A new study finds that atherosclerosis, hardening of the arteries, was common in ancient Egyptians, challenging a belief that vascular disease is a modern affliction caused by current-day risk factors such as stress and sedentary lifestyles.
Inhibition of a protein known to contribute to heart failure also appears to be protective of the heart in more acute cardiac stress injury, namely ischemia reperfusion, according to two studies conducted at the Center for Translational Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University. The studies will be presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2009 in Orlando, Fla.
Healthy, older adults free of heart disease need not fear that bouts of rapid, irregular heartbeats brought on by vigorous exercise might increase short- or long-term risk of dying or having a heart attack, according to a report by heart experts at Johns Hopkins and the U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA).
VCU Medical Center and Richmond Ambulance Authority partner in unique effort with Comprehensive Treatment Protocol.
Earlier this year, former First Lady Barbara Bush and comedian Robin Williams underwent aortic valve replacement surgery, but many patients may be missing out on the life-saving surgery, according to a study by the University of Michigan.
Pooling results from 21 studies, involving 622,381 men and women, researchers at Johns Hopkins have affirmed that migraine headaches are associated with more than twofold higher chances of the most common kind of stroke: those occurring when blood supply to the brain is suddenly cut off by the buildup of plaque or a blood clot.
Dr. Charles H. Hennekens will present the first data in humans to show that all doses of aspirin used in clinical practice increase nitric oxide, and may decrease the development and progression of plaques leading to heart attacks and strokes.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins are reporting what is believed to be the first conclusive evidence in men that the long-term ill effects of vitamin D deficiency are amplified by lower levels of the key sex hormone estrogen, but not testosterone.
To best detect early signs of life-threatening heart defects in young athletes, screening programs should include both popular diagnostic tests, not just one of them, according to new research from heart experts at Johns Hopkins.
Fewer than one-third of patients with heart failure are taking the three types of medications that are most effective in prolonging life and improving quality of life. The Mayo Clinic Health Letter provides an overview of treatments.
Many children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who show normal blood pressure readings at the doctor’s office have high blood pressure when tested at home, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN). The findings indicate that many CKD children are not appropriately treated for hypertension, which puts them at serious risk of developing heart disease.
Physicians with California Pacific Medical Center are among the first in the nation to use a new advanced mapping technology to help treat patients suffering from debilitating and potentially dangerous heart rhythm disorders.
A diet high in fructose increases the risk of developing high blood pressure (hypertension), according to a paper being presented at the American Society of Nephrology’s 42nd Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in San Diego, California. The findings suggest that cutting back on processed foods and beverages that contain high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may help prevent hypertension.
Task Force Reviews and Updates the Official European Guidelines on Hypertension Management
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has received a $14.7 million, nine-year contract from the National Institutes of Health to be one of five institutions to lead a trial to determine if lowering systolic blood pressure in hypertensive patients, without diabetes, to below the currently recommended level can reduce the incidence of cardiovascular and kidney disease and slow cognitive decline.
Each year, 200,000 Americans experience mini strokes called transient ischemic attacks, or TIAs. More than one-third will later have full strokes. But TIAs, like strokes, are treatable and preventable.
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, have identified a key protein that promotes the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension in humans and mice. This groundbreaking discovery has implications for future drug therapies that may extend the life of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension and prevent the need for lung transplantation, currently the only cure for this debilitating disease.
A study that includes twins finds that the risk of hip fracture was significantly increased following a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease (CVD), with analysis also suggesting a genetic predisposition to the development of CVD and fractures, according to a study in the October 21 issue of JAMA.
Treating hypertension in adults 60 years old and older can help them live longer, healthier lives, according to an updated review.
A new study recently published online by the American Heart Journal shows that more than half of all randomized clinical trials, or RCTs, for cardiovascular disease are not reporting vital information about the study populations race or ethnicity. NYU School of Medicine researchers found that out of the 156 cardiovascular disease RCTs analyzed, only 35% of trials reported any information on race or ethnicity between 1970 and 2006. From 2000 to 2006, 46% of trials included that information.
An updated Cochrane review finds that stroke patients who participate in a post-stroke walking program walk faster, longer and more independently than non-exercisers.
A new review shows that diuretics — inexpensive drugs often recommended as a first-line treatment for high blood pressure — are also effective when added as a second agent to other blood-pressure lowering drugs.
How far you can reach beyond your toes from a sitting position may be an indicator of how stiff your arteries are. Because arterial stiffness often precedes cardiovascular disease, the results suggest that this could be a quick measure of a person’s risk for heart attack or stroke.
The Vascular Disease Foundation (VDF) received a $1 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to promote the health of women who suffer from, or are in danger of suffering from, venous thromboembolism (VTE).
Maximizing the proportion of time spent performing chest compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) substantially improves survival in patients who suffer cardiac arrest outside a hospital setting, according to a multicenter clinical study that included UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Even though the incidence of atrial fibrillation is higher in men than women, a review of past studies and medical literature completed by cardiac experts at Rush University Medical Center shows that women are more likely than men to experience symptomatic attacks, a higher frequency of recurrences, and significantly higher heart rates during atrial fibrillation, which increases the risk of stroke.
In a small “proof of principle” study, stroke researchers at Johns Hopkins and the University of Illinois have found that a simple, one-minute eye movement exam performed at the bedside worked better than an MRI to distinguish new strokes from other less serious disorders in patients complaining of dizziness, nausea and spinning sensations.
African Americans have a significantly higher risk of developing potentially deadly DVT and PE compared with other ethnic populations in the U.S. The Office of Minority Health urges “Know Your Risk and Help Prevent Blood Clots.”
AHRQ has released "Staying Active and Healthy with Blood Thinners," a new 10-minute video to help educate patients about how to use anticoagulant drugs, commonly called blood thinners, safely. The video is available in both English and Spanish.
The world’s largest quality of life study of chronic angina patients has revealed that almost one in three experience frequent chest pain, which affects their daily life.
In 1958, a team comprised of a groundbreaking engineer -- Dean Franklin -- in concert with two exceptional physicians -- Drs. Robert Rushmer and Robert Van Citters – was laying the foundation for what would eventually become a radical new approach to health care: the noninvasive imaging and treatment of the heart.
Many people think twice before adding a dash of salt to their food, but don’t realize that the majority of dietary sodium comes from packaged foods and eating out, according to a new study.
Cardiac resynchronization can delay the progression of heart failure, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The treatment reduced the risk of serious heart failure events by 41 percent.
Black patients with high blood pressure experience poorer communication with their doctors than white patients do, a study led by a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researcher has found.
QRS duration (QRSd) is one of several measures of heart function recorded during a routine electrocardiogram (ECG). It is a composite of waves showing the length of time it takes for an electrical signal to get all the way through the pumping chambers of the heart. Prolonged QRSd is a sign of an abnormal electrical system of the heart and is often found when the heart isn't pumping efficiently.
A new study from NYU School of Medicine found that women may have a slightly higher risk of death than men in the thirty days following an acute coronary syndrome (ACS), but that these differences appear to be attributable to factors such as severity and type of ACS. The study, published in the August 26, 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), found however that overall there was no significant difference in mortality observed between the sexes after a heart attack. The large observational study pooled 136,247 ACS patients from 11 independent, international randomized clinical trials between 1993 and 2006.
Minorities have poorer results and higher rates of unnecessary surgery from a common procedure used to remove plaque from inside the carotid artery, according to a UT Southwestern Medical Center doctor who is lead author of the study in the journal Stroke.
Even as low-carbohydrate/high-protein diets have proven successful at helping individuals to rapidly lose weight, little is known about the diets' long-term effects on vascular health. Now a study by scientists at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center suggests the popular diet regimen may have an adverse effect on the body's restorative capacity.
New findings from nutrition researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggest that it's not whether body fat is stored in the belly that affects metabolic risk factors for diabetes, high blood triglycerides and cardiovascular disease, but whether it collects in the liver.
For those who suffer from fainting spells, the mysterious episodes can be quite scary. Far too often, fainting is chalked up to stress or other mental health issues. However, medical experts at Rush University Medical Center say that reoccurring fainting spells, also known as syncope, could be an important symptom that can point to a more serious, underlying cardiovascular condition.
The University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center will sponsor its Heart of the Hunter Health Fair Aug. 22-23 at Cabela's outdoor superstore in Dundee, Mich. Free checks for cardiovascular risk, weight, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels will be available.
"Silent" strokes, which are strokes that don't result in any noticeable symptoms but cause brain damage, are common in people over 60, and especially in those with high blood pressure, according to a study published in the July 28, 2009, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Cardiovascular disease is increasing in adults under 50 and those of lower socioeconomic status, despite recent trends which show that cardiovascular disease is declining in Canada overall, say researchers at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre. Untreated cardiovascular disease can lead to heart failure, coronary artery disease and death, and is the most common cause of hospitalization in North America.
While both males and females are at risk for stroke, males have a particular sensitivity. Data show that male stroke victims outnumber females by about two to one. Women are likewise at risk for stroke and, as they age, their outcomes are often worse than their male counterpart's. A renowned expert in stroke and sex differences talks about how one disease affects the two genders.
Different types of work site exercise programs have multiple benefits, including reduced neck and shoulder pain for employees who do all-around exercise and lowered heart disease and stroke risk factors for those who do strength training, reports a study in the July Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM).
Pig heart valves used to replace defective aortic valves in human patients failed much earlier and more often than expected, says a report from cardiac surgeons at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. This is the first report to demonstrate this potential problem, the researchers say.
New research indicates that a finding on a routine electrocardiogram that signals a disorder of the electrical conducting system in one part of the heart and previously believed to be benign is associated with an increased risk for atrial fibrillation, the implantation of a pacemaker or death, according to a study in the June 24 issue of JAMA.
Long-term estrogen use does not protect male-to-female transsexuals from death due to cardiovascular disease but does not appear to raise their overall death rate, a new study found. The results were presented at The Endocrine Society's 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
The Lancet has published a meta-analysis of the six large-scale randomized clinical trials of aspirin in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease among over 95,000 apparently healthy men and women worldwide. Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., the first Sir Richard Doll Research Professor at FAU is a member of an international writing group that co-authored the meta-analysis.
A simple, inexpensive diagnostic test, the six minute walk test, can reliably predict risk of death or re-hospitalization in African-American patients with heart failure, according to a cardiology researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine.
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