Feature Channels: Cardiovascular Health

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Experts provide on-site complimentary skin cancer and healthy heart screenings

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Using data from large clinical trials, UT Southwestern researchers developed a way to predict which patients will benefit most from aggressive high blood pressure treatment.

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A new study finds a newer blood thinner may be a safer choice for reducing stroke risk in those who have both end-stage kidney disease and atrial fibrillation.

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A monthly roundup of research briefs showcasing recent scientific advances led by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center faculty.

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Researchers find gene in artery wall activated by lipids associated with coronary artery disease

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Mesenchymal stem cells exist in the outer layer of arteries in adult humans, and appear to play a key role in mediating vascular diseases, including coronary artery disease.

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A recent study by University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS) researchers shows that a type of blood protein we are all born with protects against osteoporosis, illuminating the potential for a novel approach to treatment.

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Loyola Medicine neurologist José Biller, MD, is co-editor of an authoritative new textbook on uncommon causes of stroke. "Uncommon Causes of Stroke" is a comprehensive guide for healthcare professionals diagnosing, treating and assessing complex causes of strokes and other cerebrovascular disorders.

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For women, even mild sleep problems can raise blood pressure, finds study.

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New research from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine shows that white bloods cells, which typically heal infections and injuries, can become overactive and cause inflammation in plaques in blood vessels, making them vulnerable to rupture and hemorrhage in people with diabetes.

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Patients receiving leadless pacemakers experience overall fewer short-term and mid-term complications than those receiving traditional transvenous pacemakers, a Cleveland Clinic-led research study found. The study was published today in the journal Heart Rhythm.

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For the 12th year in a row, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital ranks in more pediatric specialties than any other New York metro area hospital in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Children’s Hospitals.” The 2018-19 rankings are published online today.

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Mrs. Goins is seeing a cardiologist as part of her cancer treatment because anthracyclines, a class of chemotherapy drugs used to treat breast cancer patients, can weaken the heart and lead to congestive heart failure years down the road in some patients. Pre-emptive treatment, including exercise, can help keep the heart strong.

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Cardiologist Dr. James de Lemos, Professor of Internal Medicine, and pediatrician Dr. Dorothy Sendelbach, Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Medical Education at UT Southwestern, have been recognized with the UT System’s highest educational honor, the Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Awards, for their academic prowess and mentoring talent.

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Sharing a passion for healthy hearts and caring for cardiovascular patients

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Investigators have identified a new cellular pathway that may help explain how arterial inflammation develops into atherosclerosis—deposits of cholesterol, fats and other substances that create plaque, clog arteries and promote heart attacks and stroke. The findings could lead to improved therapies for atherosclerosis, a leading cause of death worldwide.

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Bisexual men have a higher risk for heart disease compared with heterosexual men across several modifiable risk factors, finds a new study published online in the journal LGBT Health.

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In an effort to improve stroke recognition and reduce life-threatening pre-hospital delays worldwide, researchers at Penn Medicine created a universal stroke awareness program, Stroke 112.

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Australian research shows for the first time that obese people who are suffering from atrial fibrillation can reduce or reverse the effects of the condition by losing weight.

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A Loyola Medicine study is providing further evidence that floppy eyelids may be a sign of sleep apnea. The study found that 53 percent of sleep apnea patients had upper eyelids that were lax and rubbery.

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Diagnosing type 2 diabetes in clinical practice may require only a single blood sample, according to a study led by researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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Evidence shows that people with existing heart problems or who are at risk of developing them, are ignoring medical advice and not taking enough exercise. New medical treatments have helped people to live longer despite these health problems, but this is causing an escalating burden on public health systems worldwide.

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SLUCare Center for Comprehensive Cardiovascular Care recently received National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) recognition as a patient-centered specialty practice.

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June 13, 2018, Cleveland: The American Heart Association (AHA) has awarded Cleveland Clinic a $3.7 million grant for atrial fibrillation research. The four-year, competitive award will support three synergistic projects aimed at improving outcomes for patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib), a common heart rhythm abnormality. Cleveland Clinic was selected as one of six research institutions across the country to receive funding from AHA’s new AFib Strategically Focused Research Network (SFRN). Led by Mina Chung, M.D., a multidisciplinary team will focus on questions in AFib care, seek new therapies, and test lifestyle change programs that show promise in preventing worsening AFib.

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(DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) funded the development of the Watchtower mobile application, which – as of February 27, 2018 – is available, free of charge for all public safety users. The app allows users to track and report their location using the GPS already built into a smartphone.

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Physicians at MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute participating in a clinical trial have become the first in the Mid-Atlantic region to implant the WATCHMAN FLX™, the next generation of a potentially life-changing device proven to reduce the risk of stroke in certain patients with atrial fibrillation.

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Heart defects are the most common type of birth defect, and can be caused by mutations in the gene CHD4. Researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine have now revealed key molecular details of how CHD4 mutations lead to heart defects.

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Changes in cellular struts called microtubules can affect the stiffness of diseased human heart muscle cells, and reversing these modifications can lessen the stiffness and improve the beating strength of these cells isolated from transplant patients with heart failure.

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Scientists have developed an algorithm that predicts potentially dangerous low blood pressure, or hypotension, that can occur during surgery. The algorithm identifies hypotension 15 minutes before it occurs in 84 percent of cases, the researchers report in a new study published in the Online First edition of Anesthesiology.

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Researchers have demonstrated that a program aimed at helping people modify lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise is as effective as medication at reducing blood pressure.

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Eating a vegetarian or primarily plant-based diet is associated with a variety of health benefits. But simply being vegetarian is not enough to reap those benefits—the quality of the food matters, too. The Nutrition 2018 meeting will feature new research into the health impacts of eating a plant-based diet and how dietary quality influences those impacts.

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Nutrition 2018 will feature the latest research into how adding certain foods to our diet might help lower risk for diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and other health issues.

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• Among individuals with chronic kidney disease, hard illicit drug use was associated with higher risks of kidney disease progression and early death. • Tobacco smoking was associated with a higher risk of early death. • Alcohol drinking was associated with a lower risk of early death.

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Scientists have zeroed in on a culprit that spurs damaging inflammation in the heart following a heart attack. The guilty party is a type of immune cell that tries to heal the injured heart but instead triggers inflammation that leads to even more damage. The researchers, from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that an already approved drug effectively tamps down such inflammation in mice, protecting the heart from the progressive damage that often occurs after a heart attack.

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By screening 250 user reviews and comments for a once popular -- but proven inaccurate -- mobile app claiming to change your iPhone into a blood pressure monitor, Johns Hopkins researchers have added to evidence that a high “star rating” doesn’t necessarily reflect medical accuracy or value.

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Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine discovered that they can block inflammation in mice with a naturally occurring antibody that binds oxidized phospholipids (OxPL), molecules on cell surfaces that get modified by inflammation. Even while on a high-fat diet, the antibody protected the mice from arterial plaque formation, hardening of the arteries and liver disease, and prolonged their lives.

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For decades, oxidative stress was linked to heart failure. Now in a clinical study, researchers find that a subgroup of heart failure patients have a hyper-reductive state, called reductive stress. Thus, the subgroup may benefit from personalized antioxidant therapies.

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The Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) will hold a free seminar, “Healthy Aging: What Women Need to Know About Heart Health at Every Age,” on Thursday, June 14, 2018 in New York City. The seminar, part of a series of Mini-Med School seminars conducted by the CRF Women’s Heart Health Initiative, will focus on providing women with practical ways to keep their heart healthy at all stages of life. Attendees will learn about lifestyle changes, risk factors, and treatment options for coronary artery disease and aortic stenosis, two conditions that develop as you age.

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Travis Knuckles, assistant professor in the West Virginia University School of Public Health, has received $450,000 from the National Institutes of Health to investigate how airborne particles can affect human health.

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Researchers share perspective about Clinical Trials in a Dish (CTiD), a novel strategy that bridges preclinical testing and clinical trials.

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A new study finds stable patients on blood thinners may not need to get their blood drawn as often as they currently do. Researchers were able to increase the number of people waiting longer than five weeks in between their INR blood draws from less than half (41.8%) to more than two-thirds (69.3%).

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More than one million Americans are living with an undiagnosed silent killer called an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). On Saturday, June 9, Loyola Medicine will hold a free ultrasound screening for people at risk for AAAs.

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MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute is pleased to announce that William O. Suddath, MD, is the new chairman of Cardiology and medical director of the cardiac catheterization laboratory at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center.

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New research has for the first time set a recommended upper limit of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) at 30-40 minutes working out at above 90 percent of the maximum heart rate per week. The study findings – presented by Associate Professor Jinger Gottschall at the 2018 American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Annual Meeting this month – provide evidence that any more than 30-40 minutes of HIIT in a maximum training zone per week can reduce performance and potentially result in a greater risk of injury.

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Scientists from the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center (SKCC) at Jefferson Health will be presenting research and leading discussions on various topics, including metastatic uveal melanoma, genetic counseling in men, immunotherapy in early stage lung cancer and solid tumors, quality of life among patients receiving treatment for T cell lymphoma and updates on the Cancer Moonshot during the Biden Cancer Initiative Colloquium at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, being held June 1-5 in Chicago.

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The UNC AFib Care Network has launched a new clinic that coordinates all of the services needed by patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) in one convenient location.

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Children who undergo surgery for congenital heart disease have lower survival rates by three years of age if there are specific problems during fetal development, such as hypertension in the mother or the newborn being born preterm or small for gestational age. These problems are considered markers of an impaired maternal-fetal environment.

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Twelve Loyola Medicine physicians have been named to Chicago magazine's "Top Cardiologists 2018." The list, which includes eight Loyola cardiologists and four Loyola heart surgeons, was compiled by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., a healthcare research and information company.

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New this year, Transcatheter Valve Therapies (TVT) 2018, featuring practical clinical workshops, innovation sessions, and live case demonstrations, is the first part of a comprehensive congress called The Structural Heart Disease Summit. It will be followed by a live case demonstration course on LAA and PFO Closure.