gln27Glu, Arg16Gly and Thr164Ile were suggested to have an effect in heart failure. We evaluated these polymorphisms relative to clinical characteristics and prognosis of a large cohort of patients with heart failure of different etiologies. Methods: We studied 501 patients with heart failure of different etiologies. Mean age was 58 years (standard deviation 14.4 years), 298 (60%) were men. Polymorphisms were identified by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results: During the mean follow-up of 12.6…

  • Cardiac insulin-like growth factor-1 and cyclins gene expression in canine models of ischemic or overpacing cardiomyopathy

    Maryam Mahmoudabady
    8 Oct 2009 | 5:00 pm
    Background: Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) and cyclins are thought to play a role in myocardial hypertrophic response to insults. We investigated these signaling pathways in canine models of ischemic or overpacing-induced cardiomyopathy. Methods: Echocardiographic recordings and myocardial sampling for measurements of gene expressions of IGF-1, its receptor (IGF-1R), TGFβ and of cyclins A, B, D1, D2, D3 and E, were obtained in 8 dogs with a healed myocardial infarction, 8 dogs after 7 weeks of overpacing and in 7 healthy control dogs. Results:…

  • Variation in the human soluble epoxide hydrolase gene and risk of restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention

    Silke Kullmann
    7 Oct 2009 | 5:00 pm
    Background: Restenosis represents the major limiting factor for the long-term efficacy of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Several genetic factors involved in the regulation of the vascular system have been described to play a role in the pathogenesis of restenosis. We investigated whether the EPHX2 K55R polymorphism, previously linked to significantly higher risk for coronary heart disease (CHD), was associated with the occurrence of restenosis after PCI. The association with incident CHD should have been confirmed and a potential correlation of the EPHX2 K55R variant to an…

  • Rationale and study design of a cross sectional study documenting the prevalence of Heart Failure amongst the minority ethnic communities in the UK: the E-ECHOES Study (Ethnic - Echocardiographic Heart of England Screening Study)

    Paramjit Gill
    29 Sep 2009 | 5:00 pm
    Background: Heart failure is an important cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Studies to date have not established the prevalence heart failure amongst the minority ethnic community in the UK. T'he aim of the E-ECHOES (Ethnic - Echocardiographic Heart of England Screening Study)is to establish, for the first time, the community prevalence and severity of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) and heart failure amongst the South Asian and Black African-Caribbean ethnic groups in the UK.Methods/DesignThis is a community based cross-sectional population survey of a sample of…

  • Atherosclerosis profile and incidence of cardiovascular events: a population-based survey

    Jennifer Robinson
    14 Sep 2009 | 5:00 pm
    Background: Atherosclerosis is a chronic progressive disease often presenting as clinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. This study evaluated the characteristics of individuals with a diagnosis of atherosclerosis and estimated the incidence of CVD events to assist in the early identification of high-risk individuals. Methods: Respondents to the US SHIELD baseline survey were followed for 2 years to observe incident self-reported CVD. Respondents had subclinical atherosclerosis if they reported a diagnosis of narrow or blocked arteries/carotid artery disease without a past clinical CVD…
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    MedWorm: Hypertension

  • Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura associated with pregnancy: case report

    6 Nov 2009 | 6:36 am
    A púrpura trombocitopênica trombótica (PTT) é uma entidade rara em pacientes críticos. Relatamos um caso clínico de paciente gestante admitida em unidade de terapia intensiva obstétrica com quadro de alteração de sensório, atribuído inicialmente à doença hipertensiva da gravidez. Evoluiu com piora do quadro geral caracterizada por anemia e plaquetopenia grave, suscitando a investigação diagnóstica de púrpura trombocitopênica trombótica após o reconhecimento do perfil hematológico. Os autores enfatizam a importância do conhecimento da doença como marcador de prognóstico…

  • Hypertension Common in Children of Alzheimer's Patients

    5 Nov 2009 | 8:00 pm
    High blood pressure, evidence of arterial disease and markers of inflammation in the blood are more common in middle-aged individuals whose parents have Alzheimer's disease than in individuals without a parental history of the condition. (Source: Medical Headlines From Ivanhoe.com)

  • Don't try this at home?

    5 Nov 2009 | 3:08 pm
    (Source: BMJ Online First)

  • Is the Way to Man's Heart (and Lung) Through the Abdomen?

    5 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pm
    Intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) is increasingly recognized to be both prevalent and clinically important in medical and surgical ICUs. Intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) can impact organ function throughout the body, and it can also complicate standard measurements used in ICU care. The article by Krebs et al. reports the effect of IAP on respiratory function, gas exchange and hemodynamic function. Their results show a relatively small effect of modestly elevated IAP on these variables in their patient population. However, their work raises several questions for clinicians and researchers…

  • Hypertension, Inflammatory Markers More Common in Offspring of Patients With Alzheimer's

    5 Nov 2009 | 12:24 pm
    Study results suggest that the associations are independent of APOE genetic status and underscore the need to assess offspring for primary prevention of hypertension. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)
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    Cardiovascular Diabetology

  • Lack of benefits for prevention of cardiovascular disease with aspirin therapy in type 2 diabetic patients - a longitudinal observational study

    Wilson Leung
    29 Oct 2009 | 5:00 pm
    Background: The risk-benefit ratio of aspirin therapy in prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains contentious, especially in type 2 diabetes. This study examined the benefit and harm of low-dose aspirin (daily dose <300 mg) in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: This is a longitudinal observational study with primary and secondary prevention cohorts based on history of CVD at enrolment. We compared the occurrence of primary composite (non-fatal myocardial infarction or stroke; and cardiovascular death) and secondary endpoints (upper GI bleeding and haemorrhagic stroke)…

  • Nitric oxide and superoxide dismutase modulate endothelial progenitor cell function in type 2 diabetes mellitus

    Saher Hamed
    29 Oct 2009 | 5:00 pm
    Background: The function of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which are key cells in vascular repair, is impaired in diabetes mellitus. Nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species can regulate EPC functions. EPCs tolerate oxidative stress by upregulating superoxide dismutase (SOD), the enzyme that neutralizes superoxide anion (O2-). Therefore, we investigated the roles of NO and SOD in glucose-stressed EPCs. Methods: The functions of circulating EPCs from patients with type 2 diabetes were compared to those from healthy individuals. Healthy EPCs were glucose-stressed, and then treated…

  • Elevated resting heart rate is associated with the metabolic syndrome

    Ori Rogowski
    13 Oct 2009 | 5:00 pm
    Background: Increased resting heart rate (RHR) may be associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity. Our aim was to explore the possibility that increased RHR is associated with the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a sample of apparently healthy individuals and those with cardiovascular risk factors. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis in a large sample of apparently healthy individuals who attended a general health screening program and agreed to participate in our survey. We analyzed a sample of 7706 individuals (5106 men and 2600 women) with 13.2% of men and…

  • Network of vascular diseases, death and biochemical characteristics in a set of 4,197 patients with type 1 diabetes (The FinnDiane Study)

    Ville-Petteri Makinen
    5 Oct 2009 | 5:00 pm
    Background: Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of premature death in patients with type 1 diabetes. Patients with diabetic kidney disease have an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. Accurate knowledge of the complex inter-dependencies between the risk factors is critical for pinpointing the best targets for research and treatment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe the association patterns between clinical and biochemical features of diabetic complications. Methods: Medical records and serum and urine samples of 4,197 patients with type 1 diabetes were collected from…

  • Prevalence of the Metabolic Syndrome in Latin America and its association with sub-clinical carotid atherosclerosis: the CARMELA cross sectional study

    Jorge Escobedo
    25 Sep 2009 | 5:00 pm
    Background: Metabolic syndrome increases cardiovascular risk. Limited information on its prevalence in Latin America is available. The Cardiovascular Risk Factor Multiple Evaluation in Latin America (CARMELA) study included assessment of metabolic syndrome in 7 urban Latin American populations. Methods: CARMELA was a cross-sectional, population-based, observational study conducted in Barquisimeto, Venezuela; Bogota, Colombia; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Lima, Peru; Mexico City, Mexico; Quito, Ecuador; and Santiago, Chile. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome, defined according to the National…
 
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    Medical News Today: Cardiovascular

  • Lack Of Evidence A Problem For Policymakers, Doctors And Patients

    6 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am
    One category of medical mysteries that stumps expert doctors and policymakers alike falls under the heading: What works? News reports on two new studies - and one that was never completed - offer insight into that issue. It turns out that "one of the first things you do at a doctor's visit" may not do much to improve your health, the Chicago Tribune reports.

  • Small Increases In Phosphorus Mean Higher Risk Of Heart Disease

    6 Nov 2009 | 2:00 am
    Higher levels of phosphorus in the blood are linked to increased calcification of the coronary arteries a key marker of heart disease risk, according to a study in an upcoming issue of Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). "This may help to explain why even early-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with increased cardiovascular risk that is not otherwise explained by traditional risk factors," comments Katherine R.

  • No Advantage To Off-Pump CABG

    6 Nov 2009 | 2:00 am
    A study of 2,203 cardiac surgery patients from Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers nationwide revealed that coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) completed "off-pump," meaning without a heart-lung machine, had no advantages in patient outcomes compared to the traditional "on-pump" procedure. A. Laurie Shroyer, Ph.D.

  • Health Minister Welcomes Torfaen's Hearty Lives Initiative, UK

    6 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am
    Health Minister Edwina Hart will attend the launch of a new initiative to reduce heart disease in Torfaen. The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has awarded £1.5million in funding and resources to Torfaen Local Health Board to tackle heart disease in the area. It comes as part of the health charity's UK-wide Hearty Lives programme to reduce geographical inequalities in heart disease.

  • Study Suggests Dentists Can Identify Patients At Risk For Fatal Cardiovascular Event

    6 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am
    A new study indicates dentists can play a potentially life-saving role in health care by identifying patients at risk of fatal heart attacks and referring them to physicians for further evaluation.
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    Medical News Today: Cholesterol

  • UCLA Researchers Reconstitute Enzyme That Synthesizes Cholesterol Drug Lovastatin

    5 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    Researchers from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have for the first time successfully reconstituted in the laboratory the enzyme responsible for producing the blockbuster cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin. The research, published Oct. 23 in the journal Science, could potentially lead to the development of other compounds with similarly beneficial effects.

  • Risk For High-Grade Prostate Cancer May Be Reduced By Low Cholesterol

    4 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am
    Men with lower cholesterol are less likely than those with higher levels to develop high-grade prostate cancer - an aggressive form of the disease with a poorer prognosis, according to results of a Johns Hopkins collaborative study. In a prospective study of more than 5,000 U.S. men, epidemiologists say they now have evidence that having lower levels of heart-clogging fat may cut a man's risk of this form of cancer by nearly 60 percent.

  • Answers And Some New Questions Concerning Cholesterol And Cancer

    4 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am
    A pair of studies in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, lay to rest the decades-long concern that lower total cholesterol may lead to cancer, and in fact lower cholesterol may reduce the risk of high-grade prostate cancer. Demetrius Albanes, M.D., a senior investigator at the National Cancer Institute, said early studies suggested that low cholesterol could increase the risk of certain types of cancer.

  • Studies Negate Concerns That Low Cholesterol Leads To Some Cancers

    4 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am
    Two new studies from the US published this week negate concerns that have been around since early studies done decades ago suggested that low cholesterol leads to some types of cancer: one in fact affirms that undiagnosed cancer is the likely cause of lower total cholesterol while the other found evidence linking low cholesterol and decreased risk of high-grade prostate cancer among older men.

  • Statins Show Dramatic Drug And Cell Dependent Effects In The Brain

    29 Oct 2009 | 6:00 am
    Besides their tremendous value in treating high cholesterol and lowering the risk of heart disease, statins have also been reported to potentially lower the risks of other diseases, such as dementia. However, a study in the October Journal of Lipid Research finds that similar statin drugs can have profoundly different effects on brain cells - both beneficial and detrimental.
 
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    European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery

  • Aprotinin in cardiac surgery patients: is the risk worth the benefit? [Original articles]

    Stamou, S. C., Reames, M. K., Skipper, E., Stiegel, R. M., Nussbaum, M., Geller, R., Robicsek, F., Lobdell, K. W.
    27 Oct 2009 | 3:26 pm
    Background: Aprotinin is the only Food and Drug Administration-approved agent to reduce haemorrhage related to cardiac surgery and its safety and efficacy has been extensively studied. Our study sought to compare the efficacy, early and late mortality and major morbidity associated with aprotinin compared with e-aminocaproic acid (EACA) in cardiac surgery operations. Methods: Between January 2002 and December 2006, 2101 patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), valve surgery or CABG and valve surgery in our institution with the use of aprotinin (1898 patients) or EACA (203…

  • Use of aprotinin in cardiac surgery: effectiveness and safety in a population-based study [Original articles]

    Jakobsen, C.-J., Sondergaard, F., Hjortdal, V. E., Johnsen, S. P.
    27 Oct 2009 | 3:26 pm
    Objective: The effectiveness and safety of aprotinin use in cardiac surgery have been questioned. More data reflecting everyday clinical practice from large-scale, unselected populations are needed. We compared the effectiveness and safety of aprotinin in cardiac surgery with those of tranexamic acid in a follow-up study using the population-based Danish health-care databases. Methods: We identified a total of 3535 patients who underwent cardiac surgery at the Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, between 1 January 2003 and 31 December 2006; of these, 635 patients were treated with aprotinin…

  • Releasable annuloplasty ring insertion -- a novel experimental implantation model [Original articles]

    Bothe, W., Chang, P. A., Swanson, J. C., Itoh, A., Arata, K., Ingels, N. B., Miller, D. C.
    27 Oct 2009 | 3:26 pm
    Objective: Experimental testing of annuloplasty ring (AR) effects requires a control group if the AR is implanted conventionally. Our goal was to develop a reversible AR insertion method that allows for beating heart assessment with and without an AR, providing the ability to evaluate the effects of an AR in the same animal (internal control). We tested the feasibility of this technique in an in vivo ovine model using four-dimensional (4-D) radiopaque marker tracking. Methods: Before the operation, a rigid AR (Edwards Geoform®, Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA, USA) was prepared by…

  • Is it possible to improve the accuracy of EuroSCORE? [Original articles]

    Nissinen, J., Biancari, F., Wistbacka, J.-O., Loponen, P., Teittinen, K., Tarkiainen, P., Koivisto, S.-P., Tarkka, M.
    27 Oct 2009 | 3:26 pm
    Objective: We derived a new risk-scoring method by modifying some of the risk factors included in the EuroSCORE algorithm. Methods: This study includes 3613 patients who underwent cardiac surgery at the Vaasa Central Hospital, Finland. The EuroSCORE variables, along with modified age classes (<60 years, 60–69.9 years, 70–79.9 years and ≥80 years), eGFR-based chronic kidney disease classes (classes 1–2, class 3 and classes 4–5) and the number of cardiac procedures, were entered into the regression analysis. Results: An additive risk score was calculated according…

  • An initial evaluation of post-cardiopulmonary bypass acute kidney injury in swine [Original articles]

    Murphy, G. J., Lin, H., Coward, R. J., Toth, T., Holmes, R., Hall, D., Angelini, G. D.
    27 Oct 2009 | 3:26 pm
    Objective: Acute kidney injury (AKI) post-cardiac surgery is associated with mortality rates approaching 20%. The development of effective treatments is hindered by the poor homology between rodent models, the mainstay of research into AKI, and that which occurs in humans. This pilot study aims to characterise post-cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) AKI in an animal model with potentially greater homology to cardiac surgery patients. Methods and results: Adult pigs, weighing 50–75 kg, underwent 2.5 h of CPB. Pigs undergoing saphenous vein grafting procedures served as controls. Pre-CPB…
 
 
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    Medical News Today: Statins

  • UCLA Researchers Reconstitute Enzyme That Synthesizes Cholesterol Drug Lovastatin

    5 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    Researchers from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have for the first time successfully reconstituted in the laboratory the enzyme responsible for producing the blockbuster cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin. The research, published Oct. 23 in the journal Science, could potentially lead to the development of other compounds with similarly beneficial effects.

  • Risk For High-Grade Prostate Cancer May Be Reduced By Low Cholesterol

    4 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am
    Men with lower cholesterol are less likely than those with higher levels to develop high-grade prostate cancer - an aggressive form of the disease with a poorer prognosis, according to results of a Johns Hopkins collaborative study. In a prospective study of more than 5,000 U.S. men, epidemiologists say they now have evidence that having lower levels of heart-clogging fat may cut a man's risk of this form of cancer by nearly 60 percent.

  • Statins May Prevent Blood Clots In Patients With Cardiovascular Disease

    4 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am
    Statins may provide potentially life-saving benefits for patients with cardiovascular disease by helping reduce the incidence of blood clots.

  • Statins May Worsen Symptoms In Some Cardiac Patients

    4 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am
    Although statins are widely used to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular disorders, new research shows that the class of drugs may actually have negative effects on some cardiac patients.

  • Studies Negate Concerns That Low Cholesterol Leads To Some Cancers

    4 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am
    Two new studies from the US published this week negate concerns that have been around since early studies done decades ago suggested that low cholesterol leads to some types of cancer: one in fact affirms that undiagnosed cancer is the likely cause of lower total cholesterol while the other found evidence linking low cholesterol and decreased risk of high-grade prostate cancer among older men.
 
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    MedWorm Tags: heart attack

  • Dental – Heart Health Link Extends Past Periodontal Disease

    23 Oct 2009 | 6:24 am
    A recent study published in Journal of Dental Research, held by the Indiana University School of Dentistry, evaluated a group of people with healthy gum tissue to study the differences between people with good and poor oral hygiene. The subjects were from various ethnic groups and included women and men. Black, male participants who neglected daily oral care showed a unique response. Those in this group who accumulated plaque were found to have a white blood cell response (neutrophils). When an infection exists in the body, neutrophils move from bone marrow to the affected part of the body as…

  • My First Vlog - from the Heart

    20 Oct 2009 | 5:00 am
    I was tempted to call this post, “I’m better in writing.” I really don’t like seeing myself on film. But I know, it’s time to get with the program. That, and the American Heart Association provided the members of its Heart of Diabetes Connected Council group with free Flip video recorders - pretty cool! See Scott Johnson’s [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine)

  • Preventing Heart Attacks?

    13 Oct 2009 | 5:00 am
    I’m off to Dallas today to take part in a special patient advisory council* for the American Heart Association, which is desperately trying to reach out to people with diabetes about heart health. They’ve created a program called Heart of Diabetes (sponsored by Takeda Pharmaceuticals) and are busy gathering patient stories in video format. Now they’re [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine)

  • 2 Low-Cost Drugs May Prevent Strokes

    2 Oct 2009 | 6:59 pm
    A three-year study of 170,024 patients has found that two low-cost medications – one for lowering cholesterol and one for lowering blood pressure – taken for two years reduced their risk of having a heart attack or stroke by more than 60% for the following year. The patients were divided into three groups at the start of the study. The high-exposure group was composed of 21,292 patients. They took both medications  (40 milligrams of lovastatin and 20 milligrams of lisinopril) more than half the time throughout the two years. The amount of time they took the medications was…

  • Peripheral Artery Disease Risk Quiz

    10 Sep 2009 | 6:51 am
    Peripheral artery disease (PAD) occurs when your blood circulation is compromised, because your arteries are narrowing, making it more difficult for the blood to flow through. Your arteries are the blood vessels that carry refreshed and oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. Having PAD raises your risk of having a heart attack or a stroke. People at highest risk of PAD are those who smoke or have diabetes, but also people who are African American and seniors have a higher risk than most others. PAD isn’t rare. It’s estimated that about 10 million American live with PAD. Since…
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    MedWorm: Stroke

  • Silent PAD predicts adverse outcome in stroke/TIA patients

    6 Nov 2009 | 7:15 am
    The presence of asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease in patients with stroke or transient ischemic attack is a major risk factor for recurrent vascular events, a study indicates. (Source: MedWire News - Lipidology)MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

  • Prehospital Triage "Immediately Successful" in Boosting Rates of Thrombolytic Therapy for Stroke

    6 Nov 2009 | 5:56 am
    Toronto researchers report that a citywide prehospital protocol raised their rates of thrombolytic treatment to among the highest in North America, underlining, they say, the critical importance of organized stroke care. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Pulmonary Medicine Headlines)

  • Silent PAD predicts adverse outcome in stroke/TIA patients

    6 Nov 2009 | 5:37 am
    The presence of asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease in patients with stroke or transient ischemic attack is a major risk factor for recurrent vascular events, a study indicates. (Source: MedWire News - Stroke)

  • Macrovascular diabetic complications: clinical characteristics, diagnosis and management

    6 Nov 2009 | 5:11 am
    O diabetes melito (DM) é um fator de risco independente para doença arterial coronariana, acidente vascular cerebral, doença vascular periférica e insuficiência cardíaca, que são as principais causas de morte nesses pacientes. Além disso, pacientes com DM e doença cardiovascular têm pior prognóstico, por apresentarem menor sobrevida, maior risco de recorrência da doença e pior resposta aos tratamentos propostos. Os avanços diagnósticos e terapêuticos das últimas décadas já mostram uma redução do risco de eventos cardiovasculares nesses pacientes, mas o risco absoluto…

  • Silent PAD predicts adverse outcome in stroke/TIA patients

    6 Nov 2009 | 4:52 am
    The presence of asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease in patients with stroke or transient ischemic attack is a major risk factor for recurrent vascular events, a study indicates. (Source: MedWire News - Cardiology)
 
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    The Heart Scan Blog

  • Grazing is for cattle

    5 Nov 2009 | 7:58 am
    Many dietitians and nutritionists advise many people today to "graze," i.e., to eat small snacks every couple of hours. They argue that it blocks the drop in insulin and blood sugar that can trigger greater appetite and claim it can facilitate weight loss. This is an absurd notion. Humans are not meant to graze. Humans are meant to find a wild boar or other animal, kill it, gorge on the meat, organs, and fat, then revert to berries, roots, leaves, and other foraged foods until the next kill. A human living in the wild does not have a cupboard or refrigerator full of ready-to-eat snacks to…

  • The disastrous results of a low-fat diet

    4 Nov 2009 | 6:24 am
    Rob was never that committed to following the program in the first place. I met Rob because of a modest heart scan score and consultation for a cholesterol abnormality. Rob had been cycled through all the statin agents by his primary care physician, all of which resulted in terrible muscle aches that he found intolerable. I started out, as usual, characterizing his cholesterol abnormality with lipoprotein testing (NMR):LDL particle number 1489 nmol/L LDL cholesterol (Friedewald calculation) 143 mg/dlSmall LDL 52% of total LDLHDL 50 mg/dlTriglycerides 82 mg/dl(LDL particle number is the…

  • Dr. David Grimes reminds us of vitamin D

    2 Nov 2009 | 1:35 pm
    In response to the Heart Scan Blog post, Fish oil makes you happy: Psychological distress and omega-3 index, Dr. David Grimes offered the following argument. Dr. Grimes is a physician in northwest England at the Blackburn Royal Infirmary, Lancashire. He is author of the wonderfully cheeky 2006 Lancet editorial, Are statins analogues of vitamin D?, questioning whether the benefits of statin drugs simply work by way of increased vitamin D blood levels. There is a fashionable interest in Omega-3 fatty acids, and these become equated with fish oil.But fish oil is much more. Plankton synthesise…

  • Why does fish oil reduce triglycerides?

    1 Nov 2009 | 2:50 pm
    Beyond its ability to slash risk for cardiovascular events, omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil also reduce triglycerides. There's no remaining question that omega-3s do this quite effectively. After all, the FDA approved prescription fish oil, Lovaza, to treat a condition called familial hypertriglyceridemia, an inherited condition in which very high triglycerides in the 100s or 1000s of milligrams typically develop. The omega-3 fraction of fatty acids are unique for their triglyceride-reducing property. No other fraction of fatty acids, such as omega-6 or saturated, can match the…

  • Fish oil makes you happy: Psychological distress and omega-3 index

    30 Oct 2009 | 4:33 am
    For another perspective on omega-3 blood levels, here's an interesting study in northern Quebec Inuits. Traditionally, Inuits consumed large quantities of omega-3-rich seal, fish, caribou, and whale, even eating the fat. However, like the rest of the world, modern Inuits have increased consumption of store-bought foods, largely processed carbohydrates. Along with this trend has emerged more heart disease, diabetes, and depression. A group from Laval University and University of Guelph, both in Canada, examined the relationship of plasma EPA + DHA levels and measures of psychological distress.
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