MedWorm: Heart Disease

Call for widespread statin prescription

Management in Practice — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:47:38 +0100

People who do not have signs of heart disease, but have other risk factors, would benefit from taking statins, says cardiovascular expert (Source: Management in Practice)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:41:13 +0100

Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine 47 (S1): S77-S105 Abstract Use of biomarkers in heart disease Standardisation of HbA1c The power of networking Personnalized health care – what it takes to be a leader Integrated diagnostics – what do you think the next generation of healthcare will look like? Biochips can save lives: cardiovascular disease The future and importance of solution business What is new on cardiac troponin? Diagnostic performance and clinical value of holotranscobalamin, measured by the AxSYM Active-B12 assay, for vitamin B12 status Directing the spotlight on renal disease Automation solutions for laboratories in hospital networks Beyond blood Complementary role of serology and NAT in the diagnosis of viral hepatitis New developments in prostate cancer management A...

The interaction of injury and disease in the elderly: A case report of fatal elder abuse

Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:35:50 +0100

We report a case of an elderly demented woman who died of a mitral rheumatic valvular disease in the context of multiple injuries and from elder abuse. History from police investigation indicated that the deceased was found collapsed on the floor in her bedroom for several days prior to death by her son who did not initiate medical care. Autopsy revealed a frail elderly woman with Alzheimer’s disease and evidence of multiple healing sublethal blunt impact injuries of the face, mouth, neck, upper chest, and extremities. In addition, there was unwashed dirt encrusted skin, urine/fecal staining of skin and clothing, dirty overgrown toenails, and matting of the hair. This constellation of findings supports the medical diagnosis of elder abuse with neglect. However, the immediate cause of dea...

Human ISL1 heart progenitors generate diverse multipotent cardiovascular cell lineages

Nature — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:21:33 +0100

Authors: Lei Bu, Xin Jiang, Silvia Martin-Puig, Leslie Caron, Shenjun Zhu, Ying Shao, Drucilla J. Roberts, Paul L. Huang, Ibrahim J. Domian & Kenneth R. Chien The generation and expansion of diverse cardiovascular cell lineages is a critical step during human cardiogenesis, with major implications for congenital heart disease. Unravelling the mechanisms for the diversification of human heart cell lineages has been hampered by the lack of genetic tools to purify early cardiac progenitors and define their developmental potential. Recent studies in the mouse embryo have identified a multipotent cardiac progenitor that contributes to all of the major cell types in the murine heart. In contrast to murine development, human cardiogenesis has a much longer onset of heart cell lineage diversif...

Following The Dietary Guidelines May Slow Heart Disease In Women

ScienceDaily Headlines — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:05:01 +0100

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) provide guidance to promote health and reduce risk of chronic diseases. However, what evidence is there that following the DGA optimizes health? Is this advice useful for individuals already in poor health? (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

Study Supports Wider Use of Statins

MedlinePlus Health News — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:03:37 +0100

Data shows reduction in heart attacks, strokes among those without established heart disease Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Topics: Heart Attack, Statins, Stroke (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Report recommends statins for all

Pharmacy Europe — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:15:01 +0100

Elderly patients who do not yet suffer from heart disease should still take statins as a precaution (Source: Pharmacy Europe)

Giant T–U Waves Precede Torsades de Pointes in Long QT Syndrome: A Systematic Electrocardiographic Analysis in Patients With Acquired and Congenital QT Prolongation

Journal of the American College of Cardiology — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:09:14 +0100

Conclusions: Abnormal, giant T–U waves separate TdP initiation in LQTS patients from PVCs in other heart disease and from other PVCs in LQTS patients. These ECG analyses suggest that early afterdepolarizations initiate TdP and, if present, may help to identify an imminent risk for TdP. (Source: Journal of the American College of Cardiology)

The Effect of Age, Diagnosis, and Previous Surgery in Children and Adults Undergoing Heart Transplantation for Congenital Heart Disease

Journal of the American College of Cardiology — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:09:14 +0100

Conclusions: Patients undergoing transplantation for CHD have a good late survival if they survive the early post-operative period. Risk factors for reduced survival are older age at transplant and a previous Fontan operation. (Source: Journal of the American College of Cardiology)

Police Work Undermines Cardiovascular Health, Comparison To General Population Shows

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:00:00 +0100

It is well documented that police officers have a higher risk of developing heart disease: The question is why. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Lack of sleep 'hits women harder'

BBC News | Health | UK Edition — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:27:49 +0100

Lack of sleep raises a woman's risk of heart disease more than it does for a man, research suggests. (Source: BBC News | Health | UK Edition)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Patients With Moderate To Severe Periodontitis Need Evaluation For Heart Disease Risk

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:00:00 +0100

Additional research is called for and patients with moderate to severe periodontitis should receive evaluation and possible treatment to reduce their risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a special consensus paper by editors of The American Journal of Cardiology and Journ (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Two-dimensional speckle tracking strain analysis for efficacy assessment of myocardial cell therapy.

Cell Transplantation — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:14:03 +0100

Authors: Nasseri BA, Kukucka M, Dandel M, Knosalla C, Choi YH, Ebell W, Hetzer R, Stamm C The subtle effects of transplanted bone marrow cells (BMC) on regional myocardial behavior in patients with ischemic heart disease are difficult to assess. Novel echocardiographic techniques can quantify regional myocardial deformation (strain) and distinguish between passive and active wall motion. We hypothesized that this technique may help delineate cell therapy-induced changes in regional LV contractility that escape clinical routine studies. Twelve patients with coronary artery disease and impaired LV function (LVEF &<35%) underwent CABG surgery plus intramyocardial injection of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells. Between two and five predefined segments of ischemic myocardium p...

Percutaneous cell delivery into the heart using hydrogels polymerizing in situ.

Cell Transplantation — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:14:03 +0100

Authors: Martens TP, Godier AF, Parks JJ, Wan LQ, Koeckert MS, Eng GM, Hudson BI, Sherman W, Vunjak-Novakovic G Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US. Following an acute myocardial infarction, a fibrous, noncontractile scar develops, and results in congestive heart failure in more than 500,000 patients in the US each year. Muscle regeneration and the induction of new vascular growth to treat ischemic disorders of the heart can have significant therapeutic implications. Early studies in patients with chronic ischemic systolic left ventricular dysfunction (SLVD) using skeletal myoblasts or bone marrow-derived cells report improvement in left ventricular ejection function (LVEF) and clinical status, without notable safety issues. Nonetheless, the efficacy of cell transfer ...

Secondhand Smoke Threatens Casino Workers' Health

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:00:00 +0100

New research suggests that casino workers face a higher risk of heart disease and lung cancer because they work in buildings filled with tobacco smoke. By one scientist's calculation, six of every 10,000 nonsmoking casino employees in Pennsylvania will die each year because of exposure to secondhand smoke. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

First Human Receives Cardiac Stem Cells In Clinical Trial To Heal Damage Caused By Heart Attacks

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0100

Doctors at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute announced today the completion of the first procedure in which a patient's own heart tissue was used to grow specialized heart stem cells that were then injected back into the patient's heart in an effort to repair and re-grow healthy muscle in a heart that had been injured by a heart attack. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

First Human Receives Cardiac Stem Cells In Clinical Trial To Heal Damage Caused By Heart Attacks

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0100

Study: CRP does not cause heart disease

Xinhuanet Chinaview Health — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:52:57 +0100

BEIJING, July 1 (Xinhuanet) -- High levels of C-reactive ... (Source: Xinhuanet Chinaview Health)

Cholesterol OK? Statins Still Help Heart

WebMD Health — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Millions of people without established heart disease could benefit from cholesterol-lowering statin therapy even if they don't have high cholesterol, a new analysis suggests. (Source: WebMD Health)

ADA releases updated position paper on vegetarian diets

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 +0100

(American Dietetic Association) The American Dietetic Association has released an updated position paper on vegetarian diets that concludes such diets, if well-planned, are healthful and nutritious for adults, infants, children and adolescents and can help prevent and treat chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Lack of sleep could be more dangerous for women than men

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 +0100

(University of Warwick) Women who get less than the recommended eight hours sleep a night are at higher risk of heart disease and heart-related problems than men with the same sleeping patterns. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Vegetarian Diets Can Help Prevent Chronic Diseases, American Dietetic Association Says

ScienceDaily Headlines — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 +0100

The American Dietetic Association has released an updated position paper on vegetarian diets that concludes such diets, if well-planned, are healthful and nutritious for adults, infants, children and adolescents and can help prevent and treat chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

Study Dismisses Protein’s Role in Heart Disease

NYT > Health — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:04:28 +0100

A blood protein thought to play an important role in heart disease is little more than a bystander, researchers say. (Source: NYT > Health)

One thousand repeat sternotomies for congenital cardiac surgery: risk factors for reentry injury.

The Annals of Thoracic Surgery — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Risk of reentry injury during repeat sternotomy for congenital heart disease is low. Increasing sternotomy number and the presence of a right ventricle-pulmonary artery conduit are risk factors for reentry injury. However, reentry injury is not associated with increased risk of operative mortality. PMID: 19559217 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The Annals of Thoracic Surgery)

Troponin is superior to electrocardiogram and creatinine kinase MB for predicting clinically significant myocardial injury after coronary artery bypass grafting

European Heart Journal — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Conclusion Electrocardiogram diagnosis of post-operative myocardial injury after CABG does not independently predict an increased risk of 5-year mortality or HLOS. Conversely, cTnI is independently associated with an increased risk of mortality and prolonged HLOS. (Source: European Heart Journal)

The T111I variant in the endothelial lipase gene and risk of coronary heart disease in three independent populations

European Heart Journal — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Conclusion Our analysis among healthy Caucasian men and women from three independent studies does not support an association between the T111I variant and HDL-C, other plasma lipids, or risk of CHD. (Source: European Heart Journal)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

A randomized placebo-controlled study on the effect of nifedipine on coronary endothelial function and plaque formation in patients with coronary artery disease: the ENCORE II study

European Heart Journal — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Conclusion The ENCORE II trial demonstrates in a multi-centre setting that calcium channel blockade with nifedipine for up to 2 years improves coronary endothelial function on top of statin treatment, but did not show an effect of nifedipine on plaque volume. (Source: European Heart Journal)

Comparison of primary angioplasty and pre-hospital fibrinolysis in acute myocardial infarction (CAPTIM) trial: a 5-year follow-up

European Heart Journal — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Conclusion The 5-year follow-up is consistent with the 30-day outcomes of the trial, showing similar mortality for primary percutaneous coronary intervention and a policy of pre-hospital lysis followed by transfer to an interventional center. In addition, for patients treated within 2 h of symptom onset, 5-year mortality was lower with pre-hospital lysis. (Source: European Heart Journal)

Recurrence of ventricular arrhythmias in ischaemic secondary prevention implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients: long-term follow-up of the Leiden out-of-hospital cardiac arrest study (LOHCAT)

European Heart Journal — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Conclusion Ischaemic secondary prevention ICD recipients exhibit a high recurrence rate of potentially life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. Factors that increase risk can be identified but, even with these factors, it was not possible to distinguish a recurrence-free group. (Source: European Heart Journal)

Study Supports Wider Use of Statins

Forbes.com Health News — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Data shows reduction in heart attacks, strokes among those without established heart disease (Source: Forbes.com Health News)

Current search for heart disease treatment may not be fruitful

Imperial College News — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100

New research suggests C-reactive protein does not cause coronary heart disease - News Release (Source: Imperial College News)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Stress of police work increases heart risk

Health News - UPI.com — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:29:24 +0100

BUFFALO, N.Y., June 30 (UPI) -- The stress of working the so-called Thin Blue Line might explain why police officers have a higher risk of developing heart disease, U.S. researchers suggest. (Source: Health News - UPI.com)

Protein Thought to Cause Heart Disease Doesn’t, Study Finds

NYT > Health — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:25:27 +0100

A blood protein that only a short time ago was thought to be more important than cholesterol in heart disease now appears to be little more than a bystander. (Source: NYT > Health)

Substance Thought to Cause Heart Disease Doesn’t, Study Finds

NYT > Health — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:22:34 +0100

A blood protein that only a short time ago was thought to be more important than cholesterol in heart disease now appears to be little more than a bystander. (Source: NYT > Health)

Common prognostic factors of work disability among employees with a chronic somatic disease: a systematic review of cohort studies.

Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:44:05 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: As many prognostic factors for work disability are similar for employees with various chronic diseases, it is possible to detect high risk groups. This information supports the development and implementation of a general disability management intervention for employees suffering from a chronic disease to overcome health-related limitations at work. PMID: 19562236 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health)

Postoperative pulmonary hypertension: etiology and treatment of a dangerous complication.

Respiratory Care — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:18:11 +0100

Authors: Hill NS, Roberts KR, Preston IR Postoperative pulmonary hypertension is a challenging and feared complication of many types of surgery, including lung and heart transplantation, pulmonary thromboendarterectomy, congenital-heart-disease repair, and others. The most severe manifestation is acute right heart syndrome, characterized by right heart failure and cardiovascular collapse-a daunting therapeutic challenge associated with a high mortality. Patients with postoperative pulmonary hypertension must be carefully evaluated to identify reversible contributing factors such as fluid and metabolic imbalance, hypoxemia, and right heart ischemia. A pulmonary arterial catheter and echocardiogram are recommended for evaluation, although their value has not been established in carefully...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Anxiety, depression, linked to angina frequency

theHeart.org — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:45:20 +0100

New research shows that ischemic heart disease patients who suffer significant anxiety have close to a fivefold increased risk of experiencing frequent angina and those with depression have more than a threefold increased risk for these episodes. (Source: theHeart.org)

DZIELIMY SIĘ DOŚWIADCZENIEM Coronary artery bypass grafting operation is an optimal therapy in patients with high stage multi-vessel coronary artery heart disease

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:36:49 +0100

Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in Europe. Various studies in recent years have compared percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with bare-metal stents with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in subjects with multi-vessel disease. Previous data revealed comparable survival rates but a higher revascularization rate in patients treated with PCI. The primary analysis was a non-inferiority comparison of surgical and percutaneous techniques with drug-eluting stents in patients with three-vessel coronary artery disease. Data from the SYNTAX trial indicate that CABG, as compared with PCI, resulted in a decreased rate of repeat revascularization and major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events but higher risk of stroke during 1-month follow-up. Thus, according to evid...

Anxiety, Depression Linked to Angina Frequency in Heart Patients

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:18:51 +0100

New research shows that ischemic heart disease patients who suffer significant anxiety have close to a 5-fold increased risk of experiencing frequent angina. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Finding The Best Heart Disease And Stroke Treatments For Patients With Diabetes Using New Tool

Diabetes News From Medical News Today — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:00:00 +0100

Researchers from North Carolina State University and Mayo Clinic have developed a computer model that medical doctors can use to determine the best time to begin using statin therapy in diabetes patients to help prevent heart disease and stroke. "The research is significant because patients with diabetes are at high risk for cardiovascular disease and statins are the single most commonly used treatment for patients at risk of heart disease and/or stroke," says Dr. (Source: Diabetes News From Medical News Today)

Heart disease differences

BHF National News — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:00:00 +0100

We respond to a report which reveals higher levels of heart disease in poor areas (Source: BHF National News)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Dr James LeFanu: arrogant doctors

Telegraph Health — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:19:50 +0100

Arrogance: the biggest sin of all. (Source: Telegraph Health)

Heart Disease Researcher Wins Scholarship

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:00:00 +0100

Accredited Practising Dietitian and PhD student Janice Sangster has been awarded the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA)/Unilever Australasia Postgraduate Research Scholarship for her work on weight loss, physical activity and heart disease. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

The Science Behind Art's Healing Powers

WSJ.com: Health — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:55:18 +0100

Can the power of the arts to soothe and inspire be enlisted to treat–and perhaps even prevent–heart disease? (Source: WSJ.com: Health)

Four Out Of 106 Heart Replacement Valves From Pig Hearts Failed

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:00:00 +0100

Pig heart valves used to replace defective aortic valves in human patients failed much earlier and more often than expected, says a report from cardiac surgeons at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. This is the first report to demonstrate this potential problem, the researchers say. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Changing Paradigms In Hereditary Angioedema: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis And Treatment

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:00:00 +0100

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is an autosomal dominant disease affecting between 4,000 and 10,000 people in the United States. HAE causes recurrent attacks of intense localized edema involving the skin, airway, and visceral organs. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

FDA Grants LUCAS™ 2 Chest Compression System 510(k) Clearance In The United States

Medical Devices News From Medical News Today — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:00:00 +0100

Physio-Control Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), announced today that LUCAS™ 2, the next-generation LUCAS™ Chest Compression System, has been granted 510(k) market clearance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (Source: Medical Devices News From Medical News Today)

Vitamin B12 Protects the Heart, Mind, Eyes and More

NaturalNews.com — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:00:00 +0100

(NaturalNews) Vitamin B12 is one of the eight B vitamins, and is important for brain function and the formation of blood. B12 deficiency can cause many diseases. Deficiency can be treated by diet or by B12 injections. Since B12 is hard to assimilate through the stomach, sublingual B12 is advised. B12 is water-soluble, is made up of a complicated chemical structure, and contains the element cobalt. The type of B12 used in food supplements is called cyanocobalamin.Brain scans can now measure brain volume and a study of patients deficient in vitamin B12 showed their brain volume at half of those with high blood levels of vitamin B12. It is an important component of the nervous system and for DNA synthesis. Without B12, the body can`t manufacture blood and leads to anemia. Vitamin B12 is also ...

CRP Test May Not Predict Heart Disease

WebMD Health — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

CRP, a marker of inflammation in the body, does not cause heart disease, and CRP measures don't help much in predicting heart disease, new studies show. (Source: WebMD Health)

Patients with moderate to severe periodontitis need evaluation for heart disease risk

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +0100

(Elsevier) Additional research is called for and patients with moderate to severe periodontitis should receive evaluation and possible treatment to reduce their risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to a special consensus paper by editors of the American Journal of Cardiology and Journal of Peridontology in the July 1, 2009, issue of the American Journal of Cardiology, published by Elsevier. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)