Feature Channels: Cardiovascular Health

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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"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.

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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.

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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.

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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).

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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Persons with higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness have a lower risk of all-cause death and coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease compared to persons with lower levels of cardiorespiratory fitness, according to an analysis of previous studies appearing in the May 20 issue of JAMA.

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Recycling your pacemaker? In U-M surveys, reported Thursday at the Heart Rhythm Society's Annual Scientific Sessions, patients and funeral directors say they'd be willing to donate pacemakers to patients who needed them. The U-M Cardiovascular Center is laying the groundwork to distribute used pacemakers to heart disease patients across the globe.

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A new study, published in the May 11 Archives of Internal Medicine, shows that women with chest pain but without coronary artery disease are at an elevated risk for cardiovascular events such as heart attack or stroke.

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A diet designed to prevent and treat high blood pressure also may be associated with a lower risk of heart failure among women, according to a report in the May 11 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

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The responses of older adults who are asked whether they had a stroke frequently do not agree with diagnoses obtained by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the July print issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

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The DASH diet was initially developed to help patients lower their blood pressure, but a large study led by investigators at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) demonstrates that women who followed the diet also significantly reduced their risk of developing heart failure.

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Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, along with an international team of collaborators, have identified common genetic changes associated with blood pressure and hypertension. The study, reporting online next week in Nature Genetics, breaks new ground in understanding blood pressure regulation and may lead to advances in hypertension therapy.

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First study to assess the correlation between left ventricular hypertrophy and staging of ambulatory blood pressure in children and adolescents was unveiled today at the American Society of Hypertension's Twenty Fourth Annual Scientific Meeting (ASH 2009). Data showed that ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) monitoring and staging can more accurately predict a child's risk for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), a precursor to cardiovascular disease (CVD), than current diagnostic methods using casual blood pressure measurements.

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Data from the Bogalusa Heart Study presented at the American Society of Hypertension's Twenty Fourth Annual Scientific Meeting (ASH 2009) provide more clarity about the development of hypertension in children and gender disparities. These data suggest that the relationship between low birth weight and hypertension becomes stronger as individuals become older, particularly in white males as opposed to females or blacks. In addition, a separate analysis revealed that variations in blood pressure (BP) measurements in children are related to the development of hypertension in adulthood, especially in blacks.

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Two studies presented today at the American Society of Hypertension's Twenty Fourth Annual Scientific Meeting (ASH 2009) underscore the importance of addressing racial disparities in treatment provided by community-based practices (CBP) and suggest more intensive practical studies are needed. Data shows that despite receiving treatment, African-Americans more likely to have several uncontrolled cardiovascular risk factors.

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Results presented today at the American Society of Hypertension's Twenty Fourth Annual Scientific Meeting (ASH 2009) reveal that hypertension is still disproportionally prevalent in African-American women living in Boston's inner city neighborhoods, despite recent improvements in diagnostic and treatment options. Study authors conclude that a mobile health screening method is effective in identifying and educating undiagnosed or poorly controlled hypertension populations with limited access to preventative healthcare and call for an increase in community-based interventions to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease.

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Data from the Treating to New Targets (TNT) trial presented today at the American Society of Hypertension's Twenty Fourth Annual Scientific Meeting (ASH 2009) show that low blood pressure levels may lead to increased risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attack and stroke. These data supplement previous findings from the TNT trial of atorvastatin showing aggressive LDL cholesterol-lowering reduced cardiovascular events.

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Results presented from the HORIZONS-AMI trial, a prospective, open-label, multicenter, controlled study, enrolled 3,602 heart attack patients at 123 centers in 11 countries, 3,006 of whom were randomized to paclitaxel-eluting stents versus otherwise identical bare metal stents.

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New meta-analyses presented at the American Society of Hypertension's Twenty Fourth Annual Scientific Meeting (ASH 2009) summarize results of all clinical trials to determine optimal treatment strategies for stroke and heart disease prevention. Data summarize the optimal initial antihypertensive treatment to reduce two of the most common and deadly cardiovascular events related to blood pressure ─ stroke and coronary heart disease.

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Geisinger cardiologist Kimberly Skelding is one of 17 doctors in the country who is implanting the Watchman LAA device in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) as part of a nationwide clinical trial.

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Prior to its annual meeting, ASH will sponsor the Health Fair Pavilion at the San Francisco Cinco de Mayo festival being held at Mission Dolores Park on Saturday, May 2, and provide free comprehensive blood pressure and cholesterol screenings and complimentary health management products.

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The patient in the heart failure clinic had all the symptoms of digitalis toxicity from taking too much of the heart medicine digoxin. However, his dose was right and no one was sure what the problem was.

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In trying to understand the role of prostaglandins "“ a family of fatty compounds key to the cardiovascular system "“ in blood pressure maintenance, researchers discovered that mice that lack the receptor for one type of prostaglandin have lower blood pressure and less atherosclerosis than their non-mutant brethren.

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JAMA editorial by UMDNJ cardiologist says implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) should be implanted by board-certified electrophysiologists. The editorial comments on study results appearing in the new edition of JAMA.

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In addition to highlighting the latest clinical research, this year's meeting will provide insights into anticipated updates to hypertension treatment guidelines and data exploring health disparities and proposed solutions. Contact Press Room Mangers to register or receive embargoed materials.

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Patients with coronary artery disease -- blockages of the vessels that feed the heart -- can be treated in a number of ways. With their doctor, they decide on the best course of action: surgery, stent placement or medication. Sometimes, a combination of these is the best approach.

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Elective repair for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is on the rise, yet total AAA- related deaths continue to decline since the introduction of endovascular repair (EVAR), according to an ongoing, long-term research report from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

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A little more than a year after University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists showed they could turn skin cells back into stem cells, they have pulsating proof that these "induced" stem cells can indeed form the specialized cells that make up heart muscle.

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In a new study from The Netherlands, published in the February 2009 issue of the Journal of Vascular Surgery, researchers have found that intermittent claudication (cramping or pain caused by decreased blood flow to the lower leg muscles) can be reduced through community supervised exercise therapy programs in regional physiotherapeutic practices.

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Drs. Cam Patterson and Paula Miller, both UNC Health Care cardiologists, tackle a taboo subject: Is it OK for a couple to resume their sex life after one of them has had a heart attack? And if so, what do they need to be aware of?

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Carotid endarterectomy yields better short-term results than carotid artery stenting in patients with carotid artery disease, according to a 30-day outcomes report from the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Registry for Carotid Procedures, published in the January 2009 issue of the Journal of Vascular Surgery®, by the Society for Vascular Surgery.

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People with even minimally symptomatic obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease because of impaired endothelial function and increased arterial stiffness, according to a study from the Oxford Centre for Respiratory Medicine in the UK.

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Some of the problems left after a stroke "“ such as paralysis on one side of the body, or difficulty with swallowing "“ are easy to see and address. But stroke survivors may be left with damage to their brain that makes it hard for them to interpret the environment around them. This 'hidden disability' requires targeted diagnostic and treatment strategies.

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Six months ago, Alice County was dying from congestive heart failure. Her weak heart was barely pumping blood, she was listless, had no appetite and had dropped 50 pounds in less than a year, and was so short of breath that she slept sitting up. Doctors were afraid that she wouldn't live until a donor heart could be found, and even if she did, they feared she couldn't survive the arduous surgery. But thanks to a livesaving VAD and ultimately a heart transplant, this story has a happy ending.

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Rising unemployment rates, the worst Wall Street crises since the end of World War II, record home foreclosures. There is plenty of stress to go around. What effect is stress having on our health and what can we do about it?

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Advances in the scientific battle against the nation's most persistent killer, cardiovascular disease, are the focus of the University of Kentucky Cardiovascular Research Day Friday, Oct. 24, at the Lexington Convention Center, 430 West Vine St., Lexington.

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Heart health isn't the only reason to pay attention to cholesterol levels: Research has shown that cholesterol plays an important role in prostate health as well. September has been designated both National Prostate Health Month and National Cholesterol Education Month, and the American Urological Association (AUA) and the AUA Foundation are urging men to decrease their risk of developing prostate cancer by managing their cholesterol.

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National health groups today commended the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee for approving crucial legislation aimed at fighting heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases in women, their No. 1 killer.

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Thousands of patients with high blood pressure could benefit from changing their drug treatment regimen to reduce their risk of cardiac death.