• A common genetic variant that is present in approximately 40% of Caucasian individuals was linked with an increased risk of kidney damage after heart surgery. • The variant results in decreased expression of a gene involved in maintaining iron balance in the body.
Employees (or shift workers), who punch in for graveyard or rotating shifts, are more prone to numerous health hazards, from heart attacks to obesity, and now, new research, published in Endocrinology, shows shift work may also have serious implications for the brain.
Female atrial fibrillation patients are less likely than their male counterparts to receive blood thinning therapies to prevent stroke, say University of Cincinnati College of Medicine researchers.
Researchers at the Spanish National Center for Cardiovascular Research have discovered that the ends of heart muscle cell chromosomes rapidly erode after birth, limiting the cells’ ability to proliferate and replace damaged heart tissue. The study, “Postnatal telomere dysfunction induces cardiomyocyte cell-cycle arrest through p21 activation,” which will be published online May 30 in The Journal of Cell Biology, suggests potential new interventions to boost the heart’s capacity to repair itself after a heart attack.
Online educational tool targets the most rapidly rising cardiovascular disease in Canada
In experiments with isolated cystic fibrosis lung cells, University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers and colleagues from two other institutions have partially restored the lost function of those cells to therapeutic levels.
Those who rage with frustration during a marital spat have an increased risk of cardiovascular problems such as chest pain or high blood pressure later in life, according to new research from Northwestern University and the University of California, Berkeley.
Aiming to better understand gender differences in lung cancer, a Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey researcher is exploring whether radiation exposure from interventional cardiovascular procedures leads to increased risk of lung cancer in women as compared to men. The work is supported by an inaugural $400,000 LUNG FORCE Research Innovation Project award.
Exposure to air pollution can worsen blood sugar levels, cholesterol and other risk factors for heart disease, particularly in people with diabetes, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
The Women’s Heart Fund is hosting the 10th Annual Spring Luncheon on Thursday, June 2, 2016 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at the Shadowbrook in Shrewsbury, NJ. All members of the community are invited to attend the fundraising event and learn more about important women’s health topics through a newly introduced interactive panel discussion.
Aerobic exercise may reduce the long-term health risks of childhood obesity.
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New research by UT Southwestern heart specialists shows that sedentary behavior such as sitting for long periods of time at a desk or on the couch is associated with increased amounts of calcium in the arteries, which in turn can lead to higher risk of heart attack.
Physician thought leaders specializing in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a potentially deadly cardiac condition caused by an abnormal thickening of the heart muscle, will gather in Toronto on May 21 and 22nd, for the inaugural HCM Summit Toronto 2016.
Intensive therapies to reduce high blood pressure can cut the risk of heart disease in older adults without increasing the risk for falls, according to doctors at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.
An experimental model uses genetics-guided biomechanics and patient-derived stem cells to predict what type of inherited heart defect a child will develop, according to authors of a new study in the journal Cell. A multi-institutional team developing the technology – and led by the Cincinnati Children’s Heart Institute – reports May 19 it would let doctors intervene earlier to help patients manage their conditions and help inform future pharmacologic treatment options.
Doctors change practice trends as debate continues on optimal time to administer antiplatelet therapy.
Chronic heart failure (CHF) patients with predominant central sleep apnea (CSA) are at higher risk for death and unplanned hospitalization than those who have both CSA and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), whether or not they receive adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) therapy. These interim results from the ongoing FACE Multicentre National Cohort Study, a French prospective observational study, were presented at the ATS 2016 International Conference.
Medical professionals have long known that the buildup of plaque in arteries can cause them to narrow and harden, potentially leading to a whole host of health problems — including heart attack, heart disease and stroke. While high blood pressure and artery stiffness are often associated with plaque buildup, new research from engineers at Washington University in St.
Looking ahead to 2035, a growing disparity is projected between the number of cardiothoracic surgeons needed and the number available. In a presentation at the 96th AATS Annual Meeting, researchers cite such trends as fewer trainees in surgery residency programs, more exam failures, and fewer American Board of Thoracic Surgery certifications at a time when an aging population will require more cardiothoracic surgical services. They estimate that cardiothoracic surgeons would have to increase their caseload by 121% to meet demand, something that is not feasible.
Little is known about mitral valve (MV) surgical outcomes within the largest US federal health system – the Veterans Administration (VA) Health System. At the 96th AATS Annual Meeting, data presented from 40 VA cardiac surgery centers reveal that although MV repair rates increased from 48% in 2001 to 63% in 2013, a wide variability exists in repair rates among medical centers. This is especially important because MV repair mortality rates were significantly lower in patients with primary degenerative disease.
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A team of surgeons in Japan has developed a technique to relieve airway obstruction in children. The technique, known as external stenting (ES), expands and stabilizes the airway by suspending its wall to a rigid prosthesis placed around the bronchus or trachea. ES avoids the problem of granulation formation resulting from endolumenal corrective approaches, such as endoscopic stent placement. In a presentation at the 96th AATS Annual Meeting, the researchers describe the ES technique in detail as well as report on indications, complications, and long-term outcomes.
In an ongoing prospective study involving 1,311 patients from five nations, researchers found that untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was associated with increased risk of a Major Adverse Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Event (MACCE) -- cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (heart attack), non-fatal stroke, and unplanned revascularization such as heart bypass surgery and angioplasty. The new research, from the Sleep and Stent Study, was presented at the ATS 2016 International Conference.
For children with severe heart failure, the only available means of life support are ventricular assist devices (VADs) placed outside the body. These devices are associated with significant risks and the need for hospital management. In conjunction with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, investigators have now developed a miniaturized implantable VAD for small children (the Infant Jarvik 2015). The results of testing the device in live sheep are presented at the 96th AATS Annual Meeting.
Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) have identified an enzyme that is significantly elevated in mouse models of systemic lupus erythematosus and in blood samples of patients with lupus. Published online today in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, the new findings demonstrate that inhibition of the SHP-2 enzyme can significantly diminish lupus symptoms – including skin lesions, enlarged spleen and kidney failure – and suggest that development of a SHP-2 inhibitor drug could offer a new therapeutic approach for this often debilitating disease.
According to recent studies, the U.S. has a disadvantage in women’s life expectancy compared to peer countries despite high rates of health screenings such as mammography and popular national awareness campaigns. Recently, researchers at the University of Missouri examined the perceptions of risk among females and found that minority and less educated women believe that breast cancer, rather than heart disease, is the more common killer. Based on these findings, they recommend that health care providers should incorporate healthier lifestyle strategies for heart disease with messages for improved breast health to greater impact disease outcomes.
The TRANSFORM trial was designed to evaluate the safety and performance of an investigational rapid deployment aortic valve replacement (RDAVR) system for patients with severe aortic stenosis. Presented at the 96th AATS Annual Meeting, investigators showed that more than 96% of TRANSFORM patients had survived after one year and only 0.2% required reoperation. Cardiac function improved in 73%. Compared to conventional treatment, this procedure required significantly less cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times, even when smaller incisions were used.
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The statistics on regular physical activity in the U.S. are bleak; only about 20 percent of Americans engage in recommended levels of regular physical activity and about 64 percent never do any physical activity.
During heart surgery, it is sometimes necessary to temporarily stop cardiac activity, a process known as cardioplegia. Specific myocardial protection techniques are necessary for pediatric use. At the 96th AATS Annual Meeting, cardiac surgeons present the results of a prospective, randomized trial of pediatric heart surgery patients that shows that the del Nido cardioplegia solution, a new, long-acting agent, offers significant advantages over conventional cardioplegia, including reduced cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp times and faster onset of action.
Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) occurs when the heart’s tricuspid valve leaks, allowing blood to flow back from the right ventricle to the right atrium. TR can be secondary to disorders of left-sided heart valves (mitral or aortic). At the 96th AATS Annual Meeting, investigators present the results of a long-term study of patients who underwent mitral valve (MV) repair. They found that although newly developed TR after MV repair was rare, the risk could increase in older patients with atrial fibrillation and impaired heart function.
a new study suggests that widespread adoption of an expanded definition of SMM could identify more at-risk patients, leading to improved care and lives saved. The study is one of two on the topic of SMM being presented by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania. The second study examined the relationship between SMM and maternal level-of-care designations (MLOCD) at hospitals and uncovered a need for better data.
Lynda Welker has experienced many hardships, but the Kirklin family has helped her live a full life.
AATS Annual Meeting at a glance with important links and 11 associated news releases
UT Southwestern Medical Center geneticists Dr. Jonathan Cohen and Dr. Helen Hobbs have been awarded one of the nation’s highest honors in biomedical science – the 2016 Passano Award – for developing and applying transformative genetics techniques to the understanding of lipid metabolism related to heart disease.
A new $1.7 million National Institutes of Health grant will help University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers continue their investigation of the protein Human Antigen R (HuR) and its possible role in cardiovascular disease, with the ultimate goal of translating this research to improve human health.
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Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research blends clinical care, genetics and regenerative medicine in inaugural event dedicated to ending an epidemic
Collaboration between two NIBIB-funded labs has revealed a promising new method for identifying atherosclerotic plaques, the encased deposits in arteries that restrict blood flow and can lead to heart attack or stroke. The technique combines two different types of imaging, allowing for an unprecedented combination of depth and detail. The hybrid technology will provide doctors with a better diagnostic tool for identifying particularly problematic plaques.
Jose Pinto, a researcher in the Florida State University College of Medicine, has been awarded a $1.8 million National Institutes of Health grant to study how the heart’s calcium is regulated and how to correct a calcium imbalance using an inside approach in the cardiac cell.
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Diagnosing Mononucleosis, Need for Health Interventions for Single Parent Households in Urban Subsidized Housing Programs, Inadequate Financial Savings Tied to Increased Childhood Health Risks, and more in the Public Health News Source
A combination of two compounds found in red grapes and oranges could be used to improve the health of people with diabetes, and reduce cases of obesity and heart disease. The find has been made by University of Warwick researchers who now hope that their discovery will be developed to provide a treatment for patients.
Chronic use of some drugs for heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) speeds up the aging of blood vessels, according to a published paper in Circulation Research (early online), an American Heart Association journal. This accelerated aging in humans could lead to increased cardiovascular disease, vascular dementia and renal failure.
A new study shows for the first time that HDL’s heart disease protection depends on the levels of two other blood fats or lipids associated with heart disease. If these fats are not within normal ranges, even a high HDL may not be protective.
A research team has developed a non-invasive 3-D virtual heart to help doctors determine who faces the highest risk of a life-threatening arrhythmia and would benefit from a defibrillator implant.
The team studied a group of children and teens ages 10 to 17 who were in lifestyle management programs – either for weight management or lipid disorders. The study looked at whether the videogame habits of the group had an impact on sleep habits, obesity and cardio-metabolic health.
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