Heart Health

ArteryOpening Method Works Well in Women

Mon, 9 Jun 2008 18:00:25 GMT

The procedures used to open narrowed heart arteries work just as well in women as in men and the results for both genders have improved steadily in recent years new research finds. The study in the June 17 issue of the Journal of the A...

Applying Parallel Pressure Improves Vascular Grafting

Sun, 8 Jun 2008 10:00:17 GMT
Adding a little shear stress along a vascular bypass graft during the procedure may help hold it together better in the long run according to a new study. Researchers report that gradually adding parallel pressure as opposed to normal ...

HighVolume Hospitals Better for Abdominal Aortic Rupture Repairs

Fri, 6 Jun 2008 14:00:24 GMT
Highvolume hospitals that use endovascular procedures to repair abdominal aortic aneurysms have lower death rates than hospitals that use open surgery a new report finds. The study looked at 80953 Medicare patients who had abdominal aor...

Researchers ID InflammationFighting Pathway in Fat Cells

Wed, 4 Jun 2008 10:00:27 GMT
A new molecular signaling pathway in fat cells that suppresses harmful inflammation has been identified by Harvard School of Public Health researchers. The pathway prevents the fat cells called adipocytes from overreacting to inflammationcaus...

Black Athletes Hearts May Differ From Those of Whites

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 18:00:31 GMT
Black football players are twice as likely as whites to have abnormal electrocardiograms ECGs a new study finds. But that doesnt mean they are at greater risk of heart disease experts add. The study of almost 2000 athletes ...

Know the Warning Signs of Stroke

Mon, 26 May 2008 10:00:14 GMT
What would you do if you suddenly became dizzy and had trouble seeing? Watch and wait? Call 911? Most Americans dont act on warning signs of stroke including sudden dizziness or loss of balance or coordination and loss of vision in one or...

Home BloodPressure Monitoring Recommended

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:00:18 GMT
More than 100 million Americans should be monitoring their blood pressure at home according to three major health organizations that are issuing recommendations on what to do and how to do it. We have an estimated 72 million people with...

Sleep Apnea Linked to Heart Risks in Children

Wed, 21 May 2008 18:00:30 GMT
Young children with obstructive sleep apnea OSA may suffer some of the same harmful cardiovascular consequences seen in older children and adults with the condition Israeli researchers say. OSA starts from the first year of life yet ve...

Oxidized LDL Cholesterol Linked to Metabolic Syndrome

Tue, 20 May 2008 18:00:23 GMT
Higher levels of LDL cholesterol packets that have undergone oxidation are associated with an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome a constellation of conditions that can lead to heart attack and stroke a new study finds. Prev...

Ted Kennedy Has a Brain Tumor

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:00:27 GMT
Massachusetts Sen. Edward M. Kennedy the last surviving brother in an American political dynasty has a malignant brain tumor his doctors reported Tuesday. Doctors treating the 76yearold senator who has been in Massachusetts General Ho...

Erectile Dysfunction a Strong Harbinger of Heart Trouble

Mon, 19 May 2008 18:00:27 GMT
Findings from two studies of men with diabetes add to the evidence that erectile dysfunction can be a powerful early warning sign for serious heart disease. A Hong Kong study of 2306 men with diabetes but no signs of heart disease found th...

Sen Edward Kennedy Hospitalized After Seizure

Sat, 17 May 2008 20:00:19 GMT
Massachusetts Sen. Edward M. Kennedy was taken from a local hospital near the Kennedy family compound on Cape Cod to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston early Saturday after suffering from at least one seizure and possibly a second one accordi...

Sen Edward Kennedy Hospitalized After Experiencing a Seizure

Sat, 17 May 2008 18:00:21 GMT
Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy was taken from a local hospital near the Kennedy family compound on Cape Cod to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston early today after suffering from at least one seizure and possibly a second one accordi...

Heart Device Recipients Often Not Aware of Recalls

Thu, 15 May 2008 18:00:29 GMT
Two new surveys suggest that many heart patients with implanted devices arent aware of recent recalls and dont understand the dangers they might face. The surveys are small but they point to a lack of understanding among both doctors and...

Statins May Help Older Women Control Irregular Heartbeat

Thu, 15 May 2008 18:00:29 GMT
Statins appear to be associated with a lower risk of the heart rhythm abnormality known as atrial fibrillation in postmenopausal women with coronary disease. Our finding alone doesnt prove that statins prevent atrial fibrillation but it ...

Viagra May Protect Hearts of Some Muscular Dystrophy Patients

Mon, 12 May 2008 18:00:24 GMT
Patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy often suffer from heart failure but Viagra might prevent or delay the onset of this condition a new Canadian study finds. In experiments with mice researchers showed that Viagra sildenafil impr...

Air Pollution Linked to Blood Clots in Legs

Mon, 12 May 2008 18:00:24 GMT
Longterm exposure to the tiny dirty particles in polluted air seems to increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis which are blood clots in the thighs or legs an Italian study finds. It is wellestablished that air pollution causes myoca...

High Blood Pressure Cholesterol Associated With Eye Disease

Mon, 12 May 2008 18:00:24 GMT
High blood pressure and high cholesterol levels not only are bad for your heart they may also harm your eyesight a new report suggests. The two conditions appear to increase ones risk for retinal vein occlusion a condition that leads to...

Noise in Artery Could Warn of Heart Risk

Thu, 8 May 2008 20:00:23 GMT
That unusual harsh sound a doctor can hear when passing a stethoscope over a main artery to the brain could indicate an increased risk of heart attack and death from heart disease and stroke a new study finds. The sound called a caroti...

Folic Acid Doesnt Help the Heart

Tue, 6 May 2008 18:00:20 GMT
Folic acid and vitamin B supplements aimed at reducing blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine did not protect women against heart disease and stroke a longterm study found. Its the latest of several trials to douse the hope that low...

AntiClotting Drug as Good as Aspirin at Stopping Second Stroke

Mon, 5 May 2008 10:00:23 GMT
The anticlotting drug cilostazol is as good as aspirin at preventing recurrent stroke and it causes less bleeding in the brain a study by researchers at Peking University First Hospital in Beijing shows. The trial included 360 patients st...

Simple Steps Lead to Better Blood Pressure Control

Fri, 2 May 2008 12:00:47 GMT
A veterans facility made some small but significant changes in the way it was handling high blood pressure among patients and got a small but significant improvement in blood pressure control a new study shows. It might not sound like muc...

Health Tip Healing Mentally After a Heart Attack

Fri, 2 May 2008 10:00:30 GMT
A variety of emotions are common after a heart attack and its important to take care of them as well as your heart. The American Heart Association offers these recommendations to keep your mind in good health:

If you a...

Hypertension Takes Huge Toll in Developing Countries

Thu, 1 May 2008 20:00:24 GMT
Roughly 80 percent of high blood pressurerelated deaths in the world occur in developing nations a new study by New Zealand researchers shows. Once regarded as a problem only in highincome countries high blood pressure is now a global p...

Incubators Affect Newborns Heart Rates

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:00:23 GMT
Results of a small study show that the electromagnetic field produced by incubators affect the heart rates of newborn babies Italian researchers report. Whether these changes in cardiac rhythms have longterm effects isnt known but they ...

Secondhand Smoke Blocks Artery Repair

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:01:57 GMT
Secondhand smoke not only damages the delicate cells that line blood vessels but also disrupts the bodys natural repair mechanism for those cells a new study shows. The research was done because there still are skeptics who doubt the heal...

Device Approved to Assess Arterial Plaque

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:00:23 GMT
The InfraReDx LipiScan NIR Catheter Imaging System a device that helps doctors explore blood vessels to assess the fat content of arterial plaque has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Plaque made up of cholesterol...

HRT Increases Stroke Risk

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:00:31 GMT
No matter when postmenopausal women start hormone replacement therapy HRT high doses of the treatment increase their risk of stroke a new study finds. The risk for stroke does appear lower in younger women taking HRT and in those taking...

Higher Wealth Linked to Lower Risk of Early Stroke

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:00:30 GMT
The old saying rich or poor its good to have money appears to apply to the risk of stroke a new Dutch study finds. Wealthy Americans have a lower risk of stroke between the ages of 50 and 64 according to the data on the almost 20000 ...

New DrugCoated Stent Does Well in Early Trial

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:00:24 GMT
A new kind of drugcoated stent was better at keeping arteries open than an older stent in the first largescale U.S. study of the device researchers report. This study suggests that in terms of overall safety and effectiveness the Xienc...

Quality Care Not Number of Procedures Determines Bypass Results

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:00:29 GMT
Hospitals that perform fewer cardiac bypass operations dont have more deaths following the procedure than hospitals that handle a greater number of bypasses a new study says. This finding contradicts conventional wisdom which has assumed...

Compact Heart Assist Device Approved

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:00:18 GMT
A compact heart assist device designed to fit women and smaller men has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Heart assist devices are implanted mechanical devices that help weakened hearts pump blood while heart failure ...

Muscle Mass May Not Explain High Creatinine in Black Kidney Patients

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:00:21 GMT
Differences in muscle mass related to younger age or body composition may not explain why black patients with advanced kidney disease have higher levels of creatinine than white patients says a U.S. study that challenges a widely held belief. ...

Skin Test Spots Heart Risks in Healthy People

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 18:00:21 GMT
A cholesterol test that requires no more than a small sample of skin cells scraped off the palm of the hand can measure the risk of heart disease in healthy people researchers report. The test looks at levels of skin sterol a molecular re...

Health Tip If You Have High Cholesterol

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:00:50 GMT
Too much cholesterol a fatty waxlike substance raises your risk of heart disease. But the problem can be controlled with changes in diet exercise and if necessary medication. The American Heart Association suggests thes...

Health Tip Having High Blood Pressure

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:00:33 GMT
Having high blood pressure puts you at higherthannormal risk of heart disease and stroke among other medical problems. Here are risk factors that may make you more likely to develop high blood pressure courtesy of the American Heart Ass...

Hearts Stem Cells Not Created Equally

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:00:39 GMT
Not all heart cells are created by the same universal signal a discovery that could lead to future treatments for congenital heart disease and heart attacks U.S researchers say. Experiments conducted on frogs challenge longheld beliefs t...

Egg Consumption Poses Risks for Diabetic Men Study

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:00:45 GMT
A new study suggests that consuming more than six eggs a week seems to raise the risk of dying from all causes. And diabetics seem to face an even higher mortality risk according to the study that was limited to men. The more ...

HRT Dosing May Determine Risks Benefits

Mon, 7 Apr 2008 16:00:23 GMT
In the continuing search to uncover the benefits and risks of hormone therapy for women a new study suggests that the amount of hormone a woman takes may determine whether it helps or harms her. The study done with mice found that lower ...

Health Tip Avoiding Cellulite

Thu, 3 Apr 2008 10:00:36 GMT
HealthDay News Cellulite is fat that collects just under the surface of the skin and causes a dimply appearance. It appears most often on the hips thighs and buttocks. Here are suggestions to help prevent cellulite courtesy of the U....

HIV Drugs Linked to Increased Risk of Heart Attack

Wed, 2 Apr 2008 10:00:26 GMT
Two wellknown HIV drugs abacavir and didanosine appear to increase the risk of heart attacks European researchers reported Wednesday. Based on that data the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is now conducting a safety review of the pot...

Two Drugs Better Than One for High Blood Pressure

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:00:12 GMT
A large trial shows that combining an ACE inhibitor with a calcium channel blocker in individuals with high blood pressure who are at high risk for cardiovascular complications resulted in a 20 percent reduction in the risks of death heart attack s...

Combining Internet With Office Visits Cut Heart Attack Risks

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:00:11 GMT
Whether its done in person or electronically good doctorpatient communication helps reduce the risk of heart disease says a Temple University School of Medicine study. The fouryear study included rural and urban patients who were at ri...

Cholesterol Drug Controversy Continues

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 16:00:05 GMT
A divided cardiology community is trying once again to make sense of a trial showing that a drug can lower levels of bad LDL cholesterol and yet give no apparent benefit to people at high risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular problems. ...

Anticoagulant Drugs Had Similar Outcomes After Angioplasty

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 14:00:05 GMT
In heart attack patients who had angioplasty the anticoagulant drugs abciximab and tirofiban produced similar outcomes for certain cardiac measures within 90 minutes after the procedure says an Italian study. The researchers also found th...

Managing Stress Can Lower Heart Death Risk

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 18:00:08 GMT
Emphasizing an old adage new medical research confirms that keeping stress levels under control can significantly reduce the risk of a heart attack or death in patients with coronary artery disease. Although a correlation between stress an...

New Drug Shows Promise in Use With Coronary Stents

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 10:00:08 GMT
Treatment with a new antiplatelet drug called prasugrel may be better than standard treatment in protecting against blocked blood flow in patients with at least one coronary stent according to a new international study. Coronary stents are...

Premature Delivery Linked to High Cholesterol in Moms Later

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:00:13 GMT
Giving birth early seems to increase a womans risk of having high cholesterol later a new study shows. And that raises the chances of heart disease even further down the line for these women the researchers added. The findings ...

Health Tip How a Pacemaker Helps the Heart

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:00:16 GMT
HealthDay News A pacemaker is a small batterypowered device that is implanted in the skin of the chest or abdomen and helps regulate the heartbeat. Here are reasons for why a pacemaker may be prescribed courtesy of the U.S. Nationa...

IPods Dont Interfere With Pacemakers Study Shows

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:00:15 GMT
A new study says that iPods and other digital music players dont affect pacemaker function a finding that contradicts a study published last year. That May 2007 study concluded that errant electronic noise from iPods could cause malfuncti...

Toxic Sewer Gas Induces Suspended Metabolism in Mice

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:00:21 GMT
Using small amounts of potentially deadly hydrogen sulfide or sewer gas U.S. researchers were able to decrease metabolism and heart rate in mice while maintaining blood pressure and oxygen levels putting them in a suspended animationlike state...

Calcium Scans Help Predict Coronary Risk

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:00:30 GMT
Scanning the heart arteries for calcium deposits can help predict future cardiac problems a new study shows but experts arent sure that adding such scans to routine checkups would be worth the cost. It has been shown to be predictive o...

Heart Failure Raises Risks After NonCardiac Surgeries

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:00:16 GMT
Older people with heart failure face heightened odds of complications and death after noncardiac surgeries according to the largest study ever conducted on the issue. Were trying to draw attention to this major problem said lead resea...

Drug Therapy Boosting HeartAttack Survival Rates

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:00:10 GMT
The longterm survival of older Americans who have heart attacks has improved steadily in recent years and apparently is due to the drugs they are prescribed a new study suggests. Medicare and pharmacy data on 21484 residents of New Jerse...

Patients Do Better at Hospitals With Clinical Trials

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:00:10 GMT
Patients with heart attacks or other acute heart events may receive better care and have lower death rates in hospitals that take part in clinical trials U.S. researchers report. They analyzed data on more than 174000 patients with two ty...

Lack of Sleep Hurts Womens Hearts Most

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 14:00:06 GMT
Women suffer more damage to their cardiovascular health from poor sleep than men do and researchers at Duke University Medical Center believe theyve determined why. They found that poor sleep is associated with greater psychological dist...

Happy Marriage Happy Heart

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 09:05:30 GMT
Happily married people have lower blood pressure than unhappy married people or singles a Brigham Young University study says. On the other hand even having a supportive social network did not translate into a blood pressure benefit for s...

New Foam Treatment for Varicose Veins

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:05:37 GMT
A new foam for treatment of varicose veins proved safe in patients according to the results of a Phase II clinical trial. The trial found that use of injectable Varisolve microfoam didnt cause any neurological visual or cardiac changes...

Some Imperfect Hearts OK for Transplant

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:05:21 GMT
A heart neednt be perfect to be used in a transplant a new study shows. Fiveyear results for people given hearts with mildtomoderate left ventricular hypertrophy LVH a thickening of the hearts main pumping chamber were as good...

Health Tip Cardiac Rehabilitation

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 09:05:20 GMT
HealthDay News Cardiac rehabilitation under professional supervision often is recommended for people who have had a heart attack heart surgery or a related operation. The American Heart Association lists these benefits of cardiac re...

MeltAway Stent Works Well in Trial

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:05:28 GMT
A polymer stent that is quietly absorbed by the body after it has done its job of keeping a coronary artery open has worked well in an international trial researchers report. The stent was successfully implanted in 29 of 31 attempts the r...

Secondhand Smoke Hikes Tots Risk of Heart Disease

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:05:31 GMT
Secondhand smoke causes signs of cardiovascular damage in children especially the very youngest new research contends. The findings which focused on children from 2 to 14 years old showed that environmental tobacco exposure secondhand...

Vaccine Could One Day Control High Blood Pressure

Thu, 6 Mar 2008 19:05:18 GMT
A vaccine that blocks socalled angiotensin II receptors thus relaxing blood vessels to lower blood pressure may one day replace current blood pressure medications a new study suggests. The advantage of the vaccine is that it would only...

Smoking Boosts Bleeding Stroke Risk in Those With High Blood Pressure

Thu, 6 Mar 2008 17:05:27 GMT
Smoking boosts the increased risk of a hemorrhagic stroke already faced by people with high blood pressure researchers say. The study examined data on 563144 people average age 47 who took part in the Asia Pacific Cohort Studies Collab...

Genetic Factors for Smoking Boost Chronic Bronchitis Risk

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:05:24 GMT
While smoking is the leading risk factor for chronic bronchitis genes also play a major role in the development of the disease say Swedish researchers. The study which analyzed data on more than 40000 twins born in 1958 or earlier foun...

Doing Angioplasty Long After Heart Attack Still Worth It Analysis Shows

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:05:40 GMT
The arteryopening procedure called angioplasty does provide a benefit over drug therapy even if its done long after a heart attack happens a new analysis of studies claims. However that finding was immediately challenged by the leader o...

Many Patients Fail to Take Drugs After Heart Attack

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:05:31 GMT
A quarter of the people who survive heart attacks dont take the drugs prescribed for them after they leave the hospital a new study finds. That failure to adhere to medication increases the patients risk of dying in the next year Canadi...

New Stroke Therapies Show Promise

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:05:31 GMT
Several new studies point to the promise of new ways to treat different types of stroke. The research was presented during a teleconference Friday at the American Stroke Associations International Stroke Conference in New Orleans. <...

Stroke More Prevalent in US Than in Europe

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:05:21 GMT
Americans have a significantly higher prevalence of stroke than their European counterparts possibly because of additional risk factors and barriers to health care faced by those in the United States says a new study. Compared with Europe...

Experts Offer Clarity on Confusion Surrounding Stents

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 09:05:15 GMT
To stent or not to stent? Which type of the arteryopening device is best? When is heart bypass surgery smarter than getting a stent? These are the questions many heart patients are left asking themselves and their doctors as dozens of rec...

Mammograms Might Spot Stroke Risk

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 16:05:49 GMT
In addition to detecting breast cancer in its early stages new research suggests that mammograms may also help predict which women are at risk for strokes. Calcifications found in the blood vessels of the breasts what doctors call benig...

Music Therapy Improves Stroke Outcomes

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:05:48 GMT
Listening to music for a few hours a day can help boost a stroke patients early recovery according to Finnish researchers. Their study of 54 patients whod suffered a stroke of the right or left hemisphere middle cerebral artery found tha...

MiddleAged Women Gaining Weight Raising Their Stroke Risk

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:05:48 GMT
Middleaged American women are gaining weight especially around the waist while their risk of stroke has increased significantly a new study finds. In this study we cant determine exact cause and effect but it suggests there might be...

Hypertension a Health Challenge for Women

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 09:05:33 GMT
Women face unique challenges in keeping their blood pressure under control and this may help explain why more women than men struggle with uncontrolled blood pressure. Thats just one of a series of conclusions based on studies published i...

CholesterolLowering Drugs May Ease Irregular Heartbeat

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 17:06:02 GMT
Statins such as Crestor Lipitor or Zocor that are prescribed to lower cholesterol levels may also cut the risk of atrial fibrillation the abnormal heartbeat that boosts the odds of a stroke French researchers report. An analysis of six c...

DrugCoated Balloons Keep Leg Arteries Open Study

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:05:28 GMT
Drugcoated stents havent worked well for blocked leg arteries but German doctors are reporting good initial results with drugcoated balloons which are inserted at the end of catheters and are inflated to reopen the arteries. Catheters ...

Heart Attack Seldom Leads to Healthier Diet

Fri, 8 Feb 2008 14:05:16 GMT
FRIDAY Feb. 8 HealthDay News Having a heart attack is apparently not sufficient reason for most people to change to a hearthealthy diet a new study finds. We found that diet quality is poor after a coronary heart disease event sai...

Decellularized Heart Valve Approved

Thu, 7 Feb 2008 17:05:22 GMT
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first replacement heart valve from donated human tissue in which the tissues cells have been removed. Removing the tissues cells and cellular debris is designed to lower the risk of ...

Sucking Out Clot Debris Helps Heart Attack Patients

Wed, 6 Feb 2008 17:05:30 GMT
Vacuuming out loose pieces of clots in blocked heart vessels improved the results of arteryopening angioplasty in a Dutch trial. The technique called thrombus aspiration has been available for several years said Dr. Felix Zijlstra a pr...

First 90 Days After Stopping Plavix Most Dangerous

Tue, 5 Feb 2008 16:05:24 GMT
New research finds that the first three months after heart patients stop taking the clotpreventing drug Plavix are the most dangerous. This is the first study to make this observation said Dr. P. Michael Ho a cardiologist at the Denver...

DrugCoated Stents Better Than BareMetal Ones in Complex Cases

Mon, 4 Feb 2008 17:05:26 GMT
Drugcoated stents are better than the baremetal kind for treating complex arterial blockages new research finds. There are two messages I would take away from the study said Dr. Robert J. Applegate a professor of cardiology at Wake F...

Stars Don Red to Raise Awareness of Womens Heart Risk

Sat, 2 Feb 2008 09:05:15 GMT
Nothing draws attention like a little red dress noted First Lady Laura Bush speaking in the heart of New York Citys fashion district Friday. The attention was really focused on a very serious issue the threat to American women from...

FDA Approves New DrugEluting Stent

Fri, 1 Feb 2008 17:05:16 GMT
A new drugcoated stent has been approved the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat people with narrowed arteries that supply blood to the heart. A stent is a wire mesh tube used to keep an artery propped open once it has been cleared ...

IPods Dont Interfere With Heart Pacemakers

Fri, 1 Feb 2008 16:05:18 GMT
Portable music players such as the iPod dont cause electronic interference in implanted cardiac pacemakers a new study claims. Government researchers reported in the current issue of BioMedical Engineering OnLine that they measured...

Health Tip Understanding an Aneurysm

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:05:24 GMT
HealthDay News An aneurysm occurs when a weakened portion of a blood vessel balloons or widens abnormally. There may be a throbbing or swelling sensation at the site or no obvious symptoms. The expanded portion of the vessel could be...

Study Finds Both Coated Stents Perform the Same

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 17:05:26 GMT
In a large study comparing the reallife effectiveness of two different drugcoated stents Danish researchers found no overall difference between the two stents and a lower rate of problems than had been anticipated. The scientists looked ...

Stents Slightly Better Than Bypass for Blocked Left Coronary Artery

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:05:20 GMT
Implanting a stent in a clogged left main coronary artery appeared to give better shortterm results than bypass surgery in a Polish study. But American experts cast some doubt on the clinical value of the finding. The study led ...

FDA Will Wait for Trial Results on Vytorin

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 19:05:15 GMT
The controversy surrounding the highly promoted cholesterollowering drug Vytorin continued Friday when U.S. health officials said they would review the medications effectiveness but only after final trial results were completed. The deba...

TwoDrug Combination Approved for High Blood Pressure

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 23:50:17 GMT
Tekturna HCT a combination of the drug Tekturna aliskiren and the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat high blood pressure maker Novartis AG said Monday. Clinical testing ...

Heart Association Renews Call for CPR Training

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 09:05:17 GMT
If more people had CPR training the number of individuals who die from sudden cardiac arrest could be dramatically reduced. Thats the word from the American Heart Association which is calling for renewed efforts to teach CPR and to find ...

Immune Therapy May Help Some Heart Failure Patients

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 19:05:23 GMT
THURSDAY Jan. 17 HealthDay News Some patients with heart failure may stand to benefit from therapy which modifies the bodys immune response. A study in the Jan. 19 issue of The Lancet found that patients with no history of hear...

Specialized System Speeds Heart Attack Treatment

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:05:45 GMT
A citywide system in Ottawa Canada designed to rush heart attack patients to a specialized center for arteryopening treatment dramatically cut the time it took to perform the potentially lifesaving procedure cardiologists report. The pr...

Calcium Supplements Could Raise Heart Risks in Postmenopausal Women

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 19:05:44 GMT
The calcium tablets taken by millions of postmenopausal women to reduce their risk of osteoporosis may be contributing to an increase in heart attack and other cardiovascular problems. The findings might mean doctors shouldnt prescribe the...

Cholesterol Drug Zetia Doesnt Cut Heart Attack Risk Study

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:05:46 GMT
MONDAY Jan. 14 HealthDay News The longawaited results of a trial of Zetia a cholesterollowering drug prescribed to about a million Americans shows the drug confers no medical benefit to users. In fact the pace at which arteryclog...

Cholesterol Drug Zetia Doesnt Benefit Health Study

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:05:38 GMT
MONDAY Jan. 14 HealthDay News The longawaited results of a trial of Zetia a cholesterollowering drug prescribed to about a million Americans shows the drug confers no medical benefit to users. In fact the pace at which arteryclog...

Seven New Cholesterol Genes Discovered

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 14:05:33 GMT
SUNDAY Jan. 13 HealthDay News Seven new cholesterolregulating genes some of which influence the risk of heart disease have been identified in an international study of almost 20000 people in three countries. I would predict that ...

Vitamin C May Play Role in Stroke Prevention

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:05:37 GMT
Having higher levels of vitamin C in your blood may reduce your risk of stroke new research suggests. People with the highest concentrations of vitamin C in their blood had a 42 percent lower risk of stroke than people with the lowest le...

Priming Heart Before an Attack Could Limit Damage

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:05:34 GMT
Just as daily runs can prepare you to survive a marathon blocking blood flow to the heart for brief spells could condition cardiac cells to better withstand the damage of a heart attack a new animal study from the University of Cincinnati suggests....

High Levels of Stress After 911 Raised Heart Disease Risk

Mon, 7 Jan 2008 16:05:30 GMT
People with no history of heart problems who felt extremely stressed following the 9/11 terrorist attacks were prone to heart problems in the three years following the attacks researchers report. While extreme stress can trigger an immedi...

Defibrillation Comes Late in 30 Percent of Hospital Cases

Wed, 2 Jan 2008 19:05:33 GMT
About a third of patients who suffer cardiac arrest in hospitals dont get a defibrillatordelivered shock to start the heart beating again within the two minutes recommended by the American Heart Association a new study found. This delay ...

Restless Legs Syndrome May Cause Heart Problems Study

Tue, 1 Jan 2008 17:05:24 GMT
People with restless legs syndrome face twice the risk of a stroke or heart disease compared to people who dont have the neurological condition a new study suggests. The risk is greatest in people with the most frequent and the most seve...

High Blood Triglycerides Linked to Stroke Risk

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 14:05:23 GMT
THURSDAY Dec. 27 HealthDay News High blood levels of the fats called triglycerides are associated with an increased risk of stroke a new study finds. Theres a lot of evidence emerging that they have a strong effect on vascular bloo...

Study Sheds Light on Origins of Sudden Cardiac Death

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 12:05:35 GMT
New information about a deadly heart rhythm disorder called ventricular fibrillation may help lead to better ways of identifying people at risk of sudden cardiac death and new treatments to help reduce their risk. The findings are based on ...

Heart Procedure Reduces Need for Defibrillator Shocks

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 17:05:21 GMT
A treatment that wipes out abnormal heart tissue reduces the number of shocks delivered to people who have defibrillators implanted after heart attacks a new trial showed. While those shocks do keep the heart going when it slips into abnor...

Diagnosis of Heart Attack Can Be Wrong

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:05:32 GMT
When doctors in the emergency room believe that someone is having a heart attack they are mistaken 9.2 percent of the time a new study indicates. Given that minutes matter with these patients and doctors have to act quickly in this setti...

Bystolic Approved for High Blood Pressure

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:05:32 GMT
A new beta blocker called Bystolic nebivolol has been approved for treatment of high blood pressure hypertension the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said. The approval was based on findings from four studies in which more than 2000 ...

New Type of CholesterolLowering Drug Shows Promise

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 09:05:32 GMT
A new kind of drug designed to lower levels of bad lowdensity lipoprotein LDL cholesterol and reduce heart disease risk has proved safe and effective in a phase II clinical trial researchers report. Elevated LDL levels increase the ri...

FDA Advisers Reject OvertheCounter Statin

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 19:05:21 GMT
For the third time in seven years U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisers have voted to deny Merck amp; Co.s request to make the cholesterollowering drug Mevacor available over the counter. In a 10 to 2 vote with one abstention the ...

Report Finds Widespread Steroid Use in Baseball

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 17:05:26 GMT
THURSDAY Dec. 13 HealthDayNews New York Yankees pitchers Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte Houston Astros AllStar shortstop Miguel Tejada and home run king Barry Bonds are among the bigname players cited in a highly anticipated report into the...

FDA Panel Considering OvertheCounter Statin

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:05:49 GMT
For the third time in seven years a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel has been asked to recommend making Merck amp; Co.s statin drug Mevacor available over the counter. But with groups such as the American Medical Associat...

FDA Panel to Consider OvertheCounter Statin

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 09:05:23 GMT
For the third time in seven years a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel has been asked to recommend making Merck amp; Co.s statin drug Mevacor available over the counter. But with groups such as the American Medical Associat...

Stroke Rehab Technique Has Lasting Results

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 12:05:25 GMT
With just two weeks of socalled constraintinduced movement therapy some stroke patients can have significant improvement in the functioning of their affected hand and a better quality of life a new study finds. For the study participan...

Heart Attacks Peak During the Holidays

Sun, 9 Dec 2007 09:05:20 GMT
The holiday season is also the season for heart attack warns cardiologist Dr. Keith Churchwell associate director of the Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville Tenn. According to Chur...

Drug Helps Ease Fat Disorder in HIV Patients

Wed, 5 Dec 2007 17:08:55 GMT
An investigational drug may be the first safe reliable means of easing a disorder that leads to unsightly humps of body fat and boosts the heart risks of HIV patients. People taking the drug tesamorelin for 26 weeks showed a 15 percent d...

Newer Anticlotting Drug Safe Effective for Heart Surgeries

Tue, 4 Dec 2007 16:05:24 GMT
A newer kind of anticlotting drug is safe over the long run when used during coronary emergencies such as heart attacks. The drug a direct thrombin inhibitor called bivalirudin is used to keep blood flowing freely during cardiac procedu...

2in1 Test Signals Risk After Heart Attack

Tue, 4 Dec 2007 14:05:27 GMT
A test of two heart functions accurately spotted patients at highest risk of cardiac arrest or death as they recovered from a heart attack Canadian researchers report. This is important because past studies focusing on a single test fai...

CholesterolStroke Relationship Puzzles Researchers

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 12:05:22 GMT
The link between high cholesterol and heart disease is clear to most in the medical community but a new British study finds the connection between cholesterol levels and stroke is a bit more murky. In fact for people in their 70s and 80s...

Knowing Heart Risk Keeps Patients on Cholesterol Drugs

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 14:05:20 GMT
Letting patients know how cholesterol boosts their heart risks helps them stick to cholesterollowering treatment Canadian researchers report. Researchers at McGill University in Montreal enrolled more than 3000 patients 2687 completed ...

Infusion Therapy Raises Death Risk for Some Heart Patients

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 17:05:15 GMT
An infusion of glucose insulin and potassium a treatment thought to help people right after they have had a heart attack actually increases the immediate risk of heart failure and death for some patients a new study shows. Previous rese...

Defibrillators Not Dangerous While Driving

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 17:05:19 GMT
The defibrillators that are implanted in people for instant correction of abnormal heartbeats pose no special risks for heart patients who drive researchers report. What this confirms is what we already thought that overall there is not ...

Low Levels of Good Cholesterol May Slow Stroke Recovery

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 16:05:21 GMT
Low blood levels of highdensity lipoprotein good cholesterol increase the risk of memory problems and greater disability after a stroke a new study finds. The study also found that high levels of an amino acid called homocysteine acq...

Urine Test Results Can Point to Heart Dangers

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:05:36 GMT
Even a small amount of a protein called albumin in the urine of patients with stable coronary artery disease increases their risk of cardiovascular death say U.S. researchers. The findings from this study of almost 3000 patients age 50 a...

Researchers Spot Link Between Heart Disease Income

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:05:43 GMT
A new study shows that lowered income actually has an inflammatory effect on the body which may explain why people of lower socioeconomic status are at higher risk of heart disease researchers report. The link between higher levels of inf...

Mini Strokes Major Health Threats

Sun, 18 Nov 2007 09:05:26 GMT
Doctors call them transient ischemic attacks but theyre more commonly known as ministrokes. But make no mistake they can be deadly. Whats worse many people who suffer such an attack rarely seek medical help. Just one in ...

Smoking Boosts Blood Pressure in Women

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 16:05:20 GMT
Women who smoke two packs of cigarettes a day have a 21 percent greater risk of developing high blood pressure increasing their risk for heart disease a new study found. Women who smoke less have less of a risk but even those who smoke a...

Stem Cells Show Early Promise for Heart Problems

Wed, 7 Nov 2007 14:05:17 GMT
Scientists are edging toward a better understanding of how stem cells might one day restore function to damaged hearts. Several studies presented Wednesday at the American Heart Association annual meeting in Orlando Fla. addressed diffe...

Cholesterol Drug Tied to Sleep Disturbances

Wed, 7 Nov 2007 12:05:29 GMT
Lowering your cholesterol could interrupt your slumber. A new report found that the statin Zocor disrupts sleep patterns in some users. The study suggests that simvastatin Zocor is more likely to have sleep disruption said Dr...

Blood Pressure Vaccine Shows Promise

Tue, 6 Nov 2007 12:05:14 GMT
A shot in the arm may be just what the doctor prescribed to control high blood pressure. Researchers presenting Tuesday at the American Heart Association annual meeting in Orlando Fla. report initially encouraging results with a vaccine t...

NurseLed Intervention Boosts Cardiac Rehab Study

Mon, 5 Nov 2007 17:05:22 GMT
Intensive support from a heart failure nurse and a multidisciplinary team improves the likelihood that heart failure patients will comply with crucial nonmedical interventions such as salt and fluid restrictions and regular weighing says a study b...

Certain Cholesterol Drugs Show Their Limits

Mon, 5 Nov 2007 09:05:11 GMT
New research is starting to show that certain cholesterol drugs have their limits and flaws. One case in point is a study presented Monday at the American Heart Association annual meeting in Orlando Fla. European researchers found that the...

Blood Pressure Tougher to Tame in Winter

Mon, 5 Nov 2007 09:05:11 GMT
It turns out blood pressure has a chill factor: Hypertension is harder to control in colder weather heart experts say. But the finding expected to be presented Monday at the American Heart Association annual meeting in Orlando Fla. is ...

New Measures Improve Heart Care

Sun, 4 Nov 2007 17:05:08 GMT
Simplify. Simplify. Simplify. New research shows this mantra works when it comes to controlling high blood pressure which is the leading risk factor for premature death worldwide. A streamlined back to the future approach to t...

New Heart Pump Helps Women Awaiting Transplants

Sun, 4 Nov 2007 16:05:07 GMT
An implantable device that helps the heart pump blood and is about the size of a D battery onequarter the weight of the traditional device benefits women as well as men who are waiting for heart transplants. Thats the conclusion ...

DrugCoated Stents No Riskier in Long Run Than Bare Metal Ones

Sun, 4 Nov 2007 14:05:07 GMT
In the largest study of its kind to date Harvard researchers report that they have found drugeluting stents pose no more risk of heart attack or death than bare metal stents do. There has been a long debate about the safety of drugeluti...

New AntiClotting Drug Shows Promise in Heart Patients

Sun, 4 Nov 2007 12:05:08 GMT
A new anticlotting drug might one day challenge Plavix the current standard of therapy for people who have undergone procedures to open blocked coronary arteries a new study suggests. But a sizable subset of the heart patients studied ...

Study Describes Molecules That Control Blood Pressure

Fri, 2 Nov 2007 14:05:21 GMT
Researchers are reporting a newly discovered molecular mechanism that makes blood pressure go up or down knowledge that could lead to new treatments for the hypertension that affects at least 50 million Americans. A report published Nov....

Just Anticipating a Nap May Be Good for the Heart

Fri, 2 Nov 2007 09:05:10 GMT
A nap a day may keep the heart doctor away at least thats what recent research suggests. Now a new British study reports that the first few minutes before you doze off might be an especially restful time for your heart. Blood pressure ...

Test Spots Who Should Get Implanted Defibrillator

Thu, 1 Nov 2007 17:05:15 GMT
A simple test can give cardiologists guidance about whether they should implant defibrillators into patients with weak hearts new research confirms. Implanted defibrillators arent necessary for all patients and can be extremely expensive...

Defibrillator Use Urged to Save Childrens Lives

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:05:04 GMT
The emergency defibrillators now commonly found in airports and other public places that have saved thousands of adult cardiac arrest victims can also save the lives of children. Thats the new position of the American Academy of Pediatrics...

Obesity Can Hurt Kids Hearts

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 12:05:50 GMT
Obese children and those at risk for obesity show early signs of heart disease similar to that seen in obese adults U.S. researchers say. The study by a team at Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis included 168 children...

Defib Wire Warning Shouldnt Worry Most Users Experts

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 17:05:52 GMT
On Monday Medtronic a leading maker of implantable defibrillators voluntarily stopped distribution of Sprint Fidelis electronic leads for the devices because it said the wires could fracture potentially triggering cardiac events. T...

Sleep Apnea Treatment Helps Stave Off Heart Disease

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 19:05:45 GMT
Using a mask to deliver continuous positive airway pressure CPAP to treat people with obstructive sleep apnea dramatically reduces early indications of atherosclerosis hardening of the arteries within months a new study finds. The ...

AntiCholesterol Drugs Help Prevent Lung Decline

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 12:05:39 GMT
Statin drugs used to lower blood cholesterol also slow the lung function loss that inevitably occurs with age and often is exacerbated by disease or smoking researchers report. The Harvard study included a group of more than 800 people who...

Daytime Nighttime Blood Pressure Both Important

Fri, 5 Oct 2007 16:06:11 GMT
A major study challenges the idea that high nighttime blood pressure readings are better indicators of health risk than measurements taken in the daytime. Our findings support recording the ambulatory blood pressure during the whole day ...

Women Less Likely to Get Heart Defibrillators

Tue, 2 Oct 2007 16:05:44 GMT
Women are less likely than men to receive implantable defibrillators and black patients are less likely than white patients to receive the lifesaving heart devices. Two studies documenting these findings echo previous research and confirm...

Drug Combo Helps Fight Marfan Syndrome

Tue, 2 Oct 2007 16:05:44 GMT
Treatment with the heart drug perindopril along with a beta blocker may help reduce certain cardiac complications of the hereditary disorder Marfan syndrome research shows. Marfan syndrome which principally affects connective tissues i...

Coronary Disease Might Toughen Up Heart

Mon, 1 Oct 2007 12:06:07 GMT
Coronary artery disease may actually precondition the heart and make it more resistant to damage than hearts unaffected by the illness a British study in mice suggests. Researchers at the University of Bristol and the Bristol Heart Insti...

High HDL Levels Protect Heart Health

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:06:01 GMT
High levels of good HDL cholesterol protect against heart disease and stroke no matter what the blood levels of bad LDL cholesterol are a new study shows. The incidence of heart attack stroke and other cardiovascular problems was 40 p...

Guidelines Seek to Boost Study of Critically Ill

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 14:11:36 GMT
Heart experts have released new recommendations designed to increase the number of studies of criticallyill or injured patients who are likely to die without treatment. U.S. law requires that patients be fully informed of a studys risk an...

Heart Attack Survivors Benefit From Rehab

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 12:05:45 GMT
Experts in cardiac care have issued new performance measures meant to boost patient enrollment in cardiac rehabilitation programs. They say too many heart attack patients arent getting the benefit of this form of care. The new ...

InFlight Clot Risk Low for Most People

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 19:06:02 GMT
Despite recent media reports of airplane passengers developing serious blood clots inflight only about one in 5000 people are at risk for these types of events a new study finds. This type of leg clot called a venous thrombosis has go...

Genetic Test Approved for Sensitivity to Blood Thinner

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 12:05:11 GMT
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a genetic test to help doctors determine if a person is highly sensitive to the bloodthinning drug Coumadin generic name: warfarin increasing the risk of excessive bleeding. About onet...

Screening Proposed for Childhood Cholesterol Levels

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 19:05:10 GMT
A simple blood test early in life could identify children with familial hypercholesterolemia a genetic condition that causes high cholesterol levels and greatly increases the risk of early death from heart disease a British study finds. D...

DrugCoated Stents Go Head to Head

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 19:05:09 GMT
A survey of trials of drugcoated stents finds that those coated with the medication siromilus appear to be somewhat safer than those coated with another drug paclitaxel. Analysis of 38 trials involving more than 18000 participants sugges...

Novel Cooling Therapy May Have Aided Injured Football Player

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 14:05:08 GMT
As Buffalo Bills football player Kevin Everett was being rushed by ambulance to a hospital Sunday night with a lifethreatening spinal cord injury he was already getting experimental treatment that may have saved him from paralysis. Everet...

Being Overweight is Hard on the Heart

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 17:05:35 GMT
A new study involving more than 300000 people finds that being overweight independently increases a persons risk of coronary disease. In other words even if doctors could get an overweight persons blood pressure and cholesterol down to...

Advance Reported in Heart Valves for Children

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 19:06:08 GMT
Researchers are reporting an advance in tissue engineering techniques that has helped them move a step closer toward a living replacement heart valve for children. Such a valve would help children with certain birth defects avoid repeated v...

Beta Blocker Doesnt Help Children With Heart Failure

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 17:05:43 GMT
Carvedilol a newer member of the beta blocker drug family that has been effective for adults with heart failure did not help children with the condition a new study found. The rate of improvement and the lack of it was almost exact...

Lowering Blood Protein Wont Help Kidney Patients

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:05:45 GMT
Lowering blood levels of an inflammationlinked protein called homocysteine wont help people with serious kidney disease live any longer new research concludes. The study which is published in the Sept. 12 issue of the Journal of the...

Bypass OffPump Boosts Womens Outcomes

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 14:06:02 GMT
Performing coronary bypass procedures without using the heartlung machine can shrink the gender gap in survival and boost womens outcomes after these procedures a new study finds. The bypass results are good news for women said Dr. Jo...

Researchers Find Better Way to Deliver Blood Thinner

Fri, 7 Sep 2007 17:05:57 GMT
A new genebased dosing formula for the anticlotting drug warfarin should make it easier to prescribe the correct dose of the blood thinner researchers say. Up to this point doctors have had to engage in a trialanderror process over se...

Depression May Be Worlds Most Disabling Disease

Fri, 7 Sep 2007 12:07:47 GMT
When compared with other chronic diseases depression may well be the most disabling disease in the world a new global study finds. People with chronic physical diseases such as angina arthritis asthma and diabetes also fare far worse if...

First Generic Versions of Coreg Approved

Wed, 5 Sep 2007 19:12:50 GMT
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first generic versions of Coreg carvedilol used to treat high blood pressure chronic heart failure and a post heart attack problem called left ventricular dysfunction. Approval was ...

Trial to Test Gene Therapy for Angina in Women

Tue, 4 Sep 2007 16:05:49 GMT
A trial testing a genetically engineered treatment in women who have angina the piercing chest pain that can bedevil the millions of Americans with heart disease has been given fasttrack status by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. ...

Stopping Statins After Stroke Doubles Death Risk

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 16:05:35 GMT
Stroke survivors who stopped taking cholesterollowering statins doubled their risk of dying in the next year compared to those who stayed on the medications an Italian study finds. A number of other studies have shown the benefits of usin...

Case Management CostEffective Way to Cut Heart Risks

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 12:05:40 GMT
Case management provided a costeffective way of reducing patients overall risk of heart disease by about 10 percent according to a study by researchers at Stanford University in California. In case management specially trained health p...

US Initiative Seeks to Boost Hispanic Stroke Awareness

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 12:06:09 GMT
A new campaign to increase stroke awareness among Hispanics in the United States has been launched by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke NINDS. The initiative is designed to promote the NINDS national stroke educ...

Drug That Lowers Resting Heart Rate Being Tested

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 14:15:07 GMT
Can a drug designed solely to lower the resting heart rate improve treatment of cardiovascular conditions such as heart failure and coronary artery disease? Answers to that question are expected next year from two major international trials...

When Good Cholesterol Goes Bad

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:05:31 GMT
It looks like HDL the good cholesterol that supposedly protects against cardiovascular disease might have a harmful side. New research suggests that some peoples HDL is more protective for their hearts than others and that certain pro...

Handling Stress Properly Increases Good Cholesterol

Sun, 19 Aug 2007 09:05:35 GMT
A man who keeps his cool in a stressful situation helps himself by increasing blood levels of HDL cholesterol the good kind that keeps arteries clear a study indicates. And he might be adding years to his life. That finding was ...

Restricting Blood Flow May Help Heart Bypass Patients

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 19:05:36 GMT
In a potentially significant discovery for heart bypass patients British researchers are reporting that limiting blood flow to an arm before surgery produced better results in a small trial of patients. Restricting blood flow before surge...

Obesity Heightens Kidney Disease Risks

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 16:05:36 GMT
Chronic kidney disease patients who are also obese are much more likely than normalweight patients to have a condition called hyperparathyroidism which raises their risk of heart problems and death U.S. researchers say. Hyperparathyroidi...

Metabolic Pathway Could Boost Good Cholesterol

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 09:05:40 GMT
U.S. researchers say theyve spotted a key metabolic pathway controlling blood levels of HDL good cholesterol in mice. The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine team said that if this pathway operates the same way in humans it co...

Total Cholesterol HDL Good Predictors of Heart Disease Risk

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 16:06:37 GMT
Measuring total cholesterol and socalled good cholesterol or HDL is sufficient to predict heart disease risk without measuring other blood lipids according to a new study. Measuring other types of fatty substances in the blood substa...

Cluster Headache Treatment Poses Cardiac Dangers

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 16:06:25 GMT
People who use a blood pressure drug called verapamil to treat cluster headaches may be putting their hearts at risk. Thats the finding from a British study that found heart rhythm abnormalities showing up in about one in five patients who...

Antioxidants No Magic Bullet for Heart Disease in Women

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 16:06:25 GMT
A large study has found that popular antioxidant supplements such as vitamins C E and betacarotene dont prevent heart disease in highrisk women. Antioxidants are clearly not the magic bullet for heart disease prevention said Dr. JoAn...

Statins Might Ease Kids Cholesterol Condition

Wed, 8 Aug 2007 16:06:36 GMT
Cholesterolbusting statin drugs may delay progressive artery damage in children with a hereditary condition called familial hypercholesterolemia FH which causes highly elevated levels of bad lowdensity lipoprotein LDL cholesterol beginning ...

Diet and Fitness A Proven Path to Heart Health

Fri, 3 Aug 2007 17:06:13 GMT
It may not be a magic wand for better health but it sure seems to come close. Eating healthfully and exercising regularly can sharply lower your risk of death from cardiovascular disease the leading cause of death in the United States ...

Many Heart Attack Patients Dont Get Needed Treatment

Fri, 3 Aug 2007 09:05:59 GMT
While the use of emergency angioplasty and clotbusting drugs to treat heart attack patients in the United States has increased significantly since the mid 1990s about 10 percent of eligible patients still dont receive these therapies. Th...

Smoking During Pregnancy Boosts Babys Blood Pressure

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 16:06:30 GMT
A baby born to a mother who smokes during pregnancy will have abnormally high blood pressure in the first few months of life a Dutch study shows. One positive note in the report was that only six percent of the 456 women studied did smoke ...

Clots Reduce Aortic Tear Survival

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 17:09:31 GMT
People who suffer a tear to a major heart vessel the aorta have a better chance of surviving after their surgery if they do not also have clotting in the channel new research shows. The clots can occur when the layers of the aorta separa...

Defibrillators Can Control Dangerous Heart Condition

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:06:08 GMT
Implantable defibrillators can reduce the risk of sudden death in highrisk patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy a genetically linked thickening of heart muscle. And a number of people benefiting from the implantable cardioverterdef...

US Heart Failure Program Is Saving Lives

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 16:05:45 GMT
A national program to improve heartfailure patient care in U.S. hospitals is working researchers say. Heart failure occurs when the heart cant pump enough blood to the bodys other organs. The disease affects five million Americans and...

Health Tip Risk Factors for Preeclampsia

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 09:05:43 GMT
Preeclampsia is a condition in pregnancy characterized by a sudden significant rise in blood pressure and swelling of the hands and feet. It can be dangerous for both the fetus and the mother. Here is a list of common risk facto...

Combining Drugs Doesnt Improve Arterial Disease Outcome

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 17:05:46 GMT
Adding a blood thinner to standard clotpreventing medications did not ease the devastating toll of peripheral arterial disease PAD the blockage of a blood vessel in an arm or leg that often is the prelude to a heart attack or stroke an internati...

Wearable Device Warns Hospital of Heart Attack

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:06:03 GMT
A new device linked to a users cell phone can text message an alert to a local hospital warning staff that the patient is about to suffer a heart attack. An estimated 22 million people are at risk of sudden heart failure at any one time ...

High Triglyceride Levels Linked to Cardiac Risk

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 16:06:05 GMT
In findings that could change the way cholesterol tests are done two studies show that high blood levels of the fats called triglycerides are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart attack. But that holds...

Better Hospital Care Means More Lives Saved

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 09:06:26 GMT
American patients are less likely to die if cared for at hospitals typically ranked high in quality a new study confirms. According to the researchers if the lowestranked hospitals had the same death rates as topranked hospitals 2200 ...

Health Tip Before You Use a Blood Thinner

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 09:06:25 GMT
Blood thinning medications are prescribed to help prevent heart attacks strokes and blood vessel blockages caused by clots. They also are prescribed for people who have cardiac problems including atrial fibrillation phlebitis or congestiv...

Patch Helps Heart Grow New Cells

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 09:07:48 GMT
A special patch placed on a damaged area of the heart regenerates cardiac cells after heart attack and improves heart function a new study finds. Success with the patch in rats may lead the way to new methods of repairing damaged human h...

Hospitalized Patients at High Risk of Vein Clots

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 12:05:51 GMT
A surprisingly large number of hospital patients run the risk of a potentially fatal vein clot but half of them arent getting preventive treatment researchers report. The clotting condition called venous thromboembolism VTE involves t...

Another Study Sees Heart Risks in Hormone Replacement Therapy

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 14:05:52 GMT
Yet another study confirms that hormone replacement therapy should not be used in older women to help prevent heart disease although it appears to be safe and effective in relieving menopausal symptoms in younger women. In fact in older ...

AntiObesity Drug Might Also Lower Cholesterol

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 14:05:52 GMT
A study in rats suggests that the antiobesity drug rimonabant may also reduce liver damage and improve cholesterol levels. Rimonabant is available in Europe under the brand name Acomplia but is not approved for use in the United States.

Americas Best Hospitals Tops for Heart Attack Survival

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 17:05:39 GMT
Heart attack patients are more likely to survive the month if they are admitted to a hospital ranked as Americas Best by U.S. News amp; World Report a new study found. However the study authors cautioned that the rankings may n...

Death Rate High in DrugCoated Stent Trial

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 12:07:37 GMT
Nearly a third of patients who had drugcoated stents implanted in vein grafts to improve coronary blood flow died within 32 months Dutch cardiologists report. There were no deaths among those who had similar vein grafts with traditional b...

Lung Trouble May Raise Heart Risk

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 16:06:00 GMT
FRIDAY June 29 HealthDay News Having reduced lung capacity may increase your risk of heart attack and stroke a group of New Zealand researchers report. For their study published online ahead of print in Thorax at team at t...

Opening of Kidney Arteries Brings Dangers

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 14:05:53 GMT
Angioplasty and stenting can open blocked kidney arteries but the procedure also throws off an immense amount of debris that can hurt kidney function a new study shows. It has been known that this procedure done primarily to relieve hi...

School Nurses Key to Preventing Heart Disease

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 12:05:52 GMT
School nurses are crucial to promoting heart health among children and youth according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association AHA. Starting efforts to reduce cardiovascular disease risk during childhood is an ...

Study Will Test Stem Cells Against Heart Attack

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 09:05:47 GMT
In a firstofakind study patients whove recently had a major heart attack and are undergoing coronary bypass surgery will be injected with selected stem cells harvested from their own bone marrow. The study of 60 patients by researchers...

Women Have Double the Risk of MidLife Stroke

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 16:06:18 GMT
Twice as many American women than men are suffering strokes in middle age a new study shows. The trend may be largely due to increases in heart disease and weight gain among women according to the report in the June 20 online edition of <...

Experts Debate Limits on Implanted Defibrillator Use

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 16:07:50 GMT
Implantable cardioverterdefibrillators ICDs can save heart patients lives but certain patients older people or those with lung disease kidney disease or heart failure are less likely to benefit from them than others a new Canadian study...

Artificial Arteries Might Aid Bypass Patients

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:05:48 GMT
U.S. researchers have developed artificial blood vessels that could help ease the demand for new sources of grafts in patients with heart and kidney disease. A team at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine engineered the artificia...

Heart and Kidneys Share Tight Medical Bond

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 09:06:13 GMT
Ailing kidneys can harm the heart and viceversa according to two studies highlighting the close connection between the two systems. The studies published in this weeks issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine concluded that an...

Blacks Less Likely to Get Angioplasty After Heart Attack

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 16:13:04 GMT
A new U.S. study finds that black Medicare patients who have a heart attack are less likely than whites to get procedures that open their blood vessels such as angioplasty which can leave them more vulnerable to dying within a year. The s...

Cut Down on Lawn Mower Injuries This Summer

Fri, 8 Jun 2007 17:05:33 GMT
Lawn mowers remain one of the most dangerous household appliances sending an estimated 80000 Americans to hospitals for treatment each year. Many of those injuries could be prevented by following some simple safety rules said Dr. Tobias ...

Study Links Inflammation to Heart Disease

Tue, 5 Jun 2007 12:06:14 GMT
Men with autoantibody rheumatic factor a marker of inflammation strongly associated with rheumatoid arthritis in their blood have a threefold increased risk of heart disease a new study says. In men the increased risk associated wi...

Omega3 Fatty Acids May Lower Blood Pressure

Mon, 4 Jun 2007 16:06:29 GMT
A diet rich in omega3 fatty acids found in certain fish nuts seeds and vegetable oils may help lower blood pressure. Thats the conclusion of a study that examined data from 4680 people in China Japan the United Kingdom and the ...

HighTech Imaging Might Advance Heart Disease Diagnosis

Mon, 4 Jun 2007 09:06:03 GMT
Software that combines information from two imaging technologies single photon emission computed tomography SPECT and cardiac computed tomography CT angiography can boost the diagnosis of heart disease U.S. researchers say. SPECT...

Health Tip Prepare for a Cardio Stress Test

Mon, 4 Jun 2007 09:06:03 GMT
A cardiovascular stress test is performed to help detect any heart problem during exercise. During the test a person walks on a treadmill at increasing levels of difficulty while a doctor monitors heart activity. To help ensure the most ac...

Biodegradable Stent Successful in Human Trial

Thu, 31 May 2007 19:06:10 GMT
A stent that biodegrades and vanishes from an artery in a matter of months has successfully passed a major test in humans German researchers report. The device made of magnesium is one of many different biodegradable stents that together...

TV Ads on Strokes Warning Signs Can Improve Care

Thu, 31 May 2007 16:06:01 GMT
Television advertising campaigns to raise public awareness about stroke symptoms appear to be working boosting the number of stroke patients who receive hospital treatment more quickly a Canadian study finds. Two public awareness campaig...

Getting Swifter Treatment for Deadliest Heart Attacks

Thu, 31 May 2007 09:07:57 GMT
The American Heart Association is launching a communitybased program to reduce the toll of the deadliest kind of heart attack. In technical terms the attack is called an STelevation myocardial infarction STEMI referring to a feature s...

Soy Nuts Lower Blood Pressure in Postmenopausal Women

Thu, 31 May 2007 09:07:57 GMT
Soy nuts may help lower blood pressure in postmenopausal women a new U.S. study finds. Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston studied 60 healthy women 12 with high blood pressure 140/90 milligrams of mercury or...

Online Education Program Helps Heart Patients

Fri, 18 May 2007 17:05:47 GMT
An online heart diseaseeducation program can help patients learn more about their treatment options a U.S. study finds. Researchers surveyed almost 3000 people with one of five heart conditions: coronary artery disease CAD atrial fibr...

Blood Thinners Approval Expanded to Include Most Severe Heart Attack

Fri, 18 May 2007 16:05:35 GMT
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given expanded approval to the SanofiAventis drug Lovenox to treat the most severe form of heart attack the drug maker said Friday. The blood thinners new approval is for people with acute STseg...

US Women Lagging Behind Men for Cholesterol Control

Wed, 16 May 2007 23:02:54 GMT
Women in the United States are much less likely than men to have their LDL bad cholesterol controlled to recommended levels a new study finds. Elevated LDL cholesterol levels increase the risk of cardiovascular disease the leading cau...

Light Cigarettes Take Heavy Toll on Blood Flow

Mon, 14 May 2007 23:01:34 GMT
Socalled light lowtar lownicotine cigarettes are just as tough on heart blood flow as regular cigarettes a new study finds. Turkish researchers looked at 62 people in their mid20s with no evidence of coronary artery disease. ...

Higher Dose of ClotBuster Is Better Before Artery Procedure

Fri, 11 May 2007 19:01:28 GMT
Cardiologists should be giving more of the clotpreventing drug Plavix than is now recommended before performing the arteryopening procedure called angioplasty a new study says. The analysis of 10 previous studies found that giving angiop...

Many HighRisk Patients Going Without AntiClotting Drugs

Fri, 11 May 2007 19:01:28 GMT
Although wellknown medicines can curb a dangerous cardiovascular condition called atherothrombosis at least 20 percent of people who could benefit from the drugs are still not getting them a new study finds. Atherothrombosis occurs when ...

Implanted Defibrillators Are Getting Better

Fri, 11 May 2007 19:01:28 GMT
Implanted defibrillators which deliver occasional jolts to the heart to keep it beating regularly are becoming much more reliable experts report. What really sticks out is the continuous improvement and the fact that we see a very low l...

Is 1 Pill Better Than 2 for HeartDisease Protection

Fri, 11 May 2007 19:01:28 GMT
When it comes to daily drug therapy for heart patients less may be more a new study suggests. Researchers developed a computer model to predict the cost and benefits of administering two drugs one to lower blood pressure and one to low...

iPods Make the Heart Skip a Beat

Thu, 10 May 2007 19:01:29 GMT
Listening to tunes on an iPod may be great for putting a skip in your step but it can also play havoc with a heart pacemaker a new study found. The portable music players caused pacemakers to malfunction in 50 percent of patients accordi...

Angioplasty Beats Drugs in Restoring Hearts Blood Flow

Tue, 8 May 2007 19:01:44 GMT
Angioplasty works better than drug treatment alone in relieving the dangerous squeeze on blood flow called silent ischemia for patients whove had a heart attack a Swiss study finds. The number of adverse cardiac events was 6.3 percent ...

Half of DrugCoated Stents Used OffLabel

Tue, 8 May 2007 19:01:44 GMT
Offlabel untested use of drugcoated stents makes up almost half of all uses of these devices for doctors treating blocked coronary arteries a new study reveals. However even though the risk for complications is higher with offl...

Statin Helps Keep Second Strokes at Bay

Fri, 4 May 2007 19:01:21 GMT
Lowering blood cholesterol levels with a statin after a stroke or a ministroke cuts the risk of a second stroke or heart attack French researchers report. The finding held true even in patients with no previous history of heart disease t...

Health Tip Understanding Heart Catheterization

Fri, 4 May 2007 19:01:21 GMT
Heart catheterization is a procedure that helps doctors diagnose and sometimes even treat certain heart conditions. It can show plaque buildup or blockages that could lead to heart attack. A long thin flexible tube is inserted into ...

Most Americans Dont Have High Blood Pressure Under Control

Thu, 3 May 2007 19:01:14 GMT
Although most Americans with high blood pressure are taking steps to combat the potentially deadly condition only 30 percent have it under control a new federal study found. That means the 70 percent of adults with uncontrolled high blood...

Stroke Risk Almost Double for Siblings of Those Whove Had Attacks

Wed, 2 May 2007 19:01:16 GMT
If you have a sibling whos suffered a stroke you might be nearly twice as likely as the average person to suffer a stroke a new U.S. study says. Researchers assessed stroke risk in 807 siblings of 181 people aged 45 to 65 who had stro...

Health Tip Whats an Echocardiogram

Wed, 2 May 2007 19:01:15 GMT
Echocardiogram is a diagnostic procedure that uses ultrasound waves to create images of the hearts anatomy. The procedure uses noninvasive electrodes that are attached to the skin. The test causes no pain and a person may eat or drink b...

Implantable Defibrillator Wires Prone to Failure

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 19:01:12 GMT
The wires through which implanted defibrillators deliver the electric jolts that keep hearts beating normally arent as reliable as many might think a German cardiovascular research center reports. Even though the composition of those wire...

Health Tip Whats a Pulmonary Embolism

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:51 GMT
A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot travels from another area of the body often the leg to the lung. The clot settles in the lung artery and causes a blockage that may lead to serious damage to the lungs or other organs. Pulmona...

Health Tip Treating Atrial Fibrillation

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:49 GMT
Atrial fibrillation AF occurs when the atria the hearts two upper chambers beat irregularly and ineffectively. Since blood cannot always be properly pumped out of the heart the condition could lead to formation of dangerous clots and ultimatel...

Statin Drugs Cut Risk of Recurrent Stroke

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:49 GMT
A new study supports the use of cholesterollowering statin medications after stroke even for patients without a prior history of heart disease. Patients without such histories who took the statin drug atorvastatin Lipitorreduced their...

Just a Little HighSaturated Fat Can Be Hard on the Arteries

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:48 GMT
Need more proof that a diet high in saturated fats is bad for your heart? Australian researchers found that eating just one piece of carrot cake high in saturated fat and drinking a milkshake can reduce the bodys ability to protect itself ...

Lowering Blood Pressure Can Stop or Reverse Heart Disease

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:47 GMT
Aggressive reduction of blood pressure in people with coronary artery disease may stop and even reverse the disease U.S. researchers report. In fact lowering patients blood pressure may be as important as treatment to reduce cholestero...

New Guidelines Out on Use of AntiClotting Therapy

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:45 GMT
New guidelines say that stroke risk factors should be the main consideration in determining whether anticlotting therapy is used to treat patients with a form of irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation AF. The revised procedure...

Blood Clot Threads Are Natures Most Stretchable Study

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:44 GMT
The tiny fibers that comprise blood clots have extraordinary elasticity according to researchers at Wake Forest University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. They found that these fibrin fibers which are about 100 nan...

New Gene Therapy Shows Promise for Hereditary Heart Conditions

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:41 GMT
A new method of gene therapy for hereditary heart conditions proved successful in animal tests and holds promise for longlasting treatments in humans say University of Florida researchers. The approach delivers corrective genes with a si...

Men at Higher Risk of Recurrent Blood Clots

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:38 GMT
Men are 50 percent more likely than women to develop another blood clot after having a first episode of deep venous thrombosis DVT researchers report. DVT involves the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein usually in the lower leg or...

Heart Attacks Often Go Unrecognized

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:38 GMT
Cardiologists have made impressive strides in the treatment of heart attacks in recent years. But if a patient or his or her doctor doesnt realize a heart attack is occurring those advances can be for naught. Heart attacks often go...

Paralyzed Patients Can Need Heart Pacing Help

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:37 GMT
Patients who experience a dangerous dip in heart rate after spinal cord injury may need heartpacing therapy researchers report. Cervical neck spinal cord injury can affect the nervous systems ability to regulate heart rate resulting i...

HighTech CT Useful in Spotting Heart Disease

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:36 GMT
While newer generation CT scans are useful in detecting coronary artery disease the technology does not replace the need for a doctors clinical judgment and should be used only when medically necessary a new study finds. The internationa...

Immigrants Healthier Than Native New Yorkers

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:30 GMT
Foreignborn residents of New York City generally arrive in the city healthier than U.S.born residents according to a city health department report released Friday. But the longer they stay the more unhealthy they become the researchers...

Health Tip Cerebral Aneurysms Need Early Diagnosis

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:28 GMT
A cerebral aneurysm occurs when the wall of a vein or artery located in the brain becomes dilated enlarged or bulging. While aneurysms may strike anyone they tend to occur more often in adults than children and in more women than men.

Journal Editor Criticizes Authors of Migraine Study

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:27 GMT
The authors of a new study linking migraines with aura to an increased risk for heart woes came under attack Tuesday by the editor of the medical journal that published their research the same day. The editorinchief of the Journal of ...

Study Supports Screening Babies for HeartRhythm Defect

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:23 GMT
Routine electrocardiogram ECG screening for newborns would save many lives by identifying a potentially deadly genetic condition called long QT syndrome Italian researchers report. They are recommending that healthcare providers through...

New Markers Wont Help Docs Assess Heart Risks

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:18 GMT
Muchheralded blood markers such as Creactive protein dont add much to older criteria such as cholesterol levels obesity or blood pressure when it comes to gauging a patients heart risks. Thats the main finding from a new report that t...

Experts Screen Most Older Adults to Prevent Heart Attacks

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:17 GMT
Mass screenings that would include most American men over 45 years of age and most women over 55 could prevent 90000 deaths from heart attack a year according to an expert panel recommending just such a program. The proposed screening wou...

New Method Gauges Anxiety Linked to Implanted Defibrillators

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:17 GMT
American researchers say theyve developed a new tool to measure anxiety levels in heart patients with implantable cardioverter devices ICDs. ICDs deliver an electric shock to correct potentially deadly abnormal heart rhythms. However e...

Epidemic of Deadly Atrial Fibrillation is Here

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:14 GMT
A Minnesota study indicates that the dangerous abnormal heartbeat called atrial fibrillation is much more common than previously thought. The current estimate that 2.2 million Americans have atrial fibrillation has to be drastically revised...

Shedding Light on Trans Fats in Foods

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:12 GMT
FRIDAY June 30 HealthDay News Donuts muffins and frozen pizzas all had their cover blown on Jan. 1 when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration mandated labeling of socalled trans fats in foods. These treats and many other commerci...

Two Technologies Together Spot Clogged Vessels

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:11 GMT
Using two nonsurgical scanning technologies together greatly improves doctors ability to spot clogged coronary arteries a new study shows. Combining a new cardiac MRI technique called stress firstpass perfusion MRI with another method...

Antioxidant May Prevent Kidney Damage Study Finds

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:10 GMT
An Italian study adds some information but doesnt resolve a major medical debate: Is an antioxidant called acetylcysteine effective against one of the most common forms of inhospital kidney failure? When doctors want to view inside ...

Nighttime Blood Pressure Linked to Heart Failure

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:09 GMT
People whose blood pressure doesnt go down a bit at night may be at high risk of developing congestive heart failure a potentially fatal condition a Swedish study found. Our data indicate that nondipping is a strong risk factor with ...

LowFat Dairy Products May Fight High Blood Pressure

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:08 GMT
Eating dairy products especially lowfat ones could help lower your blood pressure a new study suggests. Scientists arent clear where the beneficial effect comes from but they said lowfat dairy might be a crucial component of a health...

Womens Heart Care Varies Widely By Hospital

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:07 GMT
Women now have almost a 10 percent greater chance of surviving heart disease and stroke than they did just a few years ago but their chances of survival may also heavily depend on where theyre treated according to a new report released Monday....

Health Tip Varicose Veins May Not Need Treatment

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:07 GMT
Varicose veins also known as spider veins look dark blue or purple under the skin. They may also appear as twisted clumps of veins that may cause the skin above them to harden and swell. Although many people with varicose veins dont have...

Generic Versions of Zocor Approved

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:07 GMT
The first generic versions of the anticholesterol drug Zocor simvastatin were approved Friday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Zocor made by Merck amp; Co. is the 2ndbest selling statin drug in the United States behind Pfize...

Pricey Heart Procedure Best for Younger Patients

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:00 GMT
A treatment known as left atrial catheter ablation LACA that regulates irregular heartbeats may be a great benefit to some patients but at a high price new research shows. LACA is an effective treatment for atrial fibrillation acco...

Veggies Do a Heart Good

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:59 GMT
If you love your arteries eat your vegetables. So say researchers who found that mice fed a vegetablerich diet cut their risk for atherosclerosis hardening of the arteries by 38 percent. There is some epidemiological evid...

Medication Use Crucial After Stent Placement

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:50 GMT
Patients who receive a drugemitting stent after heart attack but dont follow their prescribed drug regimen boost their risk for death ninefold a new study finds. In the study heart attack patients who stopped taking their prescribed an...

Health Tip Calf Pain Could Signal Cardiovascular Trouble

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:49 GMT
Peripheral artery disease PAD is a condition in which damaged arteries reduce blood flow to the bodys muscles. A common symptom of PAD is pain in the calf or thigh while walking short distances says the American Academy of Family Physi...

Kitchen Cupboard or Medicine Cabinet

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:47 GMT
Take two bites of chocolate a sip of burgundy a filet of fresh fish and call me in the morning. Wouldnt that be a great prescription? It may not be too far off the mark. Studies are suggesting that some of the food on your d...

Researchers Spot Earliest Signs of Heart Disease

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:40 GMT
Japanese researchers have discovered a way to diagnose atherosclerosis hardening of the arteries even before symptoms arise. Screenings using a combination of PET scans an isotope called 15Owater and cold pressor testing showed ...

Expert Advice on Heart Attack Now Online

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:38 GMT
People with heart disease can now get both preventive recommendations and advice on postheart attack care from a newly created American Heart Association Web site. The free site which can be accessed through the AHAs home page at www.ame...

Mild Heart Disorder Raises Stroke Risk

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:38 GMT
Even mildly impaired heart function a loss of bloodpumping ability so limited that it doesnt cause symptoms may increase the risk of stroke a new study finds. Cardiologists have known for some time that people with impaired functio...

New Computer Scan Superior at Spotting Lung Clots

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:37 GMT
The latest version of computerized Xray scanning does a fine job of detecting potentially fatal blood clots in the lungs but the technology still leaves ample room for a doctors clinical judgment about individual patients a new study suggests.

Health Tip Keep Your Arteries Healthy

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:31 GMT
Atherosclerosis hardening of the arteries occurs when fatty deposits build up inside the arteries. These deposits cause artery walls to harden thicken and may eventually cause blockages that could lead to a heart attack or stroke. Diet...

Study Shows Best Treatment for Lung Injury Patients

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:30 GMT
A major study has answered two knotty questions for doctors treating patients with the severe lung injury called acute respiratory distress syndrome ARDS. The issues may seem esoteric but they can be literally of lifeanddeath importanc...

Study Puts Focus on American Indians Hypertension

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:29 GMT
Factors linked to race and gender can boost the risk for high blood pressure in American Indians a new study finds. Researchers analyzed data collected from more than 4500 American Indians from Arizona Oklahoma and North and South Dakot...

Early Treatment Helps People With Prehypertension

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:29 GMT
People with the early signs of hypertension appear to benefit from early treatment with blood pressure medication new research shows. During the four years of the Trial of Preventing Hypertension TROPHY study researchers found that peop...

Many Docs Fail to Manage Patients Hypertension

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:28 GMT
Even though nearly twothirds of patients with uncontrolled high blood pressure had high or very high cardiovascular disease risk and risk factors nearly a third of their primary care doctors felt the patients did not need a change in their treatmen...

New Vioxx Data Confirm Concerns About Risk Doctors Say

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:28 GMT
News that the cardiovascular risks of Vioxx start to surface earlier than the drugs maker has claimed came as no surprise to experts who said the latest development only confirms their fears about the safety of the nowwithdrawn painkiller. ...

Studies Gauge Safety of Replacing Implanted Defibrillators

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:26 GMT
Physicians need to carefully weigh the dangers of replacing an implantable cardioverter defibrillator a device that delivers a shock to restart a malfunctioning heart against the potential risk that the current implanted device will fail. ...

Fish Consumption Linked to Heart Abnormality

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:26 GMT
Putting a confusing twist on the health value of fish oil a new study suggests that eating lots of fish may actually boost the risk of atrial fibrillation a potentially dangerous heart condition in certain people. However the heavy fish...

Women Benefiting Less From Improved Heart Disease Care

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:16 GMT
U.S. deaths from heart disease have dropped by half over the last quartercentury but not everyone is benefiting equally a new study shows. A new Mayo Clinic study finds men doing better than women and people in hospitals doing better tha...

Ultrasound Can Help Predict Heart Attack Risk

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:15 GMT
Ultrasound imaging to detect plaque buildup atherosclerosis in the carotid artery of the neck may help doctors predict heart attack and other cardiac events in adults considered at lowrisk for heart disease. Thats the conclusion of a st...

Health Tip Warning Signs of a Heart Attack

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:12 GMT
A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is restricted typically by a blockage in an artery. Most people know that if they have unexplained chest pain they should seek immediate medical help. But there are other signs that could signal a ...

Cheaper Diuretics Best Bet for Preventing Heart Failure

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:11 GMT
Diuretic drugs are the best first step in treating high blood pressure to prevent heart failure concludes a new U.S. study. For this study researchers analyzed data on over 33000 patients with high blood pressure and one or more risk fac...

Health Tip If Your Blood Pressure is Even a Little High

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:09 GMT
If youre one of the many Americans who falls between normal blood pressure and hypertension you probably have a condition known as prehypertension. According to the U.S. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute high blood pressure can i...

Relaxation Gives Truer Blood Pressure Reading

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:08 GMT
Taking a few minutes to relax and get comfortable before having your blood pressure checked will yield lower readings according to a study by University of Virginia Health System nurses. It found that systolic blood pressure can be an aver...

Treatment Team Lowers Heart Risk for Obese Patients

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:07 GMT
In just six months a multipronged approach to treating obese patients with dangerous metabolic syndrome reduced their 10year risk for cardiovascular disease by nearly 20 percent researchers report. Metabolic syndrome refers to a collect...

New Guidelines Recommended for Implanted Heart Devices

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:30:05 GMT
Guidelines to bring order to the now disorderly realm of implanted heart devices have been proposed by a leading U.S. medical organization. One indication of the degree of disorder was the inability of leaders of the organization the Heart...

Healthy Hearts Are Thankful Hearts

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:29:12 GMT
This Thanksgiving Donna Whitelock and her family expect to be sitting around the table giving thanks for the most basic of all blessings: life. Not all holidays have been this happy for the Whitelock family. It had just started...

New Blood Thinner Offers Safer Heart Attack Care

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:29:12 GMT
A newer anticlotting drug called bivalirudin Angiomax beats standard combination drug therapy for patients with acute coronary syndromes such as heart attacks a new study finds. We use it at Columbia in the vast majority of cases sai...

Embryonic Stem Cells Yield Full Range of Heart Tissues

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:29:11 GMT
In a discovery that highlights the promise of stem cell research researchers say a master embryonic cardiac stem cell is able to produce all three types of cardiac tissue. In experiments using mice the Harvard University team was able t...

US Experts Aim for Better Heart Imaging

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:29:10 GMT
A national panel of experts have developed an action plan to boost the quality of CT scans MRI and other cardiovascular imaging in the United States. Their recommendations appear in the current issue of the Journal of the American Col...

3D Cardiac MRI Spots Heart Trouble

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:29:09 GMT
A technology called wholeheart MRI shows promise as a noninvasive method of detecting major blockages in coronary arteries Japanese researchers report. Wholeheart MRI provides 3D images of the heart and its blood vessels. It may offer a...

Heart Risk Tool May Be Failing Kidney Patients

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:29:08 GMT
The Framingham Score a standard tool for predicting cardiovascular disease greatly underestimates the actual rate of heart disease in patients receiving dialysis for endstage renal kidney disease a new report finds. This underes...

High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy Boosts Disease Risk Later in Life

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:29:07 GMT
Women who experience high blood pressure during pregnancy have a higher risk of stroke heart and kidney disease later in life a new study found. The study calls into question the commonly held belief that high blood pressure during pregna...

Higher Resting Heart Rate May Boost Death Risk

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:29:06 GMT
A longterm rise in a mans resting heart rate increases his risk of dying French researchers report. Their study of more than 4300 men aged 42 to 53 found that those whose resting heart rate increased over five years were nearly 50 per...

AnimalTissue Heart Valves Appear Safe

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:29:06 GMT
Young patients who receive replacement heart valves made from animal tissue live just as long as those who get mechanical valves new research shows. The results being presented at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association in C...

Health Tip Thrombus vs Embolus

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:29:06 GMT
Blood clots are clumps formed when blood coagulates. Such clots have different names depending on where they are located and how they formed. A blood clot that forms in a blood vessel or in the heart and does not move to another area of t...

Blood Transfusions Wont Help All Heart Patients

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:29:06 GMT
Blood transfusions can benefit some patients with acute coronary syndrome but will harm others and should be used in moderation U.S. researchers report. Acute coronary syndrome ACS is a condition in which patients show signs of a heart ...

Migraines Linked to Heart Risk in Men

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:29:06 GMT
Men who suffer from migraine headaches appear to be at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease mostly due to a higher risk of having a heart attack researchers report. But the advice to men with or without migraines is the same expe...

DrugCoated Stents Can Keep Leg Arteries Clear

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:29:05 GMT
Drugcoated stents the tiny mesh tubes that surgeons use to prop open arteries in the upper body may also help restore and maintain blood flow to the lower legs a small new study finds. It can be difficult to treat clogged arteries in th...

Amniotic Stem Cells Offer Hope Against Congenital Heart Defects

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:29:04 GMT
A young mothertobe learns her 5monthold fetus has a congenital heart defect. Today this news is met with anger sorrow denial. Doctors will watch the unborn baby closely and may even be able to correct the problem. But the fact remai...

Many Younger Stroke Survivors Lack Good Medical Care

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:29:04 GMT
Younger stroke survivors have a tougher time getting medical care and affording prescription drugs compared to older patients a U.S. study finds. Researchers at the Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center and University of Alabama at Bi...

Angioplasty Wont Always Cut Risk for Second Heart Attack

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:29:04 GMT
Opening a patients arteries with angioplasty plus a stent three to 28 days after a heart attack does not cut the risk of having another heart attack going into heart failure or dying new research shows. These particular patients do not ...

Heart Failure Patients Can Waltz Their Way to Stronger Hearts

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:29:02 GMT
Why walk your way to better heart health when you can waltz? Thats the question posed by Italian researchers whove found that waltzing improves heart function and quality of life among chronic heart failure patients. The benefits appear...

Blood Pressure Drugs Ward Off Kidney Disease

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:29:01 GMT
ACE inhibitor blood pressure drugs can cut kidney disease risk in diabetes patients with high blood pressure researchers report. The Italian study included more than 1200 patients with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. They were ra...

Health Tip Understanding Pulmonary Hypertension

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:29:01 GMT
Pulmonary hypertension occurs when the arteries of the lungs become narrow and restrict the flow of blood from the heart. Blood pressure increases in these arteries and ultimately causes the right ventricle of the heart to become weaker and possibl...

Pacemaker Could Aid Some Cases of Heart Failure

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:59 GMT
Cardiologist researchers are proposing a new way of managing a specific type of heart failure: implanting a pacemaker to regulate heart function. In heart failure the organ typically loses its ability to efficiently pump blood as measure...

Study Finds High Incidence of LessRecognized Heart Failure

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:58 GMT
A different kind of heart failure in which the heart malfunctions only under stress is more common than has been thought new research indicates. Heart failure usually is defined as the progressive loss of the ability to pump blood a s...

Malaria Drug May Fight Metabolic Syndrome

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:58 GMT
A drug that has been used for decades to treat malaria may also fight the constellation of cardiovascular risk factors known as the metabolic syndrome. When given in low doses the drug chloroquine arrested the symptoms of metabolic syndrom...

Stem Cell Fish Research Shows Heart Regeneration

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:55 GMT
New information about how the hearts of tiny zebrafish regenerate could help in developing new ways to treat heart damage in humans say Duke University Medical Center scientists. They found that when a portion of a zebrafishs heart is rem...

DeviceDelivered Drugs Ease Severe Heart Failure

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:55 GMT
Intensive drug therapy administered directly into heart muscle is saving the lives of people with the most severe form of heart failure British researchers report. The medicines were administered through a left ventricular assist device a...

Test Gauges Pulmonary Hypertension Risk

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:54 GMT
A simple noninvasive test that measures the function of the hearts right ventricle helps predict survival time in adults with dangerous pulmonary hypertension U.S. researchers report. Pulmonary hypertension is a progressive narrowing of ...

Stroke Rehab Technique Improves Arm Hand Function

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:54 GMT
An intensified type of forceduse therapy for stroke patients which involves restraining the good arm or hand helps improve function in the bad arm or hand. But the findings only apply to patients who had a stroke within the previo...

Statins Could Aid Heart Failure Patients

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:54 GMT
Cholesterolbusting statin drugs can cut the risk of death and hospitalization for heart failure patients with high cholesterol a major study finds. The findings are the latest but certainly not the last contribution to the ongoing ...

Blood Test Gauges Clot Recurrence Risk

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:50 GMT
A new blood test can help doctors decide whether to continue anticoagulant therapy for people who have suffered dangerous clots in the legs or lungs an Italian study indicates. These clots called deep vein thrombosis DVT involve the ...

Heart From Donor With Hepatitis C Reduces Survival

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:44 GMT
Heart transplant recipients whose organ comes from a donor infected with the hepatitis C virus have a much lower survival rate than those whose donors are free of the virus a new study finds. There has been ongoing debate about transplanti...

Fish and Fish Oils Benefits Far Outweigh Risks

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:44 GMT
Americans looking for safe healthy eating should focus first on fish according to two governmentfunded reviews that weighed the pros and cons of eating the finned food. The verdict: Fish is likely the single most important food to eat f...

Study Questions Value of Lower Cholesterol Targets

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:40 GMT
Theres no clear evidence that very low levels of lowdensity lipoprotein LDL cholesterol benefit people at high risk for heart disease. Instead the emphasis should be on getting more of these patients to take statin drugs says a U.S. study. ...

Walnuts May Beat Olive Oil for Heart Health

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:37 GMT
A highfat dinner followed by an unusual dessert suggests that walnuts might be even better for the arteries than olive oil Spanish researchers report. The dinner consisted of a salami and cheese sandwich on white bread plus highfat yogu...

Health Tip Whats Pericarditis

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:34 GMT
Pericarditis is a condition in which the pericardium the membrane around the heart becomes inflamed. This inflammation restricts the heart from pumping efficiently. Pericarditis occurs most commonly in men between the ages of 20 and 50. S...

Research Offers Insights Into Livers Role in Metabolic Syndrome

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:34 GMT
Liver function influences blood pressure variation in nondiabetic HispanicAmerican families according to a study presented Thursday at a meeting of the American Heart Association. The liver is known to play an important role in metabolic...

Study Favors One Type of DrugCoated Stent

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:33 GMT
A new Italian study appears to pick a winner from two widely used expensive drugcoated stents that are used to prop open ailing arteries. Researchers conclude that Cypher a wiremesh stent coated with sirolimus made by Cordis Inc. is b...

Polluted Air Might Increase Stroke Risk

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:22 GMT
The pollution you breathe now may increase your risk of having a stroke within the next two hours according to new research. In an article published online ahead of print in Occupational and Environmental Medicine researchers asse...

2 Trials Show StemCell Therapy Benefits HeartAttack Patients

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:22 GMT
Two German trials that used injected stem cells to strengthen the heart muscle after a heart attack got good results while a small Norwegian trial showed no benefit. All three trials used stem cells derived from bone marrow. Perhaps the be...

High Levels of Lipoprotein Spell Cardiac Trouble in Women

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:21 GMT
Women who have high levels of a littleknown lipoprotein face a higher risk of heart attacks and strokes a new study suggests. And when a high reading on what is called lipoprotein a is accompanied by high levels of bad cholesterol wo...

Heart Attack Patients Skipping Important Meds

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:20 GMT
Many U.S. heart attack patients are not taking their medications as prescribed according to new research. In a study published in the September issue of the American Heart Journal researchers from Duke University followed more tha...

Muscle Cell Insights a Boon to Research

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:18 GMT
When a protein called BAG3 is absent muscle cells that should grow stronger with use selfdestruct instead says a Medical College of Georgia study. The finding demonstrates the importance of BAG3 in maintaining mature skeletal muscle. Thi...

Protein Could Warn of Heart Failure

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:14 GMT
Levels of a protein called GRK2 which plays an important regulatory role in heart failure are higher in patients with failing hearts than in those with normal hearts U.S. researchers report. The finding supports previous research that i...

Brown Seaweed May Be a Fat Fighter

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:12 GMT
That tasty miso soup you had for lunch may be more than delicious it could help you burn away excess fat. Thats the conclusion of preliminary research presented Monday at the American Chemical Societys annual meeting in San Francisco....

Health Tip Living With a Pacemaker

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:07 GMT
If youve had a pacemaker implanted the American Heart Association says you should take certain precautions to stay healthy and make sure your pacemaker is working properly. Be sure your doctor has given you guidelines on recognizing a he...

FDA Approves 1st Implantable Artificial Heart

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:07 GMT
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved the first totally implantable artificial heart for patients with advanced heart disease too ill for a heart transplant. The device the AbioCor Implantable Replacement Heart was ap...

Health Tip Chronic Kidney Disease Can Damage Heart

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:03 GMT
Chronic kidney disease occurs when the organs fail to properly regulate the bodys mineral and water balance. The kidneys also lose the ability to expel waste products from the body efficiently. Left untreated kidney disease can raise bloo...

Health Tip Angina Is Chest Pain

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:03 GMT
Angina occurs when the heart does not receive enough blood. Angina may feel like pain or discomfort in the chest including pressure tightness indigestion or heartburn. Pain from angina may also be felt in the neck shoulders jaw back a...

Long Work Days Linked to High Blood Pressure

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:01 GMT
Long hours on the job may lead to a greater risk of high blood pressure particularly for people who dont have much control over their work a new study found. Other studies have focused on job stress we focused on long work hours said...

US Adds TLC to New Cholesterol Guide

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:28:00 GMT
A new publication that tells people how to make lifestyle changes to reduce high cholesterol levels and lower their risk for heart disease has been issued by the U.S. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Your Guide to Lowering Yo...

Health Tip Hyponatremia is SalttoWater Imbalance

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:27:58 GMT
Hyponatremia is a disorder in which the bodys sodiumtowater ratio becomes seriously unbalanced usually as a result of another condition. Muscle spasms or cramps nausea vomiting fatigue and headache are all symptoms of hyponatremia ...

MexicanAmericans at Higher Risk for Second Stroke

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:27:56 GMT
MexicanAmericans whove suffered a stroke are 57 percent more likely than nonHispanic whites to suffer a second stroke researchers report. The finding adds to the results of a 1998 study that found that PuertoRican American stroke patie...

Lifetime Cost of Womens Angina Tops 1 Million

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:27:54 GMT
Chest pain isnt cheap. A new U.S study finds that the lifetime bill for treating a womans heart diseaselinked angina could total $1 million. Even chest pain associated with mild artery blockages called nonobstructive coron...

Health Tip Know Your Blood Pressure

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:27:53 GMT
Blood pressure and cholesterol levels are excellent indicators of heart disease risk. If your levels are in or nearing the dangerous range youll need to take action to protect your heart and your health. But what are those levels? Heres ...

Does BodyMass Index Really Predict Heart Risk

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:27:52 GMT
The widely used bodymass index BMI is not an accurate indicator of cardiovascular risk for people with heart disease because it does not distinguish between muscle and fat a major review of the data contends. BMI is determined by...

Expanded Use of Plavix Approved

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:27:51 GMT
The Sanofi Aventis heart drug Plavix clopidogrel bisulfate received new approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday to treat a type of heart attack caused by the sudden blockage of an artery. About 500000 Americans a...

US Stroke Bill Could Top 22 Trillion by 2050

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:27:50 GMT
Stroke will cost the United States $2.2 trillion over the next 50 years with lost income from younger stroke victims playing a major role and the burden falling heaviest on minorities a new study finds. The risk of stroke is highest in m...

Heart Failure Patients Fare Better With FollowUp Nursing Care

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:27:50 GMT
Heart failure patients who get followup care from nurses have fewer hospitalizations and function better than patients who receive what is considered usual care researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City report. Some...

Siestas May Cut Heart Disease Risk

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:27:05 GMT
A large study of Greek men and women suggests that taking a daily midday nap may reduce your risk of dying from heart disease by more than 30 percent. Siestas are common in Mediterranean countries and several Latin American nations and in ...

Hospital a Big Factor in Black Patients Stroke Care

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:27:03 GMT
Black American stroke patients actually have worse outcomes when theyre treated at hospitals that care for large numbers of minority stroke patients a new study finds. Researchers saw no such racial disparity at hospitals that treated mor...

Beauty ShopBased Stroke Outreach Works

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:27:03 GMT
Beauty shops may be an ideal place to educate minority women about stroke suggests a study slated for presentation this week in San Francisco at the American Stroke Associations International Stroke Conference. In the study researchers ...

Robot Hand May Speed Stroke Recovery

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:27:02 GMT
Robot technology is giving debilitated stroke patients a helping hand literally. Researchers at the University of California Irvine say a robotic hand is helping patients regain strength and movement so they can perform simple acts suc...

Study Sees Benefits in Boosting Levels of Good Cholesterol

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:27:01 GMT
Scientists have shown for the first time that raising good cholesterol levels is almost as important as lowering levels of bad cholesterol in reducing heartthreatening plaque in arteries. But its unclear at this stage whether the str...

High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy Boosts Lifetime Heart Risk

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:27:00 GMT
High blood pressure during pregnancy is a warning sign of diabetes and heart disease later in life a Dutch study indicates. The study of 491 older postmenopausal women found that those who had reported high blood pressure during a pregnan...

US Minority Women Know Less About Heart Disease Survey

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:27:00 GMT
Even though theyre at greater risk for cardiovascular disease minority women in the United States know less about this serious health issue than white women according to an American Heart Association survey released Monday. Researchers c...

Groundhogs Other Hibernators Could Aid Human Health

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:59 GMT
When Punxsutawney Phil popped up to look for his shadow Friday morning he was not just forecasting how long winter will last. Biologists now think that Phil and his fellow groundhogs along with other animals in hibernation could foreshad...

Air Pollution Poses Heart Risk to Postmenopausal Women

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:57 GMT
Postmenopausal women who live in areas with higher air pollution levels have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease and of dying from it. Thats the conclusion of new research that found the risk of heart disease is higher than ...

Experts Issue Blood Clot Treatment Guidelines

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:57 GMT
U.S. experts this week issued guidelines to help primary care doctors diagnosis and treat venous thromboembolisms VTEs which include deepvein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. VTEs are potentially fatal conditions that occur when a bl...

DrugEluting Stents Best After Artery ReClosure

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:56 GMT
Using drugcoated stents to replace bare metal stents that have become blocked may be the best solution to reopening cardiac arteries and keeping them open European researchers report. In fact replacing bare metal stents with drugcoated ...

Good Heart Health Habits Should Start in Childhood

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:46 GMT
TV commercials touting cholesterollowering remedies typically feature middleaged men and women. The reason: Thats when the soft waxy substance can start to clog arteries raising the risk of heart disease. But experts say the focus on r...

Health Tip About Congestive Heart Failure

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:45 GMT
Congestive heart failure CHF occurs when the heart cannot pump blood well enough to supply the body with all of the oxygen it needs. According to BarnesJewish Hospital in St. Louis conditions that can trigger heart failure include: ...

Health Tip Children Can Have High Blood Pressure Too

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:44 GMT
High blood pressure usually occurs when arteries narrow and make it more difficult for the heart to pump blood throughout the body. The condition increases a persons risk of cardiovascular disease. While its most common in adults the Tex...

Case Study Examines Rare Heart Attack Complication

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:41 GMT
Unexplained chest pain after a heart attack may be more dangerous than doctors initially believe suggests a case study published in the January issue of the journal Clinical Cardiology. In the article doctors at Thomas Jefferson ...

Cardiologists Issue Guidelines for Stent Use

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:41 GMT
A leading cardiology association issued a clinical alert Thursday to help guide physicians in reducing the risk of blood clots when inserting drugeluting stents in heart patients. We view this as sort of a wakeup call and backtobasi...

Experimental Drug Tackles Inherited High Cholesterol

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:40 GMT
A new drug that helps people with a severe inherited form of high cholesterol looks promising a study found. But even the researchers who report their findings in the Jan. 11 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine caution t...

Study Backs Worksite Stress Interventions

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:40 GMT
A workplace intervention program can significantly reduce signs of stress on the heart say researchers. Workrelated stress is one of several factors that may increase the risk of heart attack. In a study published this week in <...

People With Congenital Heart Disease Living Longer

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:39 GMT
The incidence of congenital heart defects went up by 85 percent in adults and by 22 percent in children from 1985 to 2000 according to a Canadian study but the news is not all bad. Better diagnosis and treatment has increased the number ...

Milk Blunts Heart Benefits of Tea

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:38 GMT
Plenty of studies have suggested that tea is a boon for cardiovascular health but new research has found that adding milk to your favorite brew negates those benefits. The culprits in milk is a group of proteins called caseins that interac...

Implantable Defibrillator Not for Every Heart Patient

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:36 GMT
Implantable defibrillators dont help all heart patients but a simple test can tell who should have the costly devices and who shouldnt researchers report. This is the first study to show no benefit from defibrillators if someone is at ...

Liver Sugars May Help Control Triglycerides

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:35 GMT
U.S. researchers say theyve identified a factor that may contribute to high levels of blood fats called triglycerides. High triglyceride levels affect nearly 10 percent of Americans. Having high triglyceride levels can lead to a buildup o...

InflammationFighting Drug Fails in Heart Trial

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:33 GMT
An inflammationfighting drug has failed to improve the survival of people who had stents implanted after suffering a heart attack researchers report. But the idea of fighting inflammation to help such patients remains alive said Dr. Chri...

Heart Failure Measures Dont Measure Up

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:33 GMT
The measures U.S. hospitals use to gauge how well they care for heart failure patients may be faulty new research shows. Those measures include guidelines developed by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association. ...

Health Tip Heart Palpitations

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:31 GMT
Heart palpitations feel like the heart is pounding or racing. The sensation may also feel like a skipped or abnormal beat often felt in the chest neck or throat. Heart palpitations may or may not indicate a serious condition says the U.S...

Cholesterols Role in Parkinsons Remains Elusive

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:31 GMT
People with low levels of bad lowdensity lipoprotein LDL cholesterol are more likely to have Parkinsons disease than people with high LDL levels a new study says. Low levels of LDL cholesterol are considered be an indicator of good...

Heart Disease Stroke Still Big Killers

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:31 GMT
Rising obesity and poor nutrition are keeping heart disease at the top of the list of Americas fatal illnesses according to the 2007 edition of the American Heart Associations annual statistical roundup. Changes in lifestyle behavior...

US Government Should Track Heart Disease Experts

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:23 GMT
The U.S. government should track national rates of heart disease and stroke to help cut the incidence of these prime causes of deaths say experts at the American Heart Association AHA. The group published the recommendation in a scienti...

Community Doctors Can Perform Carotid Stenting

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:21 GMT
Carotid stenting inserting a tube to keep the main artery to the brain open to prevent a stroke can be done by community physicians as well as specialists a study shows. The study was done to see whether the technology can be transf...

Medicares Hospital Ratings System May Be Flawed

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:20 GMT
Medicares standard hospitalperformance measures may not accurately reflect reallife patient outcomes U.S. researchers report. They found little difference in death rates for three common conditions heart attack heart failure and ...

Researchers Uncover Process Leading to Arterial Plaque Rupture

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:19 GMT
An important molecular process that can cause plaque rupture in people with atherosclerosis has been identified by Columbia University Medical Center researchers. The findings could lead to therapies to prevent plaque rupture which can pr...

Health Tip Low Blood Pressure May Be Dangerous Too

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:19 GMT
Low blood pressure hypotension occurs when the pressure within the artery walls is too low during and after a heartbeat. If it becomes too low blood flow to the heart brain and other organs may be compromised. The most common symptoms ...

DrugCoated Stents Dont Boost Death Risk US Advisers Say

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:16 GMT
Although drugcoated stents might pose a clotting risk they do not increase the chances of heart attack or death a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel concluded Thursday. While the panel of 21 experts broadly dismissed the mo...

Statin Users Risk Heart Attacks by Stopping Treatment

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:15 GMT
People with high cholesterol levels who stop taking the drugs called statins increase their risk of heart attacks by at least 30 percent a Dutch study finds. And a lot of people do stop taking statins which are prescribed to lower cholest...

FDA Panel to Weigh Value of DrugCoated Stents

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:14 GMT
When a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory committee begins a twoday session Thursday to examine the safety of drugcoated stents thousands of cardiologists and millions of patients will be paying close attention. Coated stents hav...

DrugCoated Stents Create Clot Risk

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:14 GMT
The oncepromising notion that drugcoated stents could help patients with heart disease is now clouded with uncertainty. Enough so that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is convening a twoday meeting of experts this week to investigat...

2 Studies Find DrugEluting Stents Risky Without Blood Thinner

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:13 GMT
Heart patients with drugeluting stents implanted to keep their arteries open have a higher risk of sudden death than those getting baremetal stents if they stop taking the bloodthinning drug Plavix Swiss and American cardiologists report. ...

Medicaid Patients Receive Poorer Cardiac Care

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:13 GMT
U.S. Medicaid patients are less likely than patients with HMOs or private health insurance to receive recommended cardiac care say researchers who analyzed data on more than 96000 patients at 521 hospitals across the country. All the pati...

Doctors Divided Over Loss of Experimental Cholesterol Drug

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:12 GMT
While some heart experts are calling Pfizer Inc.s decision to halt development of a promising new cholesterol drug a major disappointment other experts note that existing medicines offer significant benefits. Pfizer announced on Saturday ...

Blood Pressure Often Higher in Boys Than Girls

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:12 GMT
Boys are much more likely than girls to have higher systolic blood pressure which could explain why men have higher rates of hypertension than women Canadian researchers report. The fiveyear study of more than 1200 students in Montreal ...

DrugEluting Stents Risky Without Blood Thinner Study Suggests

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:12 GMT
Heart patients with drugeluting stents implanted to keep their arteries open were found to have a much higher risk of sudden death than those getting bare metal stents if they stopped taking the blood thinner Plavix a new Swiss study reports. ...

Blood Levels of Uric Acid Predict Hypertension in Blacks

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:11 GMT
Higher levels of uric acid in the blood are associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure in black Americans a new study finds. The findings suggest that a simple blood test could help predict the risk of high blood pressure in ...

Health Tip Warning Sign of a Major Stroke

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:10 GMT
Transient ischemic attacks TIAs are small strokes that often precede a major stroke. While most strokes arent preceded by TIAs if you do have a TIA you should learn to recognize its warning signs. This can help you and your doct...

Compound in Red Wine May Be Key to Heart Health

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:09 GMT
The benefits of red wine keep pouring in: British researchers now say that higher levels of procyanidins a compound found in red wine have potent protective effects on blood vessels. But the levels of procyanidins a type of flavon...

Health Tip BloodThinning Drugs May Have Side Effects

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:09 GMT
Bloodthinning medications are typically prescribed after a heart attack or stroke to prevent a recurrence. But the American Heart Association cautions that these drugs may have significant side effects:

Bruising easily.

Statins Cut Risk of Heart Attack Stroke in Those Without Heart Disease

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:26:08 GMT
There are clear medical benefits for prescribing cholesterolreducing statin drugs for people who dont have cardiovascular disease but are at moderate risk of heart attack stroke or other events new research indicates. An analysis of stu...

Doctors Aggressively Treating Heart Attack

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:52 GMT
Doctors do a good job of aggressively treating heart attacks in the early stages and often take action before laboratory tests confirm the diagnosis says a study that included 8312 patients at 467 hospitals in 12 countries. There has al...

Stroke Guidelines Focus on Critical First Hours

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:52 GMT
Intravenous delivery of the clotbusting drug tPA is still the best treatment for patients in the crucial first few hours after an ischemic stroke say new guidelines released by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. ...

Hot Flashes in Women Tied to Higher Blood Pressure

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:51 GMT
Hot flashes in women are linked with high blood pressure says a new study that may be the first to identify this association. The study of 154 women ages 18 to 65 with a mean age of 46 found that the 51 women who reported having hot...

CoPayments Cut Statin Use

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:49 GMT
Many patients taking statins to lower their cholesterol stop taking the drugs because of copayments and shared drug costs a new study found. These drugs which have been shown to prevent heart attacks should be fully covered by insurance...

Patient Questionnaire Can Gauge Heart Failure Risk

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:49 GMT
A 23item questionnaire may help doctors identify heart failure patients at greatest risk of death or hospitalization according to a study in the journal Circulation. The study of 1358 patients found that every fivepoint drop in s...

Study Questions Value of Stents for Blocked Heart Artery

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:49 GMT
A new study suggests that the advent of expensive drugcoated stents did not improve the success rate of procedures used to open blocked heart arteries. Success rates in keeping these large arteries open did rise dramatically after baremet...

Lack of Health Insurance Linked to Stroke Risk Study Finds

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:47 GMT
Americans who dont have health insurance may have an increased risk of stroke. So says a new study in the April issue of the Journal of the Society of General Internal Medicine. People without health insurance are more lik...

Health Tip Good vs Bad Cholesterol

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:45 GMT
There are two types of cholesterol: highdensity lipoproteins HDL and lowdensity lipoproteins LDL. When you get your cholesterol levels checked your doctor will usually give you both readings. LDL cholesterol is often called bad cho...

Molecule Could Hold Key to Cholesterol

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:45 GMT
A newly discovered molecule could lead to a whole new way of fighting high blood fats such as triglycerides and cholesterol researchers say. The molecule abbreviated as GPIHBP1 sits on the surface of the endothelium the delicate lining ...

Fish Helps Statins Protect the Heart

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:42 GMT
People taking cholesterollowering drugs called statins who also consume omega3 fatty acids typically found in fish and fish oil have a better chance of avoiding heart problems than patients who take statins alone. Thats the conclus...

Heart Patients Seek Guidance on Stents Statins

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:41 GMT
A number of controversial findings presented during the American College of Cardiology meeting this week has probably left many heart patients scratching their heads over which treatment is best for their particular cardiovascular condition. <...

MRI Technique Could Predict Heart Attack Risk

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:40 GMT
An imaging technique based on the natural properties of good HDL cholesterol could someday help doctors spot patients at high risk of heart attack or stroke researchers report. HDL highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol is beneficial b...

Studies Highlight Pitfalls of DrugCoated Stents

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:38 GMT
About a third of patients who receive arteryopening drugcoated stents arent taking the anticlotting drug doctors often prescribe to keep the stent functioning as it should a new U.S. study finds. Other patients simply dont respond to P...

Drugs That Boost HDL Cholesterol Not Ready for Prime Time

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:38 GMT
A oncepromising experimental heart drug does not slow the progression of plaque buildup in coronary arteries even though it increases HDL or good cholesterol and lowers LDL or bad cholesterol researchers report. Something very stra...

CuttingEdge Devices Assist Cardio Treatments

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:38 GMT
An implantable device that stimulates the bodys own regulatory systems to control high blood pressure is among a number of experimental technologies that show promise in treating different kinds of cardiovascular problems. Others include ...

Heart Test Shows Who Needs Implantable Defibrillators

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:37 GMT
A new study provides more evidence that a special heart test could give cardiologists guidance on which patients need implanted defibrillators. The research which looks at patients who have weak heart muscles but no underlying coronary dis...

Quitting Smoking Rejuvenates Arteries

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:31 GMT
Smokestiffened arteries will slowly regain a healthy flexibility if smokers kick the habit a new study finds. It took a while before the arteries came back to normal stressed Dr. Azra Mahmud a lecturer in cardiovascular pharmacology a...

Gap in BlackWhite Life Expectancy Narrows

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:30 GMT
The life expectancy gap between U.S. blacks and whites has been shrinking over the past decade mainly due to lower death rates among blacks for homicide HIV unintentional injuries and heart disease researchers report. Overall the life ...

Checklist May Help Cut Sudden Death in Athletes

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:29 GMT
A 12step screening process may help reduce sudden cardiac deaths in young athletes according to an updated scientific statement released this week by the American Heart Association. The rate of sudden cardiac death in American high school...

Obesitys Ties to Heart Disease Still Unclear

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:29 GMT
While the two often go hand in hand the exact link between obesity and cardiovascular disease is complex and remains poorly understood a new report finds. Experts are urging more research into this area particularly into the biological d...

Treating Sleep Apnea Could Lower Stroke Risk

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:28 GMT
Some people with a moderate to severe form of the nighttime breathing disorder sleep apnea may be at an increased risk of stroke a Japanese study finds. Treating their sleep apnea might help lower that risk however. Specifically...

Weekend Heart Attacks Can Be Deadlier

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:27 GMT
Heart attacks treated on a Saturday or Sunday are more deadly than those attended to during the week a new study shows. Thats because patients rushed to the hospital on weekends are less likely to receive timely angioplasty and other arte...

Obese More Likely to Be Kept in the Hospital After Stroke

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:26 GMT
Obese people are much less likely than lean patients to be discharged directly home from a hospital after being treated for ischemic stroke reduced or blocked blood flow to the brain a U.S. study finds. Instead obese patients were more ...

Almost TwoThirds of Pacemaker Users Have Sleep Apnea

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:25 GMT
Two out of three people given pacemakers for heart problems were found to have sleep apnea which could worsen their cardiac disease French researchers report. There have been previous studies that showed a lower prevalence of sleep apne...

Invasive Therapy Doesnt Cut Deaths in Acute Coronary Syndrome

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:23 GMT
Early invasive therapies that open blocked heart arteries dont reduce the number of deaths or heart attacks in patients with acute coronary syndrome Dutch researchers report. Acute coronary syndrome describes a group of symptoms that poin...

Majority of DrugCoated Stent Use Not Approved by FDA

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:22 GMT
About 60 percent of the drugcoated stents that have become the center of intense controversy are being used in cases not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration new studies show. Although this was first reported in early Februar...

Lipitor Approved for Additional Uses

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:21 GMT
Pfizers anticholesterol drug Lipitor atorvastatin received expanded approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday to reduce users risks of nonfatal heart attack fatal and nonfatal strokes and hospitalization for heart failu...

EKG Predicts Heart Risk in Postmenopausal Women

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:21 GMT
Even minor abnormalities in electrocardiogram readings can predict if a seemingly healthy postmenopausal woman is at risk of a heart attack or even death a new study found. In terms of predicting heart disease outcomes EKG electrocardi...

Cheneys Blood Clot Highlights Fairly Common Condition

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:20 GMT
Vice President Dick Cheneys diagnosis of a blood clot in his leg has focused needed attention on this common and potentially lifethreatening problem heart experts say. Deep vein thrombosis DVT is caused by the appearance of a clot in a...

First Hypertension Drug to Inhibit Kidney Enzyme Approved

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:19 GMT
Tekturna a new molecular entity that acts at the earlier stages of the blood pressure regulation process to inhibit hypertension has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Tekturna aliskiren inhibits renin a kidney en...

Depression Worsens Outcomes for Heart Failure Patients

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:18 GMT
Depression is a major factor in poor medical outcomes for heart failure patients says a new U.S. study. The study conducted by researchers at Duke University Medical Center and the University of North Carolina included 204 heart failure...

Sleep Apnea Increasingly Tied to Heart Risks Study

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:18 GMT
People with obstructive sleep apnea are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease a new U.S. study suggests. People with obstructive sleep apnea experience multiple breathing interruptions while they sleep. This occurs when tissue in t...

Hispanic Womens Hearts at High Risk Study

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:17 GMT
Hispanic women develop cardiac risk factors much earlier than white women typically exhibiting the heart health of a white woman 10 years older a new study finds. The research suggests that being Hispanic may be an independent risk facto...

Vacuum Method Breaks Up DVT Blood Clots

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:17 GMT
A new nonsurgical treatment for the removal of blood clots appears to be safer faster and more effective than traditional therapies in reducing the risk for pulmonary embolism and disability among patients with deep vein thrombosis DVT.

Many Stroke Patients Have High Cholesterol

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:13 GMT
An alarming number of U.S. stroke patients have cholesterol levels that exceed those recommended by experts new research shows. Published in the Feb. 27 issue of Neurology the new study assessed the cholesterol levels of 1040 peo...

Many Stroke Patients Affected by Hospital Errors

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:07 GMT
Hospital procedures need to be modified to reduce the risk of medical errors and adverse events in stroke patients U.S researchers say. A new study found that 12 percent of stroke patients had suffered adverse events during treatment. ...

Blood Pressure Numbers Warn of Heart Rhythm Risk

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:07 GMT
Increased pulse pressure the difference between the high and the low numbers that designate blood pressure is an important indicator of the risk of developing the dangerous abnormal heartbeat called atrial fibrillation data from a major heart ...

Lowering Cholesterol Lowers Womens Stroke Risk

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:07 GMT
Cutting their cholesterol numbers may also help women reduce their risk of stroke new research shows. Harvard researchers have found that even healthy women with no history of heart disease or stroke are at an increased risk of stroke if t...

Health Tip About Heart Arrhythmia

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:05 GMT
Arrhythmia represents a change in the normal rhythm of your heartbeat. Arrhythmia can be caused by a problem with the hearts natural pacemaker which regulates the organs contractions that force blood through its chambers. Less serious ty...

Trial Looks at Timing of AntiClotting Drugs for Heart Attack Patients

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:03 GMT
Drugs used in emergency rooms to reduce heart patients clotting risks can also boost their odds for dangerous bleeding a new study shows. The major trial involving more than 9200 people treated in 17 countries found that doctors may wa...

BloodLetting Treatment Might Help Some Heart Patients

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:03 GMT
Reducing iron levels by removing blood seems to have a beneficial effect on people with peripheral arterial disease PAD a partial or total blockage of an artery usually one leading to an arm or a leg. However the bloodletting treatm...

Secondhand Smoke Poses Heart Disease Risk

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:13:02 GMT
Breathing secondhand smoke appears to increase levels of two warning signs for heart disease fibrinogen and homocysteine British researchers report. The size of these effects were between about onethird and onehalf that seen in relatio...

HIV Drugs May Raise Heart Attack Risk

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 19:01:00 GMT
Drugs that many HIVinfected patients use to keep AIDS at bay may also raise their risk for heart attack over time a new study finds. However experts stressed that the danger is minimal compared to the lifeextending effects of these medi...

New Angina Drug Fails to Cut Heart Attacks

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 19:00:59 GMT
A major trial has dashed hopes that a new drug would reduce the incidence of death heart attack and other major cardiac events in people with the persistent chest pain called angina. The best that can be said is that the drug called ranol...

HIV Infection Seems to Raise Heart Attack Risk

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 19:00:59 GMT
People infected with HIV face nearly twice the risk of heart attack that noninfected individuals do a new study suggests. That risk remained elevated even after researchers accounted for age high blood pressure high cholesterol and othe...

Health Tip Some Drugs May React With Grapefruit Juice

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 19:01:46 GMT
Studies have shown that drinking grapefruit juice or eating the fruit can cause adverse interactions with certain drugs. The American Academy of Family Physicians says before you consume grapefruit products you should speak with your docto...

Pumps May Someday Allow Patients to Recover Their Own Hearts

Wed, 15 Nov 2006 12:29:51 GMT
nbsp;An injured athlete can rest on the couch to recover before returning to sports but an injured heart doesnrsquo;t have the same luxury ndash; at least not yet. One Ohio State University Medical Center surgeon pre...

MRI Analysis Could Prevent Brain Damage from Stroke

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 13:27:55 GMT
A stroke victim arrives in the emergency room and within minutes the doctor must make a decision: Should drugs be administered to open up the blocked blood vessel and prevent further brain damage? Or is this patient at high risk for ...

Rehabilitating Stroke Patients

Thu, 9 Nov 2006 15:43:48 GMT
Stroke patients who receive constraintinduced movement therapy CIMTa rehabilitative technique that restrains the lessimpaired arm show significant improvement in arm and hand function according to a sevencenter national study ...

Painkillers New and Old Increase the Risk for Heart Attack

Wed, 8 Nov 2006 17:10:33 GMT
Cardiovascular side effects arenrsquo;t limited to the use of the newer painkillers called COX2 inhibitors mdash; a category that includes Celebrex and the recently discontinued Vioxx and Bextra. Old standbys like ibuprofen and asp...

Understanding Problems with Blood Flow

Wed, 8 Nov 2006 15:19:50 GMT
Carotid artery disease is a form of peripheral arterial disease where ldquo;hardening of the arteriesrdquo; atherosclerosis develops in the arteries in the neck which are called the carotid arteries. These arteries supply the brai...

Zebrafishs Regenerative Abilities Make it Unique Tool to Study Disease

Tue, 7 Nov 2006 13:11:57 GMT
Those unassuming minnowsized striped tropical fish swimming around in many household aquariums may hold the key to repairing cardiac muscle in humans hit by a heart attack. The common zebrafish named for the five strip...

Off Pump Bypass Surgery Associated with Reduced Occurrence of Stroke

Fri, 3 Nov 2006 11:26:34 GMT
Performing a common heart surgery without bypassing the cardiopulmonary system may cut down on the number of surgeryrelated strokes and other shortterm complications according to a new report by HHSrsquo; Agency for Healthcare Rese...

The Nuts that May Clobber Cholesterol

Fri, 22 Sep 2006 13:02:21 GMT
A new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry shows that these nuts and seeds rank at the top of the list for containing cholesterollowering compounds phytosterols. While many nuts contain this helpful compound the s...

People Often Forgo Using Lifesaving Beta Blockers Despite Health Insurance

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 11:47:32 GMT
Fewer than half of the patients who were prescribed beta blocker drugs following a heart attack and who had some prescription drug coverage were regularly taking them during the first year after leaving the hospital according to a Duke University Me...

11 Second Cardiac Scan Saves Lives

Tue, 19 Sep 2006 11:32:23 GMT
Emerging technology has greatly increased the ability to diagnose and treat heart disease in women. The newest and most effective device is the 64slice LightSpeed CT scanner. Coronary CT angiography in the office setting is a new cutting edge te...

Ten Ways to Lower Your Blood Pressure from the Harvard Heart Letter

Thu, 7 Sep 2006 16:02:23 GMT
A special fourpage section in the September issue of the Harvard Heart Letter takes a look at the latest thinking on high blood pressure. It includes information on blood pressure basics measuring change and the definition of whats normal. The se...

Study Reports on Abnormal Heart Muscle Function

Fri, 18 Aug 2006 09:08:03 GMT
In findings published in the August 2006 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition principal investigator Heinrich Taegtmeyer M.D. D.Phil. professor of cardiology at the UT Medical School and Joshua Leichman M.D. UT Medical Scho...

New Recommendations from the American Heart Association

Thu, 17 Aug 2006 09:46:36 GMT
The 2006 recommendations released and published in the journal Circulation take into account factors such as food physical activity smoking alcohol use and weight. And they dont just offer fad advicea panel of nutrition and cardiovascular ...

CardioEATM Enhanced with Aspirin A New Way to Help Reduce Heart Disease Risk Factors

Mon, 22 May 2006 11:09:04 GMT
CardioEA Enhanced with Aspirin provides consumers with a new option to help reduce heart disease risk factors. This innovation for complete heart health combines the known benefits of doctor recommended low dose aspirin with vitamins herbs and ot...

Abolishing Metabolic Syndrome

Fri, 5 May 2006 15:50:52 GMT
Whether you call it syndrome X insulin resistance syndrome cardiometabolic risk metabolic syndrome or even Reavens Syndrome for the doctor who put it on the map one thing is clear: this dangerous constellation of risk factors that predisposes ...

Heart Attack Osteoporosis Linked in Men Over 50

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 11:34:56 GMT
We have long known that heart disease and osteoporosis have similar risk factors but this is the first study to examine the relationship between heart attack survivors and low bone mineral density says Magnus. Cigarette smokinga sedentary ...

Proteins are Key to Cell Death in Heart Disease Stroke and Degenerative Conditions

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 10:47:24 GMT
Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have gained deeper understanding of two members of a family of proteins called caspases that play a key role in promoting apoptosis a process in which the cell responds to external signals by essentially commit...

Its All About Love

Thu, 16 Feb 2006 09:28:47 GMT
Its all about love Valentines Day that is. Valentines Day represents love romantic or otherwiseand many of us will celebrate it with a loved one over a special dinner and exchange gifts such as flowers or chocolate. When I was a little girl my...

Why Your Sex Matters Stroke and Gender Differences

Tue, 14 Feb 2006 09:30:55 GMT
Women tend to think stroke is a mens disease. But the truth is each year more women than men die from stroke. Annually of the 700000 Americans who have a stroke 39 percent who die are men 62 percent are women according to the National Stroke A...

Feeding Our Heart

Wed, 8 Feb 2006 12:31:38 GMT
How many times during this week did we consider how our food choices are connected to the function appearance and health of our body? This month is American Heart Month along with the other well known heart related holiday Valentines Day of cours...

Mind and Mood Affect the Heart

Tue, 7 Feb 2006 10:06:28 GMT
Heart disease can be depressingliterally. About 50 of hospitalized heart patients have some depressive symptoms and up to 20 develop major depression. And depression affects heart health: Patients who are depressed at the time of hospitalization ...

Childrens Heart Healthy Tips

Tue, 7 Feb 2006 09:37:11 GMT
Little Known Facts About Congenital Heart Disease:It is the most common birth defect. It affects 1 in 100 newborns.It is the number one cause of death from birth defects during infancy.The first symptom of a heart defect can also...

Build a Strong Heart

Tue, 7 Feb 2006 09:31:06 GMT
Build a strong heart through exercise that is. Cardiovascular disease unfortunately is a leading cause of illness and death in our country. In fact while most of us women worry about breast cancer heart disease is the 1 killer of women in Americ...

Body Shape as Biggest Heart Risk Predictor

Tue, 31 Jan 2006 11:00:08 GMT
With coronary artery disease the biggest cause of death in the United States each year growing evidence points to body shape as the single biggest predictor of heart disease risk. A recent study published in The Lancet concluded that compared to bo...

Fortified Chocolate is Good for the Heart but There is a Catch

Tue, 31 Jan 2006 10:59:11 GMT
Chocolate is typically not part of a hearthealthy diet. But what if chocolate delivered substances that are good for the heart? Mars the maker of MMs and other sweet treats is rolling out CocoaVia a line of chocolates laced with plant sterols a...

How to Prevent a Heart Attack

Mon, 30 Jan 2006 10:04:35 GMT
Visit Your Physician An appointment with your internist or family doctor will help determine whether you are at low moderate or high risk of heart disease based on multiple factors including family and personal medical history lifestyle sympt...

Fruit Flys Beating Heart Helps Identify Human Heart Disease Genes

Fri, 27 Jan 2006 12:33:50 GMT
In a discovery that could greatly accelerate the search for genetic causes of heart disease a multidisciplinary Duke University research team has found that the common fruit fly can serve as a powerful new model for testing human genes implicated i...

Wait and See Approach to Heart Attack Warning Signs May Contribute to Poor Survival Rates

Thu, 26 Jan 2006 11:44:36 GMT
Many U.S. adults lack critical knowledge about heart attack warning signs beyond the socalled Hollywood Heart Attackthe sudden crushing chest pain that is often depicted in the movies and on television according to a new Harris Interactive sur...

Hardening of the Arteries in the Legs

Thu, 26 Jan 2006 11:36:07 GMT
Hardening of the arteries in the legs is strongly associated with biological markers of inflammation which may be a warning sign of heart trouble say Tulane University epidemiologists. In a recently published article the researchers suggest that a...

Veggies Lower blood pressure

Thu, 19 Jan 2006 11:11:16 GMT
A constant recommendation for a healthful diet is to eat your fruits and veggies. A new study finds that people who get their protein from vegetables tend to have lower blood pressure.Previous studies have found evidence that meat eaters gen...

Heart drug regulates rhythm after surgery

Thu, 19 Jan 2006 11:11:16 GMT
Amiodarone a drug originally intended for patients diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat is effective and safe when employed as a postsurgery recovery therapy.In a Canadian study amiodarone cut the frequency of atrial tachyarrhythmia a h...

Stents can cause allergic reactions

Wed, 28 Dec 2005 08:07:22 GMT
Drugeluting stents have greatly reduced the risk of repeat blockage of heart arteries but researchers from Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago have found that in some patients the stents can cause allergic reactions with serious consequences...

Fish oil keeps hearts healthy

Wed, 28 Dec 2005 08:07:22 GMT
A 2gram supplement of fish oil given daily to elderly people prevented a decline in heart rate variability caused by tiny dangerous airborne pollutant particles. Heart rate variability a measure of the autonomic nervous systems regulation of the ...

Sweet tooth good for your heart

Wed, 28 Dec 2005 08:07:22 GMT
In a study published in the medical journal Heart a Swiss research team examined the effect dark chocolate had on the cardiovascular systems of 20 smokers. The subjects were not allowed to eat antioxidantrich foods such as onions apples ...

Erectile dysfunction heart disease linked

Wed, 28 Dec 2005 08:07:22 GMT
Men with erectile dysfunction have a higher risk of subsequent cardiovascular events such as heart attack stroke and angina according to a study in the Dec. 21 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association JAMA.More tha...

Holehearted stroke study

Wed, 28 Dec 2005 08:07:22 GMT
A study of people born with a common cardiac defect shows that they may have less to be concerned about than previously thoughtPatent foramen ovale or PFO is a congenital anomaly in which a small hole between the left and right atria the ...

Stroke epidemic predicted

Wed, 28 Dec 2005 08:07:22 GMT
A common heart condition is projected to cause an epidemic of strokes within the next two decades. The condition atrial fibrillation is an insidious illness that is primarily found among older people and often progresses with an absence of symptoms...

Get moving for heart health

Wed, 28 Dec 2005 08:07:22 GMT
In the U.S. approximately 33 percent of adolescents and 14 percent of adults ages 20 to 49 have poor cardiorespiratory fitness and a corresponding increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors such as higher total cholesterol and blood...

Test diagnoses heart failure in kidney patients

Wed, 28 Dec 2005 08:07:22 GMT
A largescale analysis has shown that a blood test previously found useful in diagnosing or ruling out heart failure in emergency room patients is also effective for patients with chronic kidney disease. The study also demonstrates that the test for ...

Uninsured in Australia denied obesity treatment

Thu, 22 Sep 2005 11:27:28 GMT
In an article published in the latest Medical Journal of Australia the director of the Centre for Obesity Research and Education Professor Paul OBrien says LAGB is the most effective treatment for obesity resulting in improved health and bette...

Knowledge gap waistline fat heart disease

Thu, 22 Sep 2005 11:23:37 GMT
This is significant as heart disease contributes to almost a third of global mortality and an estimated 1 billion people are expected to die of cardiovascular disease within the first half of this century according to Anthony Rodgers of the Clini...

Diabetes drug may also aid the heart

Fri, 16 Sep 2005 09:14:36 GMT
In the 5200subject study type 2 diabetics were given Actos in addition to their conventional medicinal therapy. When compared to patients who adhered exclusively to their regular therapy patients on Actos were 16 percent less likely to suffer ...

Dont Stop Taking Aspirin Before Heart Surgery

Tue, 13 Sep 2005 11:00:41 GMT
Aspirin reduces clotting of the blood so it can help prevent a heart attack or stroke by making it less likely a clot will form and block an already narrowed artery explains R. Scott Wright M.D. the Mayo Clinic cardiologist who led the study...

More proof Exercise improves heart health

Thu, 8 Sep 2005 10:03:46 GMT
At the recent Congress of the European Society of Cardiology several longterm observational studies confirmed the beneficial role of sport and exercise for cardiovascular health. The studies clearly showed that moderately active people were 30 40...

Implant Puts Control Into Hands of Heart Failure Patients

Wed, 7 Sep 2005 13:17:04 GMT
The countrys first permanent implant today of an investigational cardiac device for monitoring and treating congestive heart failure an implanted sensor linked to a palmsize computer promises to place heart failure in the hands of the patient...

Getting To The Heart Of Womens Health Five Easy Steps

Thu, 1 Sep 2005 11:31:09 GMT
Less than half of women know that heart disease is their leading cause of death and most fail to make the connection between its risk factorssuch as high blood pressure and high cholesteroland their personal risk of developing heart disease. In fac...

Big Tummy Could Mean Big Trouble

Thu, 25 Aug 2005 09:38:31 GMT
Recent surveys have shown that more than a third of all Americans are overweight or obese. According to the Duke researchers there are several simple methods for determining weight status.One of the most common methods is the Body Mass Inde...

Keys To a Healthy Relationship Ways to Keep Love Alive

Tue, 23 Aug 2005 10:38:46 GMT
Relationships provide joyful benefits of companionship support and love. But it takes commitment and time to cultivate a relationship that endures the daily demands and stress. When it comes to having an exciting yet also healthy and lasting relati...

Slower Care for Heart Attack Patients Treated off Hours and Weekends

Mon, 22 Aug 2005 09:06:49 GMT
Heart attack patients treated with primary percutaneous intervention PCI at hospitals after hours and on weekends wait longer to receive clot busters and other treatments and have a higher risk of death than those treated during regular hospital ho...

Bigger Hips and Thighs Equal a Healthier Heart

Mon, 15 Aug 2005 09:36:36 GMT
The relationship between abdominal fat and specifically visceral fat and disease risk is wellestablished however it is unclear whether lowerbody fat stores also play a role in determining CVD risk. So the higher prevalence of CVD in men as...

The 30second Scan That Can Save Your Life

Wed, 1 Jun 2005 11:10:04 GMT
Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Every 60 seconds someone in this country suffers a fatal heart attack. For one out of every three people with coronary artery disease their first symptom is sudden death. W...

How You Think Feel and Live Affects Your Heart

Wed, 1 Jun 2005 10:46:45 GMT
Depression stress loneliness a positive or negative outlook on life and other psychosocial factors extend beyond affecting mood and reach into the heart. How you think feel and behave can affect heart disease for better or for worse reports ...

Experimental Device Gives Hearts a Hug

Tue, 31 May 2005 13:57:38 GMT
The surgery at OSUs Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital was the first implant of this ventricular support system in Ohio the 10th in the United States and just the 20th in the world.The mesh device made of a metal alloy surrounded by silicone...

Depression is Widespread Among Heart Attack Patients

Thu, 26 May 2005 17:12:28 GMT
One in five patients hospitalized for heart attack suffers from major depression and these patients may be more likely than other heart attack patients to need hospital care again within a year for a cardiac problem and three times as likely to die ...

The Expert Guide to Beating Heart Disease Provides Practical Advice

Thu, 26 May 2005 17:09:22 GMT
Written for people with heart disease and their families The Expert Guide to Beating Heart Disease: What You Absolutely Must Know HarperResource by internationally recognized heart disease specialist and Yale School of Medicine professor Harlan ...

Act On Stroke Prevention Now

Mon, 23 May 2005 17:40:50 GMT
The Stroke Alliance for Europe SAFE has today launched the first ever European Stroke Prevention Day with alarming statistics on the hidden toll of stroke disabilities and deaths. Describing what it has referred to as a preventable catastrophe S...

The Ties That Bind Us Can Also Heal Us

Fri, 20 May 2005 13:12:17 GMT
But take heart: there are steps that can be taken to minimize risk factors and prevent heart disease including eating a hearthealthy diet participating in physical activity and not smoking.Leading a healthy lifestyle when you have heart ...

Taking Care of Your Heart Requires Weighing Risks and Benefits

Wed, 4 May 2005 14:10:15 GMT
Even if you think of yourself as the cautious type you take risks more often than you realize. Maybe you dont take big risks like skydiving or snake handling but you do take smaller risks without thinking about them like driving a car or taking m...

Face Stroke Before it Faces You

Wed, 27 Apr 2005 15:22:46 GMT
Stroke is the No. 3 cause of death of Americans and is a leading cause of disability.Stroke has as many faces as it has victims. African Americans and Hispanic/Latinos are at higher risk for stroke. Yet they are the least aware of stroke ris...

For Older Male Smokers a Quick Test for a Bulging Aorta Could Save Lives says the Harvard Heart Letter

Thu, 31 Mar 2005 09:54:26 GMT
If you are a man between the ages of 65 and 75 and you smoke or once did heres an important message: Ask your doctor to check you for a common but generally silent condition that can suddenly turn deadly. According to the Harvard Heart Letter a s...

Red Wine Protects the Heart

Tue, 22 Mar 2005 10:34:28 GMT
A review article of the latest studies looking at red wine and cardiovascular health shows drinking two to three glasses of red wine daily is good for the heart according to a Yale School of Medicine researcher in the Journal of American College of ...

Mood Elevating Hormone May Trigger Depression and Heart Problems

Wed, 9 Mar 2005 11:39:22 GMT
The genetic variant that causes this malfunction is nearly 15 times as prevalent in AfricanAmericans as Caucasians and might explain why AfricanAmericans have a higher rate of congestive heart failure according to the first author Alexander Ne...

Early Cardiovascular Disease Can Now be Identified at Your Fingertip

Wed, 9 Mar 2005 11:38:04 GMT
The device called the EndoPAT 2000 utilizes the PATTM Peripheral Arterial Tone signal to identify patients with endothelial dysfunction which is well recognized as an early stage of generalized atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease....

Ten Tips to Keep Hearts Healthy and Happy

Thu, 3 Mar 2005 11:57:17 GMT
February may be American Heart Month but many Americans still neglect their most vital organ in favor of fast food and television. The same old advice about diet and exercise just doesnt seem to be working as more than 64 percent of U.S. adults are...

Robbins Named Chair of Stanfords Cardiothoracic Surgery

Wed, 16 Feb 2005 11:52:47 GMT
Renowned hearttransplant surgeon Robert C. Robbins MD who is also researching the use of stem cells to repair tissue damaged by a heart attack has been named chair of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Stanford University School of M...

Get Heart Smart Educate Evaluate Act

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 10:03:06 GMT
February is the time to focus on affairs of the heartboth literally and figuratively. While Valentines Day gives us an opportunity to remind friends and family of the emotions in our heart American Heart Month is the time to remind the people you ...

Feeding Our Heart

Tue, 8 Feb 2005 12:47:07 GMT
How many times during this week did we consider how our food choices are connected to the function appearance and health of our body? This month is American Heart Month along with the other well known heart related holiday Valentines Day of cour...

Medicare Paying For Preventive Cholesterol Screening For The First Time

Thu, 27 Jan 2005 09:33:04 GMT
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and seniors account for more than 84 percent of annual cardiovascular deaths. An estimated 25 million Medicareeligible seniors suffer from coronary heart disease and nearly 800000...

YearRound Lip Care Makes For Sensational Smooching

Wed, 26 Jan 2005 17:23:00 GMT
You might forget the candy. The flower shop could close early. And an unexpectedly long day at work might sabotage your fancy dinner reservations. So what have you got left? A special occasion smoochthat kiss from your lips to your sweethearts wh...