Feature Channels: Heart Disease

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26-Oct-2012 3:00 PM EDT
Chronic Conditions Offer First Clues About Risk for Fatal Sepsis
University of Alabama at Birmingham

A study published in the journal PLOS ONE found that having chronic lung, kidney or heart disease more than doubles a patient's risk of future sepsis. Worse yet, the risks are additive.

29-Oct-2012 11:00 AM EDT
New Study Reveals That Every Single Junk Food Meal Damages Your Arteries
Universite de Montreal

A single junk food meal – composed mainly of saturated fat – is detrimental to the health of the arteries, while no damage occurs after consuming a Mediterranean meal rich in good fats such as mono-and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Released: 15-Oct-2012 2:20 PM EDT
Chicago Area Hospitals Collaborate to Form First Inter-institutional Network for Adults with Congenital Heart Disease
RUSH

New Chicago adult congenital heart network holds first conference to address lack of adequate adult care for congenital heart defect patients.

Released: 15-Oct-2012 12:15 PM EDT
Higher-Dose Use of Certain Statins Often Best for Cholesterol Issues
Oregon State University

A comprehensive new review on how to treat high cholesterol and other blood lipid problems suggests that intensive treatment with high doses of statin drugs is usually the best approach. But some statins work much better for this than others, the review concluded, and additional lipid-lowering medications added to a statin have far less value.

Released: 11-Oct-2012 6:00 AM EDT
University of Michigan Strengthens the Pulse of Heart Research
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

U-M Cardiovascular Research Center harnesses expertise in basic research to find new treatment options for heart and vascular conditions.

Released: 9-Oct-2012 1:25 PM EDT
New Link Between High-Fat “Western” Diet and Atherosclerosis Identified
Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Researchers have found that a diet high in saturated fat raises levels of endothelial lipase (EL), an enzyme associated with the development of atherosclerosis, and, conversely, that a diet high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fat lowers levels of this enzyme. The findings establish a “new” link between diet and atherosclerosis and suggest a novel way to prevent cardiovascular heart disease. In addition, the research may help to explain why the type 2 diabetes drug rosiglitazone (Avandia) has been linked to heart problems.

Released: 1-Oct-2012 1:30 PM EDT
Zinc Deficiency Mechanism Linked to Aging, Multiple Diseases
Oregon State University

A new study has outlined for the first time a biological mechanism by which zinc deficiency can develop with age, leading to a decline of the immune system and increased inflammation associated with many health problems, including cancer, heart disease, autoimmune disease and diabetes.

27-Sep-2012 10:00 AM EDT
Moderate Alcohol Consumption May Increase Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in People with Heart Disease
McMaster University

Since moderate drinking is common for more than a third of the population, the findings suggest the effect of increased alcohol consumption, even in moderate amounts, on atrial fibrillation risk in patients with pre-existing cardiovascular disease may be considerable.

Released: 28-Sep-2012 9:40 AM EDT
Study Ties Early Menopause to Heart Attack, Stroke
Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Women who experience early menopause are more likely to have a heart attack or stroke than women whose menopause occurs at a later age, according to a new study by Melissa Wellons, M.D., assistant professor of Medicine in the Vanderbilt Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Released: 18-Sep-2012 9:15 AM EDT
Early Menopause Associated with Increased Risk of Heart Disease, Stroke
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Women who go into early menopause are twice as likely to suffer from coronary heart disease and stroke, new Johns Hopkins-led research suggests. The association holds true in patients from a variety of different ethnic backgrounds, the study found, and is independent of traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors, the scientists say.

Released: 12-Sep-2012 4:25 PM EDT
Diagnostic Confidence Key for Prompt Treatment for Women with Heart Symptoms
Health Behavior News Service

Doctors who believe that women have “atypical” coronary heart disease symptoms are less certain when diagnosing heart disease in women. As a result, women are less likely than men to receive treatments for an urgent cardiac event, finds a new study in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.

10-Sep-2012 12:40 PM EDT
Neonatal Heart Stem Cells May Help Mend Kids’ Broken Hearts
University of Maryland Medical Center

University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers have found that cardiac stem cells (CSCs) from newborns have a three-fold ability to restore heart function to nearly normal levels compared with adult CSCs. Further, in animal models of heart attack, hearts treated with neonatal stem cells pumped stronger than those given adult cells.

31-Aug-2012 1:05 PM EDT
New Blood Test Detects Potentially Deadly Calcium Deposits
American Society of Nephrology (ASN)

• For the first time, a new test can measure the propensity for calcification to occur in an individual’s blood. • The test could identify people at risk for vascular calcification, a major cause of heart disease.

21-Aug-2012 8:00 AM EDT
Potency Of Statins Linked To Muscle Side Effects
UC San Diego Health

A study from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, published August 22 online by PLoS ONE, reports that muscle problems reported by patients taking statins were related to the strength or potency of the given cholesterol-lowering drugs.

Released: 21-Aug-2012 5:15 PM EDT
Running Marathons Safe for Older Adults
University of Manitoba

A study of adults >50 years old has found no lasting adverse effects from running marathons, similar to findings of adults aged 18-40.

20-Aug-2012 10:45 AM EDT
Heart Calcium Scan Most Effective in Predicting Risk of Heart Disease
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

Heart calcium scans are far superior to other assessment tools in predicting the development of cardiovascular disease in individuals currently classified at intermediate risk by their doctors, according to researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

Released: 14-Aug-2012 8:05 AM EDT
A Vaccine for Heart Disease? La Jolla Institute Discovery Points Up This Possibility
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Researchers at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology have identified the specific type of immune cells (CD4 T cells) that orchestrate the inflammatory attack on the artery wall, which is a major contributor to plaque buildup in heart disease. Further, the researchers discovered that these immune cells are launching their attack in response to normal proteins that the body mistakes as being foreign, an autoimmune type response, which points up the possibility of developing a tolerogenic vaccine for heart disease.

23-Jul-2012 8:00 AM EDT
Rapamycin Effective in Mouse Model of Inherited Heart Disease and Rare Muscular Dystrophies
Buck Institute for Research on Aging

Rapamycin, an FDA-approved immunosuppressant drug under study in aging research labs, improved function and extended survival in mice suffering from a genetic mutation which leads to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and rare muscular dystrophies in humans. There are currently no effective treatment for the diseases, which include Emery-Dreifuss Muscular Dystrophy and Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy.

Released: 17-Jul-2012 4:40 PM EDT
Researchers Link Kawasaki Disease in Childhood with Increased Risk of Adult Heart Disease
Cedars-Sinai

Cedars-Sinai researchers have linked Kawasaki Disease, a serious childhood illness that causes inflammation of blood vessels throughout the body, with early-onset and accelerated atherosclerosis, a leading cause of heart disease in adults.

Released: 11-Jul-2012 10:50 AM EDT
Middle-Aged Women Who Were Child Abuse Victims at Increased Risk for Heart Disease, Diabetes
American Psychological Association (APA)

Middle-aged women who report having been physically abused as children are about two times more likely than other women their age to have high blood pressure, high blood sugar, a larger waistline and poor cholesterol levels, according to a new study published by the American Psychological Association.

Released: 27-Jun-2012 12:00 PM EDT
Heart and Women Health Groups Hail Legislation to Help End Health Care Disparities Among Women and Minorites
Society for Women's Health Research (SWHR)

The American Heart Association, Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR), and WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, yesterday applauded passage of important legislation that would make crucial data available about how new drugs and medical devices affect women, minorities and ethnic groups.

24-Jun-2012 10:00 AM EDT
Two New Vitamin D Blood Tests are Often Highly Inaccurate, Researchers Say
Endocrine Society

Two new blood tests for vitamin D are inaccurate in at least 40 percent of laboratory specimens analyzed, a new study finds. The results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society’s 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

Released: 25-Jun-2012 10:55 AM EDT
Intensive Cholesterol Therapy with Multiple Drugs Effective Over Long Term
Loyola Medicine

For the first time, a study has found that intensive cholesterol therapy involving a combination of drugs for 20 years may be more effective over the long run than taking a single statin medication.

Released: 25-Jun-2012 9:00 AM EDT
Timing of Menopause Symptoms Relates to Risk Markers for Heart Disease, Stroke
Endocrine Society

The hot flashes and night sweats that most women experience early in menopause are not linked to increased levels of cardiovascular disease risk markers unless the symptoms persist or start many years after menopause begins. These new study results will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society’s 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

22-Jun-2012 4:30 PM EDT
Hyperthyroidism Linked to Increased Risk of Hospitalization for Heart and Blood-Vessel Disease
Endocrine Society

An overactive thyroid gland, or hyperthyroidism, may increase the risk of hospitalization for heart and blood-vessel disease even after surgery to remove the gland, according to a new study. The results will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society’s 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

13-Jun-2012 2:15 PM EDT
One in Eight Heart Patients Suffer Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Columbia University Irving Medical Center

One in eight people who suffer a heart attack or other acute coronary event experience clinically significant symptoms of PTSD, according to a meta-analysis of 24 studies. The study also shows that heart patients who suffer PTSD face twice the risk of having another cardiac event or of dying within one to three years, compared with those without PTSD.

7-Jun-2012 4:45 PM EDT
Statins Shown to Cause Fatigue
UC San Diego Health

In a study of more than 1,000 adults, researchers at the University of California, San Diego, found that individuals taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs are more likely than non-users to experience decreased energy, fatigue upon exertion, or both. The researchers suggest that these findings should be taken into account by doctors when weighing risk versus benefit in prescribing statins.

7-Jun-2012 1:40 PM EDT
Study Debunks Belief Insulin Puts People with Diabetes at Risk of Heart Disease
McMaster University

Researchers at McMaster University have discovered that long-term insulin use does not harm people with diabetes or pre-diabetes or put them at risk of heart attacks, strokes or cancer.

31-May-2012 4:15 PM EDT
Ultrasounds Spot Heart Disease Early in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
Mayo Clinic

Special echocardiograms show promise for early detection of a potentially deadly complication in rheumatoid arthritis: heart disease, Mayo Clinic research shows.

Released: 31-May-2012 10:40 AM EDT
Advanced Visualization Techniques Could Change the Paradigm for Diagnosis and Treatment of Heart Disease
Mount Sinai Health System

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine are pioneering new ultrasound techniques that provide the first characterization of multidirectional blood flow in the heart. By focusing on fluid dynamics – specifically, the efficiency with which blood enters and exits the heart’s left ventricle – the researchers believe they can detect heart disease even when traditional measures show no sign of trouble.

Released: 29-May-2012 4:00 PM EDT
Study Provides New Insights Into Structure of Heart Muscle Fibers
McGill University

A study led by researchers from McGill University provides new insights into the structure of muscle tissue in the heart – a finding that promises to contribute to the study of heart diseases and to the engineering of artificial heart tissue.

Released: 21-May-2012 3:30 PM EDT
Standard Heart Disease Risk Tools Underrate Danger in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Mayo Clinic

Heart disease risk assessment tools commonly used by physicians often underestimate the cardiovascular disease danger faced by rheumatoid arthritis patients, a Mayo Clinic study has found.

9-May-2012 9:00 AM EDT
Novel Imaging for Sudden Cardiac Arrest Could Better Identify Patients Who Would Benefit From ICDs
University at Buffalo

New research from the University at Buffalo suggests that cardiologists may have a new way to identify patients who are at the highest risk of sudden cardiac arrest, and the most likely to benefit from receiving an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD).

Released: 8-May-2012 12:00 PM EDT
Erectile Dysfunction Drug May Benefit Cardiac Function in Young Patients with Heart Defects
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Sildenafil, also known as the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra, may give a boost to underdeveloped hearts in children and young adults with congenital heart defects.

Released: 26-Apr-2012 2:25 PM EDT
Cells in Blood Vessel Found to Cling More Tightly in Regions of Rapid Flow
University of Washington

The cells that line the pipes leading to the heart pull more tightly together in areas of fast-flowing blood. The discovery could help to reduce vascular leakage and better treat heart disease.

Released: 11-Apr-2012 8:00 AM EDT
Stem Cells From Pelvic Bone May Preserve Heart Function
Orlando Health

Clinical trial at the Orlando Health Heart Institute evaluates the use of stem cells from the pelvic bone marrow to improve heart function. Patients’ own stem cells may preserve heart muscle function after a heart attack.

4-Apr-2012 10:00 PM EDT
Johns Hopkins Cardiologists Advocate Statin Use for Primary Prevention of Heart Disease in JAMA’s First Viewpoint Feature
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Writing the first commentary for a new feature in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), called Viewpoint, Johns Hopkins cardiologists make the case for why a 55-year-old man with a 10 percent estimated risk of heart attack over the next 10 years should be offered statin medication. They were invited to debate a professor who argues against prescribing statins for “primary” prevention—for those who have not had a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack—even though they may be considered at “intermediate” risk because of elevated cholesterol or other factors. Readers are then invited to vote on which viewpoint they endorse.

5-Apr-2012 4:40 PM EDT
Older Adults with ECG Abnormalities May Be at Increased Risk of Coronary Heart Disease Events
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

In a study that included elderly men and women without preexisting cardiovascular disease, major and minor electrocardiographic abnormalities were associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) events and improved the prediction of CHD events such as heart attack, beyond traditional cardiovascular risk factors, according to a study in the April 11 issue of JAMA.

5-Apr-2012 4:45 PM EDT
High Blood Pressure Medication Use by Heart Failure Patients Not Linked with Increased Risk of Death
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

Although observational studies have suggested that losartan, a drug used primarily for the treatment of hypertension, may be associated with an increased risk of death among patients with heart failure compared with other medications in the same class of drugs, an analysis that included nearly 6,500 patients found that overall, use of losartan was not associated with increased all-cause death or cardiovascular death compared with use of the ARB candesartan, according to a study in the April 11 issue of JAMA.

Released: 10-Apr-2012 2:40 PM EDT
Study Cautions Use of Drugs to Block “Niacin Flush” in Heart Patients
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

In work published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation researchers question the wisdom of blocking the DP1 receptor in patients prone to cardiovascular disease, especially those taking niacin.

Released: 9-Apr-2012 12:45 PM EDT
Heart Failure Patients with Diabetes May Benefit From Higher Glucose Levels
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

A new study found that for advanced heart failure patients with diabetes, having higher blood glucose levels may actually help improve survival rates.

Released: 9-Apr-2012 7:45 AM EDT
Could Starving the Heart Make It Resistant to Damage?
Houston Methodist

Heart cells starved of nutrients are less likely to be damaged during periods of decreased blood flow and sudden influxes of blood, known as ischemia and reperfusion, and are also less likely to get out of synch with their cellular neighbors, the damaging phenomenon called arrhythmia.

Released: 5-Apr-2012 12:00 PM EDT
In Children Born with Severe Heart Defect, Surgical Management Has Little Effect on Neuro Outcomes
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

In the largest multicenter clinical trial of children undergoing early-stage surgery for single-ventricle heart defects, differences in intraoperative management did not significantly affect neurodevelopmental outcomes at 14 months of age.

Released: 29-Mar-2012 3:35 PM EDT
Greater Traumatic Stress Linked with Elevated Inflammation in Heart Patients
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

Greater lifetime exposure to the stress of traumatic events was linked to higher levels of inflammation in a study of almost 1,000 patients with cardiovascular disease led by researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco.

27-Mar-2012 10:40 AM EDT
Vitamin D-Fortified Yogurt Drink May Lower Risk of Heart Disease in Type 2 Diabetics
Endocrine Society

Daily intake of vitamin D-fortified doogh (Persian yogurt drink) improved inflammatory markers in type 2 diabetics and extra calcium conferred additional anti-inflammatory benefits, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (JCEM).

19-Mar-2012 3:25 PM EDT
High-Fat, Low-Carb Diets Not for Obese People at Risk of Heart Attack
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Low-carb, high-fat diets led to more damaging, more deadly heart attacks and impaired recovery of heart function in study.

23-Mar-2012 10:00 AM EDT
ETC-1002, a Non-Statin, Lowers LDL Cholesterols and Appears to Guard Against Other Risks
Houston Methodist

Early data suggest ETC-1002, a drug that regulates lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, had a significant impact on cholesterol levels and improved factors believed to contribute to cardio-metabolic diseases, say researchers from the Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center, the Baylor College of Medicine, and Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.

Released: 24-Mar-2012 9:00 AM EDT
Bone Marrow Stem Cells Improve Heart Function, Study Finds
Mayo Clinic

A research network led by a Mayo Clinic physician found that stem cells derived from heart failure patients’ own bone marrow and injected into their hearts improved the function of the left ventricle, the heart’s pumping chamber. Researchers also found that certain types of the stem cells were associated with the largest improvement and warrant further study.

Released: 20-Mar-2012 2:00 AM EDT
Heart Valve Replacement Device Treats Failing Heart Valves without Open-Heart Surgery
Baylor Scott and White Health

With transcatheter aortic valve replacement, a patient undergoes a 60 to 90-minute procedure, compared with four to six hours for open-heart surgery.



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