Alltop RSS

3-drug regimen for HDL

A regimen of 3 drugs significantly raised HDL levels

pump head

Bypass surgery leaves some patients with permanent mental deficits

Heart Attack Signs

The most important step in surviving a heart attack is to recognize when you might be having one. Here is what to look for, and what to do about it.

Coronary artery disease

An overview of coronary artery disease, its diagnosis and treatment

H1N1 vaccines slowly arriving at pediatrician offices - The Photo News

The Photo News

H1N1 vaccines slowly arriving at pediatrician offices
The Photo News
... or are under 65 and have an underlying medical condition such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease, the department encourages you to stay in touch with ...
H1N1: Millions Infected Yet Many Say No to VaccineNewsBlaze
Swine flu vaccine can be hard to getSt. Louis Post-Dispatch
H1N1 vaccine supply limitedForsyth County News Online
MarketWatch -So Md News -Yuma Sun
all 5,529 news articles »

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

Spicezee

Drinking eight cups of tea a day 'reduces heart attack and stroke risk'
Telegraph.co.uk
Drinking up to eight cups of tea a day offers "significant health benefits", including a lower risk of heart attack and stroke, according to research. ...
Eight cups of tea a day good for heart, brainTimes of India

all 14 news articles »

Heart attack ruled homicide in bar fight - Chronicle-Telegram

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

Selectman 'fair' after heart attack
Cape Cod Times
Myers, 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 »

Vegetarian kids - Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times

Vegetarian kids
Los Angeles Times
A 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 »

Oral Contraceptives May Help Treat Asthma

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

A new study shows that we can accurately evaluate strangers' personalities based just on appearance.

Expert Panel Rejects Abstinence-Only Sex Ed

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.

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

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

Information about diabetes
ABC7Chicago.com
The 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 InFocus
Officials fighting diabetesMonmouth Daily Review Atlas
Diabetes forum focuses on age, geneticsYuma Sun

all 7 news articles »

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

ModernMedicine

Kidney Function Decline Increases Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Premature ...
Insciences Organisation
Declining 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 Today
Poor kidney function may increase heart attack riskLittle About (blog)

all 22 news articles »

Early Morning Colon Cancer Tests Work Best

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

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.

AtriCure bows out of whistleblower suit with nearly $4M payment

AtriCure, a developer of cardiac surgical ablation systems, has reached a tentative settlement agreement with the Department of Justice (DoJ) in a qui tam case filed in 2007 for $3.8 million plus interest over a five-year period.

Mayo teams with STMicroelectronics for CV patient monitoring system

STMicroelectronics, a semiconductor company, and the Mayo Clinic are collaborating on a new platform for remotely monitoring patients with chronic cardiovascular disease. The platform will seek to monitor person-specific data, physiological parameters, lifestyle influences and treatment choices.

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

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

all 5 news articles »

Silent PAD predicts adverse outcome in stroke/TIA patients

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.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura associated with pregnancy: case report

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 para pacientes obstétricas, em vista da semelhança com outras patologias comuns ao ciclo gravídico-puerperal e o fato do diagnóstico e tratamento precoce serem determinantes para o desfecho.Case r...

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

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

Macrovascular diabetic complications: clinical characteristics, diagnosis and management

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 desses é ainda duas vezes maior em relação ao dos pacientes não diabéticos. Portanto, é prioritária a adoção de um manejo intensivo, com controle rígido dos fatores de risco cardiovasculares. Est...

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.

Key Player Identified In Cascade That Leads To Hypertension-Related Kidney Damage

A key player in a cascade that likely begins with stress and leads to high blood pressure and kidney damage has been identified by researchers who say the finding may lead to better ways to control both. Medical College of Georgia researchers have found endothelin, a powerful blood vessel constrictor and inflammatory peptide, increases the number of T cells in the kidneys, which helps recruit other immune cells, causing inflammation and destruction.

Silent PAD predicts adverse outcome in stroke/TIA patients

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.

Silent PAD predicts adverse outcome in stroke/TIA patients

Report: Higher healthcare costs force docs to discuss economics with patients

As healthcare costs soar and insurance plans require patients to pay more out-of-pocket expenses, physicians are put in the tricky situation of balancing healthcare at an economical price, according to research published in the November issue of the Journal of Family Practice.

Lack Of Evidence A Problem For Policymakers, Doctors And Patients

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.

Chest pain

Chest pain - its causes, and how it should be evaluated

low fats vs low carbs

Low fat diets vs low carbohydrate diets - is there common ground?

Palpitations

When you're heartbeat feels unusually strong, or odd, it's known as a palpitation. Is it serious?

Sudden Death in Young Athletes

Sudden death in young athletes, fortunately a rare event, can be due to a host of underlying cardiac conditions.

muscle cramps

Muscle cramps

No Advantage To Off-Pump CABG

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.

Small Increases In Phosphorus Mean Higher Risk Of Heart Disease

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.

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

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.

Small Increases In Phosphorus Mean Higher Risk Of Heart Disease

No Advantage To Off-Pump CABG

Small Increases In Phosphorus Mean Higher Risk Of Heart Disease

Health Minister Welcomes Torfaen's Hearty Lives Initiative, UK

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 Â£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.

Small Increases In Phosphorus Mean Higher Risk Of Heart Disease

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

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)

Health Minister Welcomes Torfaen's Hearty Lives Initiative, UK

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

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)

Health Minister Welcomes Torfaen's Hearty Lives Initiative, UK

Health Fears Are Nothing to Sneeze At

Title: Health Fears Are Nothing to Sneeze At
Category: Health News
Created: 11/6/2009 8:10:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 11/6/2009

Health Fears Are Nothing to Sneeze At

Title: Health Fears Are Nothing to Sneeze At
Category: Health News
Created: 11/6/2009 8:10:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 11/6/2009

Obesity Linked to Many Cancer Cases in U.S.

Title: Obesity Linked to Many Cancer Cases in U.S.
Category: Health News
Created: 11/6/2009 10:56:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 11/6/2009 10:56:43 AM

Swine Flu Virus Dominant Strain Worldwide: WHO

Title: Swine Flu Virus Dominant Strain Worldwide: WHO
Category: Health News
Created: 11/5/2009 12:10:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 11/6/2009

Genes Linked to 'Pot' Belly

Title: Genes Linked to 'Pot' Belly
Category: Health News
Created: 11/5/2009 4:10:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 11/6/2009

Genes Linked to 'Pot' Belly

Title: Genes Linked to 'Pot' Belly
Category: Health News
Created: 11/5/2009 4:10:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 11/6/2009

Phosphorus Levels May Predict Heart Disease

Title: Phosphorus Levels May Predict Heart Disease
Category: Health News
Created: 11/5/2009 4:10:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 11/6/2009

Genes Linked to 'Pot' Belly

Title: Genes Linked to 'Pot' Belly
Category: Health News
Created: 11/5/2009 4:10:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 11/6/2009

Genes Linked to 'Pot' Belly

Title: Genes Linked to 'Pot' Belly
Category: Health News
Created: 11/5/2009 4:10:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 11/6/2009

Raising 'Good' Cholesterol Levels May Benefit Clogged Arteries

A drug that raises levels of 'good' cholesterol, when taken in addition to standard statin therapy to lower 'bad' cholesterol, can reduce the furring up of arteries in patients with established heart disease, a new study has shown.

Hypertension Common in Children of Alzheimer's Patients

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)

New Class Of Molecules May Help Prevent Fatal Complication In Patients With Kidney Disease

Researchers have made an important discovery about why potassium builds up to dangerous levels in the bloodstream, a relatively common medical problem that affects about eight percent of hospitalized patients. They have identified a new molecular pathway and a new class of molecules responsible for preventing potassium from being excreted normally through the kidney.

Don't try this at home?

(Source: BMJ Online First)

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

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 (especially using echocardiography), restore cardiovascular reserve with inotropes and vasopressors, and induce anaesthesia with the smallest dose of the safest drug. In this issue of Critical Care, Zausig and...

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.

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

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 regarding the pathophysiology and management of IAP. (Source: Critical Care)

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

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]

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

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)

Stroke centers offer best shot at right treatment

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.

Trial sites to be issued fines if they don’t notify patients of data breaches

Clinical trial sites that do not adhere to the language written in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 requiring facilities to divulge privacy breaches to their patients, could pay up to a $50,000 penalty per violation.

Bodybuilding.com Alert

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 steroid-containing products. In addition, steroids may cause other serious long-term adverse health consequences in men, women, and children. These include shrinkage of the testes and male infertility, mas...

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.

Fructose boosts blood pressure risk: study

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

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.

Pancreatic iron loading predicts cardiac iron loading in thalassemia major

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 = 0.52), with significant pancreatic iron occurring nearly a decade earlier than cardiac iron. A pancreatic R2* less than 100 Hz was a powerful negative predictor of cardiac iron, and pancreatic R2* mor...

Statins May Worsen Symptoms In Some Cardiac Patients

A new study has found that statins have beneficial effects on patients with systolic heart failure, but those with diastolic heart failure experienced the opposite effect, including increased dyspnea, fatigue and decreased exercise tolerance.

Postmenopausal Women With Higher Testosterone May Have Greater Heart Disease Risk

Postmenopausal women who have higher testosterone levels may be at greater risk of heart disease, insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome compared to women with lower testosterone levels, according to a new study. This new information is an important step, say researchers, in understanding the role that hormones play in women's health.

Grazing is for cattle

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 graze on.

The several hours after a meal is the most dangerous for creating coronary atherosclerotic plaque, i.e., the post-prandial period. In other words, eat dinner and, for the next 6-12 hours, your intestinal tract degrades the food; food byproducts are absorbed into the blood or lymph system. The blood is literally flooded with the byproducts of your meal.

Postprandial abnormalities are emerging to be a potent, and much underappreciated, means of causing heart disease and atherosclerosis in other vascular territories (especially carotid arteries and thoracic aorta).

Not eating--i.e., the fasting state--for extended periods is good for you. Encouraging people to graze amplifies atherosclerotic risk, since it creates an abnormal prolonged postprandial state.

USADSF President Fleischer Passes Away

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

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)

Feature: CMS cuts could make hospitalists out of cardiologists

Since the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its 2010 physician fee final rule last week with cuts to cardiology practices averaging 27 percent, the American College of Cardiology has expressed adamant opposition, and its CEO, Jack Lewin, MD, said that this will cause the shuttering of practices. However, former CMS Administrator Thomas A. Scully explained how the agency is limited by finite funding and growing pressures to fund other areas of healthcare.

Illness, surgery not linked to seniors' mental decline

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

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.

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

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

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 a DES in STEMI patients still remains highly controversial. (Source: Journal of the American College of Cardiology)

UCLA Researchers Reconstitute Enzyme That Synthesizes Cholesterol Drug Lovastatin

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.

Will New Anemia Drug Top Current Treatments?

Title: Will New Anemia Drug Top Current Treatments?
Category: Health News
Created: 11/4/2009 4:10:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 11/5/2009

Will New Anemia Drug Top Current Treatments?

Title: Will New Anemia Drug Top Current Treatments?
Category: Health News
Created: 11/4/2009 4:10:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 11/5/2009

Does Daylight Savings Time Cause Heart Attacks?

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, November 5th, 2009 at 06:26:50.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Small Increases In Phosphorus Mean Higher Risk Of Heart Disease

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 new study.

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

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 separate occasions and quantified by Tissue Doppler Echocardiography. Prior to the exercise test, intravenous low-dose adenosine or placebo was infused over ten minutes according to a randomized, double blind, cross-over protocol. The LV walls were defined as ischemic if a reduction, no increment, or an increment of < 15% in peak systolic velocity (PSV) was observed during maximal exercise as compared to the baseline values observed prior to placebo-infusion. Otherwise, the LV walls were defined as non-ischemic. Results: PSV increased from baseline to maximal exercise in non-ischemic walls both during placebo (P = 0.0001) and low-dose adenosine infusion (P = 0.0009). However, in the ischemic walls, PSV increased only during low-dose adenosine infusion (P = 0.001), while no changes in PSV occurred during placebo infusion (P = NS). Conclusions: Low-dose adenosine infusion reduced the ischemic burden and improved LV regional systolic function in the ischemic walls of patients with exercise-induced myocardial ischemia, confirming that adenosine is a potential preconditioning agent in humans.

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

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)

Emergency Ultrasound Diagnosis of Cardiogenic Shock Due to Acute Mitral Regurgitation

(Source: Academic Emergency Medicine)

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.

American Heart Association launches quality improvement program for healthcare professional offices

American Heart Association quality news

The disastrous results of a low-fat diet

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/dl
Small LDL 52% of total LDL
HDL 50 mg/dl
Triglycerides 82 mg/dl

(LDL particle number is the emerging gold standard for LDL quantification, superior to calculated or Friedewald LDL cholesterol for prediction of cardiovascular events.)

Rob is a busy guy. After only a couple of brief visits, life and work got in the way and Rob let his attentions drift away from heart health. Since the information I provided made little impact on his thinking, he reverted to the low-fat diet his primary care doctor had originally prescribed and that he read about in magazines and food packages. He also ran out of the basic supplements I had advised, including fish oil and vitamin D, and just never restarted them.

A couple of years passed and Rob decided that just poking around on his own might not cut it. So he came back to the office. We repeated his NMR lipoprotein analysis:

LDL particle number 2699 nmol/L
LDL cholesterol (Friedewald calculation) 229 mg/dl
Small LDL 81% of total LDL
HDL 53 mg/dl
Triglycerides 78 mg/dl

Two years of a low-fat diet had caused Rob's LDL particle number to skyrocket by 81%, nearly all due to an explosion of small LDL. Recall that small LDL is more susceptible to oxidation, more inflammation-provoking, more adhesive--the form of LDL particles most likely to cause heart disease.

Also, note that, despite the enormous increase in small LDL, HDL and triglycerides remained favorable. This counters the popular rule-of-thumb offered by some that small LDL is not present when HDL is "normal."

Low-fat diets as commonly practiced are enormously destructive. In Rob's case, a low-fat diet caused both calculated Friedewald LDL as well as LDL particle number to increase dramatically. In many other people, low-fat diets increase calculated Friedewald LDL modestly or not at all, but cause the more accurate LDL particle number to increase significantly, all due to small LDL.

I'm happy to say that, once Rob witnessed how far wrong he could go on the wrong program, he's back on Track. (Sorry, pun intended.) He has resumed his supplements and eliminated the food triggers of small LDL--wheat, cornstarch, and sugars.

Restrictive cardiomyopathies

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 a result of radiation treatment. The much more rare diagnosis of idiopathic restrictive cardiomyopathy is supported only by the absence of specific pathology on either endomyocardial biopsies or at po...

The role of echocardiography in guiding management in dilated cardiomyopathy

This article therefore explores the pivotal role of echocardiography in the evaluation and management of patients with DCM. (Source: European Journal of Echocardiography)

Sneezes Provoke Fears Beyond Illness

[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]

Statins May Worsen Symptoms In Some Cardiac Patients

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.

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

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

Statins may provide potentially life-saving benefits for patients with cardiovascular disease by helping reduce the incidence of blood clots.

Answers And Some New Questions Concerning Cholesterol And Cancer

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

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.

High Blood Pressure And Markers Of Inflammation In Blood More Common In Offspring Of Parents With Alzheimer's Disease

High blood pressure, evidence of arterial disease and markers of inflammation in the blood in middle age appear more common in individuals whose parents have Alzheimer's disease than in individuals without a parental history of the condition, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Alltop RSS

Top 10 Heart Disease Articles (MVP)

3-drug regimen for HDL

pump head

Heart Attack Signs

Coronary artery disease

H1N1 vaccines slowly arriving at pediatrician offices - The Photo News

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

Heart attack ruled homicide in bar fight - Chronicle-Telegram

Selectman 'fair' after heart attack - Cape Cod Times

Vegetarian kids - Los Angeles Times

Oral Contraceptives May Help Treat Asthma

First Impressions Surprisingly Accurate

Expert Panel Rejects Abstinence-Only Sex Ed

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

Information about diabetes - ABC7Chicago.com

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

Early Morning Colon Cancer Tests Work Best

Aspirin May Prevent Prostate Cancer Recurrence

AtriCure bows out of whistleblower suit with nearly $4M payment

Mayo teams with STMicroelectronics for CV patient monitoring system

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

Silent PAD predicts adverse outcome in stroke/TIA patients

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura associated with pregnancy: case report

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

Silent PAD predicts adverse outcome in stroke/TIA patients

Macrovascular diabetic complications: clinical characteristics, diagnosis and management

Key Player Identified In Cascade That Leads To Hypertension-Related Kidney Damage

Silent PAD predicts adverse outcome in stroke/TIA patients

Silent PAD predicts adverse outcome in stroke/TIA patients

Report: Higher healthcare costs force docs to discuss economics with patients

Lack Of Evidence A Problem For Policymakers, Doctors And Patients

Chest pain

low fats vs low carbs

Palpitations

Sudden Death in Young Athletes

muscle cramps

No Advantage To Off-Pump CABG

Small Increases In Phosphorus Mean Higher Risk Of Heart Disease

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

Small Increases In Phosphorus Mean Higher Risk Of Heart Disease

No Advantage To Off-Pump CABG

Small Increases In Phosphorus Mean Higher Risk Of Heart Disease

Health Minister Welcomes Torfaen's Hearty Lives Initiative, UK

Small Increases In Phosphorus Mean Higher Risk Of Heart Disease

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

Health Minister Welcomes Torfaen's Hearty Lives Initiative, UK

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

Health Minister Welcomes Torfaen's Hearty Lives Initiative, UK

Health Fears Are Nothing to Sneeze At

Health Fears Are Nothing to Sneeze At

Obesity Linked to Many Cancer Cases in U.S.

Swine Flu Virus Dominant Strain Worldwide: WHO

Genes Linked to 'Pot' Belly

Genes Linked to 'Pot' Belly

Phosphorus Levels May Predict Heart Disease

Genes Linked to 'Pot' Belly

Genes Linked to 'Pot' Belly

Raising 'Good' Cholesterol Levels May Benefit Clogged Arteries

Hypertension Common in Children of Alzheimer's Patients

New Class Of Molecules May Help Prevent Fatal Complication In Patients With Kidney Disease

Don't try this at home?

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

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

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

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

Stroke centers offer best shot at right treatment

Trial sites to be issued fines if they don’t notify patients of data breaches

Bodybuilding.com Alert

Fructose boosts blood pressure risk: study

Hypertension likely in children of Alzheimer's patients

Pancreatic iron loading predicts cardiac iron loading in thalassemia major

Statins May Worsen Symptoms In Some Cardiac Patients

Postmenopausal Women With Higher Testosterone May Have Greater Heart Disease Risk

Grazing is for cattle

USADSF President Fleischer Passes Away

Statins may protect against venous thromboembolism

Feature: CMS cuts could make hospitalists out of cardiologists

Illness, surgery not linked to seniors' mental decline

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