MedWorm Tags: cardiovascular disease

Do You Know What Metabolic Syndrome Is?

Better Health — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 12:00:10 +0100

People with metabolic syndrome are twice as likely to develop heart disease, and five times as likely to develop diabetes, as those who don’t have metabolic syndrome. But many people are not yet familiar with this relatively new term. Do you know what metabolic syndrome is? OECD Country Populations with a BMI > 30 (1996-2003) Metabolic syndrome is the combination of several medical problems associated with morbid obesity. In addition to obesity, these conditions include: (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Columbia University Department of Surgery Blog* (Source: Better Health)

A Few More Victories Like This, And We Will Be Undone

In the Pipeline — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 16:47:03 +0100

AstraZeneca has a lot of problems these days, so you'd think that approval of their new anticoagulant Brilinta would be reason for the company to celebrate. Not much, though - see this post at InVivoBlog for more. A lot of companies have piled into this space over the last ten years, seeking some of those huge, huge Plavix-style revenues. But blood thinning is a tricky business. One step over the line and you're causing more problems than you're helping. And given the heterogeneity of the patient population, you never quite know where that line is going to be. By this point, too, any new therapy is going to have to compete with the generic of tried-and tested Plavix pretty soon. No, anticoagulants of all sorts don't seem to making anyone as rich as they were supposed to. King Pyrrhus woul...

Cardiac Hope and Cardiac Hype

In the Pipeline — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 15:26:41 +0100

There have been quite a few headlines over the last few days like this one: "A New Drug Makes Hearts Repair Themselves". Unfortunately, that's not quite true. Not yet. It's this paper in Nature that's getting the attention, and it is a very interesting one. The authors have identified a population of progenitor cells in the adult heart that can be induced to turn into fully differentiated myocytes after an infarction. In fewer syllables, and reasonably accurately: stem cells, already in the heart, can be made to repair it after a heart attack. And that's getting closer to that headline I was just complaining about - so what's the gap between the two? Well, there are several rather huge factors. One of them is that the way that these cells were stimulated into action was by treatment with...

Niacin's Unexpected Flop

In the Pipeline — Fri, 27 May 2011 16:01:22 +0100

Let's add to the uncertainty about whether we understand cardiovascular disease, OK? The NIH has been conducting a large statin-plus-niacin trial, which is definitely a combination worth looking at. The statin will lower your LDL, and niacin will raise your HDL and lower your triglycerides (albeit with some irritating side effects). An earlier trial of niacin versus Zetia (ezetimibe) made the former look pretty good (and Zetia look pretty bad) using an endpoint of arterial examination by ultrasound. But now the NIH trial has been stopped, a full 18 months early. Not only did the addition of niacin show no benefit at all, but that treatment group actually had a slightly higher rate of ischemic stroke. This despite the combination working as planned, from a blood-marker standpoint. No, we r...

Abbott Cholesterol Pill Fails To Protect The Heart

Pharmalot — Thu, 26 May 2011 16:07:59 +0100

A study run by the National Institutes of Health was ended 18 months early after finding that adding Niaspan to a statin in people with heart disease did not reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes. Moreover, Niaspan may have boosted the risk of ischemic events, raising questions about the benefit of raising HDL, or so-called good cholesterol, to fight heart disease. The 3,414-person study, which added the Abbott Laboratories pill to Merck’s Zocor, found the combination was linked to stroke in 1.6 percent of patients, compared with 0.7 percent among those given a placebo. The combo failed to reduce heart attacks, heart-related hospitalizations and the need for procedures to reduce chest pain and restore strong blood flow to the heart. “The...

Fenofibrate: Good For Much?

In the Pipeline — Wed, 18 May 2011 17:37:00 +0100

Abbott has some difficult times ahead with their fenofibrate franchise. That's TriCor, and its newer formulation, TriLipix. Fenofibrate, as I've mentioned here before, is an oddity among drugs. It was discovered way before anyone had a mechanism of action, and even now, while it's supposed to be a PPAR-alpha ligand, no one's completely happy with that explanation. (For one thing, it's not very potent at that nuclear receptor, while other PPAR-alpha compounds have crashed in clinical trials for various reasons). But it can lower triglycerides and raise HDL, which should both (in theory) be beneficial effects, and it's been a big seller over the years. But how much good does it do? That's always the big, important, slow question in the cardiovascular field. The data for fenofibrate have alw...

Obesity Beats Adiposity For Cardiovascular Risk

Better Health — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:00:00 +0100

Obesity contributes to cardiovascular risk no matter where a person carries the weight, concluded researchers after looking at outcomes for nearly a quarter-million people worldwide. Body mass index, (BMI) waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio do not predict cardiovascular disease risk any better when physicians recorded systolic blood pressure, history of diabetes and cholesterol levels, researchers reported in The Lancet. The research group used individual records from 58 prospective studies with at least one year of follow up. In each study, participants were not selected on the basis of having previous vascular disease. Each study provided baseline for weight, height, and waist and hip circumference. Cause-specific mortality or vascular morbidity were recorded according to well d...

More Potassium, Fewer Strokes

Better Health — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 18:00:00 +0100

There are few medical conditions that people fear more than a stroke. We know that blood pressure control and lowering cholesterol levels reduces stroke risk. Now, thanks to a huge analysis from Italy published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, we know that higher dietary consumption of potassium is associated with lower rates of stroke and could also reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and total cardiovascular disease, too. What is even more remarkable is that the results apply to all parts of society and not just to specific “at-risk” subgroups. Most doctors aren’t even aware of how important it is to eat potassium-rich foods. And what are these foods that have potassium? Surprise: It’s fruits and vegetables like bananas, tomatoes, o...

Controlling Hypertension without Drugs

MD Buyline — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:43:18 +0100

Two very different, cutting edge technologies are on the verge of becoming an option for patients with drug-resistant hypertension. I find this very exciting, considering hypertension affects almost 1/3 of adult Americans. It’s a deadly disease that costs $76 billion a year to treat. Out of this patient mix, 20 to 30% of those diagnosed with hypertension are unable to control its affects with lifestyle changes or medication. I spoke to Geoffrey S.F. Ling, MD, PhD, director of Critical Care, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, professor and vice chair of Neurology Uniform Services, University of Health Services, and advisory panel of National Neurological Disorder and Stroke Institute at NIH, Bethesda, Md., on the problems of controlling high blood pressure. H...

Coronary Stent Thrombosis And Your Body Clock

Better Health — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:00:00 +0100

Add coronary stent thrombosis to the list of cardiac events influenced by circadian rhythms, with more events occurring during the early morning hours and in a summertime window of late July and early August. Coronary stent thrombosis joins several other adverse cardiac events that also follow a circadian pattern, such as stroke, unstable angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death, according to researcher published in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions. Most studies that addressed circadian variations in cardiovascular disease were done before the advent of stents, so, researcher from Mayo Clinic-Rochester conducted a retrospective analysis of medical records and the clinic’s registry, finding 124 patients who presented with coronary stent thrombosis betwee...

Still The “Incredible, Edible” Egg

Better Health — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 20:00:00 +0100

Enriched chicken feed may have resulted in eggs having less cholesterol and more Vitamin D than previously measured, reports the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). A large egg today has about 185 milligrams of cholesterol, down 14 percent from 215 milligrams in 2002, according to new research from the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, reports USA Today. Also, an egg today has 41 international units (IUs) of Vitamin D, up 64 percent from 25 IUs measured in 2002. (That’s still only about 7 percent of the 600 IUs recommended per day.) The agency regularly does nutrient checks on popular foods, this time analyzing eggs taken from store shelves in 12 locations around the country. The American Egg Board said in a press release that hen feed is made up mostly of corn, soyb...

The (Still) “Incredible, Edible” Egg

Better Health — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 20:00:00 +0100

The Forecast For Heart Disease: Gloomy With A Chance Of “Boomers”

Better Health — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 18:00:43 +0100

As a youngster, I loved being part of the baby boom — it meant there were dozens of kids on my block who were ready to play hide-and-seek or join mysterious clubs. Now that I’m of an AARP age, there’s one club I don’t want to join: The one whose members have bypass scars, pacemakers, or other trappings of cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association’s (AHA) gloomy new forecast on cardiovascular disease tells me it won’t be easy to avoid. The AHA foresees sizeable increases in all forms of cardiovascular disease (see table) between now and 2030, the year all of the boomers are age 65 and older. Those increases will translate into an additional 27 million people with high blood pressure, eight million with coronary heart disease, four million with stroke, and thr...

Is February Heart-Marketing Month?

Better Health — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 22:00:00 +0100

Heart disease and February: What relationship could be more cozy? From the scary risks of shoveling snow (yep, you could die, so be sure to lift a little at a time), Mercedes-sponsored red dress parades and government-sponsored National Wear Red Day®, to tips for identifying heart attacks in women (men, you need a different month I guess), February has all the important stories to improve your awareness. Such a polite term “awareness.” But I wonder, now that the Internet is upon us and people are seeing their insurance rates and co-pays skyrocket, if maybe we’re shooting ourselves in the foot with all this heart-month marketing hype. People are sick and tired of testing “just to be sure.” It’s starting to directly cost them a fortune, and people are fr...

Book Review: “Why We Get Fat: And What To Do About It”

Better Health — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:00:44 +0100

Journalist Gary Taubes created a stir in 2007 with his impressive but daunting 640-page tome Good Calories, Bad Calories. Now he has written a shorter, more accessible book Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It to take his message to a wider audience. His basic thesis is that: - The calories-in/calories-out model is wrong. - Carbohydrates are the cause of obesity and are also important causes of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and most of the so-called diseases of civilization. - A low-fat diet is not healthy. - A low-carb diet is essential both for weight loss and for health. - Dieters can satisfy their hunger pangs and eat as much as they want and still lose weight as long as they restrict carbohydrates. He supports his thesis with data from the scientific litera...

Cardiovascular Care: Costs Could Triple By 2030

Better Health — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 18:00:00 +0100

Real total direct medical costs of cardiovascular disease (CVD) could triple, from $273 billion to $818 billion (in 2008 dollars) by 2030. Real indirect costs, such as lost productivity among the employed and unpaid household work, could increase 61 percent, from $172 billion in 2010 to $276 billion. Results appeared in a policy statement of the American Heart Association. CVD is the leading cause of mortality and accounts for 17 percent of national health expenditures, according to the statement. How much so? U.S. medical expenditures rose from 10 percent of the Gross Domestic Product in 1985 to 15 percent in 2008. In the past decade, the medical costs of CVD have grown at an average annual rate of 6 percent and have accounted for about 15 percent of the increase in medical spending...

Stress In Life: Respond Differently And Live Longer?

Better Health — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:00:39 +0100

This study proved that one such intervention, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for patients who suffered a first heart attack, lowered the risk of fatal and nonfatal recurrent cardiovascular disease events by 41 percent over eight years. Nonfatal heart attacks were almost cut in half. Excitement may be dampened by the fact that all-cause mortality did not statistically differ between the intervention and control groups, but did trend towards an improvement in the eight years of follow up. Definitely less suffering. Maybe less deaths. The authors state that psychosocial stressors have been shown to account for an astounding 30 percent of the attributable risk of having a heart attack. Chronic stressors include low socioeconomic status, low social support, marital problems, and work dist...

Merck's Vorapaxar: Bleeding, Indeed

In the Pipeline — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:54:59 +0100

So, as had been suspected, the reason that Merck's thrombin antagonist vorapaxar ran into clinical trouble was excessive bleeding. This is always the first thing to suspect when an anticoagulant has difficulty in human trials. It's really a delicate balance, the human clotting cascade, and it's all too easy to end up on the wrong side of it. When you think about it, the whole pathway has to be under very tight regulation - I mean, here's the fluid that transports oxygen and nutrients and removes waste. Absolutely crucial to the life of every cell in the body. And here's an option to have that fluid thicken up and turn to jelly, very quickly, and once it happens it can't be reversed. No, you're going to want a lot of safeguards around that switch. But if you lean over too far the other way...

Chocolate and Cardiovascular Health Benefits

Dr Shock MD PhD — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 07:12:51 +0100

Two recent large epidemiological studies again suggest a beneficial effect of chocolate consumption on cardiovascular disease. One study was a prospective study in 1216 women with a follow up of 9,5 years. The frequency of chocolate consumption was categorized in three groups”: < 1 serving per week, 1-6 servings and 7 or more. Outcome was defined as plaque thickness in the carotid artery and hospitalization or death at follow up as clinical outcome. Not only were carotid plaques less prevalent in those women eating more chocolate but also those who ate more chocolate were less frequently hospitalized or death from ischemic heart disease. In a large German study with middle aged participants of both sexes without cardiovascular disease at inclusion also an inverse relationship betwee...

A Flat Belly is in your Sole

Timemaster MD — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 03:55:44 +0100

Fat Burning Secret is in the sole of your shoes – fat busting is measured in how many steps run, not reps you pull! New science says your best way to slim and sexy is running, not lifting weights! Monitoring Fat Loss in Runners A key finding in a German study on long distance runners show that the first tissue affected by running was fat tissue! More importantly, visceral fat loss -the most dangerous fat linked to cardiovascular disease goes away. This is big news! Liposuction cannot reach inside your guts to get to the fat It has always been dogma, that when you put yourself in a negative calorie state through dieting or catabolic exercise, that your body burns protein (or muscle) first, not fat. We have always used hormones to protect the fat which works well. But, thi...

Merck's CETP Compound: Still Alive, But The Big Fun Awaits

In the Pipeline — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 15:42:02 +0100

Four years after the torcetrapib disaster, Merck has released some new clinical trial data on their own CETP inhibitor, anacetrapib. It's doing what it's supposed to, when added to a statin regimen: decrease LDL even more, and strongly raise HDL. So that's good news. . .but it would actually be quite surprising if these numbers hadn't come out that way. Pfizer's compound had already proven the CETP mechanism; their compound did the same thing at this stage of the game. The problems came later, and how. And that's where the worrying kicks in. As far as I know, no one is still quite sure why torcetrapib actually raised the death rate slightly in its phase III treatment group. One possible mechanism was elevated blood pressure (part of a general off-target effect on the adrenals) and Merck ...

Heart Smarts

Better Health — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 19:00:39 +0100

From the American Heart Association’s “Scientific Sessions 2010” in Chicago (November 13-17): Chicago Heart Smarts from Patient Power® on Vimeo. *This blog post was originally published at Andrew's Blog* (Source: Better Health)

Apotex's Plavix Adventure: Four Years Later

In the Pipeline — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 11:57:31 +0100

Remember the Plavix Confusion of 2006? That's when Canadian generic company Apotex managed to jump onto the market for a few weeks with its own version of the BMS/Sanofi-Aventis blockbuster. It was always a bit unclear whether they had the right to do that - there was a case that the company had played rough but fair with some tricky language in their agreements with the two pharmas. Still, Apotex racked up over 800 million dollars in sales while everyone was sorting that out. Well, four years down the road, a judge has ruled that Apotex owes BMS and S-A damages for their adventure: half the sales, plus interest. That's still less than the triple damages that could be obtained in an open-and-shut case of patent infringement, but it's pretty substantial. I wonder how much of the money Apot...

TWiV 102: Catch me if you can in Munich

virology blog — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 00:06:02 +0100

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Andrew Baker, Karl-Klaus Conzelmann, Peter Palese, and Katharina Eisenächer Episode #102 of the podcast This Week in Virology is a conversation about the RNA sensor RIG-I, adenovirus gene therapy, a universal influenza vaccine, and rabies virus, recorded in Munich, Germany at the SFB455 symposium ‘Viral offense and immune defense’. Download TWiV #102 (67 MB .mp3, 95 minutes) Subscribe to TWiV (free) in iTunes , at the Zune Marketplace, by the RSS feed, or by email, or listen on your mobile device with Stitcher Radio. Links for this episode: SFB455 Symposium scientific program Letters read on TWiV 102 Virologists having fun (YouTube video) Video of this episode – view below or download .mov (394 MB) or .wmv (506 MB) Weekly Science Picks...

The Simple Truth About Cholesterol

Better Health — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 12:00:00 +0100

The New York Times recently ran a piece that wondered if doctors were treating patients with cholesterol-lowering medication unnecessarily because a web-based calculator over estimated a person’s risk. The program was proudly sponsored by the pharmaceutical roundtable and was available at the American Heart Association. The implication was obvious. Simple tool determines an individual’s risk for heart attack or death from heart attack. It over estimates risk. Patients treated unnecessarily. To be also clear, the program did underestimate risk as well. Unfortunately, the article missed an important point. While the simplified calculator may not be as accurate as the more complex algorithm used by the National Cholesterol Education Program, the truth is doctors are likely to...

Should The FDA Have Moved Faster On Meridia?

Pharmalot — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:17:27 +0100

After months of waiting, the final and complete results from a study about the Meridia diet pill are now available in The New England Journal of Medicine and the findings are as bad as what was suggested by the preliminary data released last November. The SCOUT study, which was financed by Abbott Labs, the company that sells the pill, shows Meridia raised heart attack and stroke risk in patients with pre-existing heart disease (read the abstract). The study examined nearly 10,000 people 55 and older with pre-existing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes or both, who were given Meridia or a placebo. They also participated in a diet and exercise program. On average, Meridia was taken for more than three years and the risk of a heart attack or stroke was 16 percent higher. Those taking the...

What Do Doctors Know About Their Unemployed Patients?

Better Health — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 16:00:36 +0100

Anyone who’s ever been downsized or otherwise lost a job knows the feelings: Personal loss (social, financial and routine), self doubt, and in some cases fear of what the future will bring. Unemployment and its cousin, underemployment, are not subjects that a lot of people are comfortable brining up in polite conversation — even with their doctor. Given today’s tough economic environment, chances are that 15 to 20 percent of the people sitting in most doctors’ waiting rooms are out of work. Do you know who they are? You should. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Mind The Gap* (Source: Better Health)

Sleep 7 Hours to Avoid Cardiovascular Disease

Sleep Education — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:47:00 +0100

(Source: Sleep Education)

Holding Hands Is Good For The Heart

Better Health — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 14:00:00 +0100

A trained observer is what most electrophysiologists are. And being a trained observer carries over into real life, as would the handiness of a plumber, or the strength of a brick layer, or the wordsmithing of a journalist. Will and I drive past our house. “Where are we going now,” he asks in the exasperated tone of a 13 year old. I need to take a picture. Why? Because middle-aged patients who’ve recently realized that their life is half over often seek clues to longevity. Let’s take stressed-out, middle-aged patients who’ve somehow been rendered free of AF (maybe by a skillful ablation, or more likely just happenstance). Let’s also say they don’t smoke, drink excessively, have normal blood pressure, normal blood sugar, and aren’t obese....

Lilly's Statin - Yes, It Is 2010

In the Pipeline — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:59:14 +0100

Aficionados will remember that Warner-Lambert nearly killed Lipitor along the way because they felt that the statin market was too crowded. Well, now Lipitor's patent is going to finally expire next year, which will make it even harder for anyone to turn a buck on anything higher-priced. So Eli Lilly is, yes, bringing a statin of their own to market. Livalo (pitavastastin) will try to make headway based on a slightly lower price than Crestor (the big dog, after next year, among the patent-protected statins) and a different metabolic profile that might decrease drug-drug interactions. Lilly brought this one in from Kowa of Japan, and it's hard to see how they'll get too many people excited about it. And while I certainly understand to need to make some money, one way or another, making it...

British Journal of General Practice 2009 (Vol 60 No 575)

Fade Library — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 09:50:09 +0100

Contents Page Title: How ready is general practice to improve quality in chronic kidney disease? A diagnostic analysis Skinny: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity as well as progression to established renal failure. Article discusses interventions in primary care such as lowering of blood pressure which can slow disease progression. (Print subscription held at Fade Library) Filed under: Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, Journals, Kidney Diseases, Mortality Tagged: Blood Pressure, Cardiovascular Disease, Chronic kidney disease, Diabetes, Interventions, Morbidity, Mortality, Proteinuria, Renal Diseases (Source: Fade Library)

Raising Your HDL - Through the Brain?

In the Pipeline — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 12:03:22 +0100

For a long time now, people have been searching for a way to raise HDL levels (the so-called "good cholesterol"). Statins will lower your LDL, while raising HDL just a pinch, but no one has a good, robust way to do it. (Niacin is probably the closest thing, but not everyone can take it). Many have tried, and failed, with Pfizer's CETP inhibitor torcetrapib being the most notably horrendous. Now there's a completely new way to regulate HDL, and it comes from a direction you might not expect: the brain. A new paper in Nature Neuroscience demonstrates that melanocortin signaling, ghrelin and GLP-1 change HDL levels, through both altered cholesterol synthesis and uptake. Since these are involved in a number of ways in food intake and metabolism, it makes sense (in retrospect) that there would...

Is Red Meat Hazardous To Your Health?

Better Health — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 16:00:39 +0100

Red meat consumption has been linked to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and several types of cancer (breast, colorectal, stomach, bladder, prostate, and lymphoma). There are plausible mechanisms: Meat is a source of carcinogens, iron that may increase oxidative damage, and saturated fat. But correlation and plausibility are not enough to establish causation. Is red meat really dangerous? If so, how great is the risk? A couple of recent studies have tried to shed light on these questions, but they have raised more questions than they have answered. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Science-Based Medicine* (Source: Better Health)

Heart 2010 (Vol. 96 No. 5)

Fade Library — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 09:51:41 +0100

Contents page Fade Fave: Walking speed and subclinical atherosclerosis in healthy older adults: the Whitehall II study Fade Skinny: Short-distance walking speed is associated with metabolic risk and subclinical atherosclerosis in older adults without overt CVD. These data suggest that a non-aerobically challenging walking test reflects the presence of underlying vascular disease. (NHS Athens is required to access this article online) Filed under: Athens Password, Current Awareness, E-Journals Tagged: Athens Password, Cardiovascular Disease, Current Awareness, Diagnosis, E-Journals, Older People, Physical Activity (Source: Fade Library)

Brush Up On Heart Health

Better Health — Sun, 30 May 2010 16:00:00 +0100

The British Medical Journal reported on a study of toothbrushing and found that people with poor oral hygiene had an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attack. We’ve known for the last two decades that inflammation plays an important role in atherosclerosis. Markers of low-grade inflammation like C-reactive protein are also shown to be higher in heart disease. The Scottish Health researchers looked at the general population and followed a large subset with questions about their oral health. They asked about frequency of dentist visits, toothbrushing, and controlled for many co-variables such as general activity, hypertension, smoking, height and weight. They also collected blood for studies of C-reactive protein as a marker of inflammation. They removed from the...

Can Brushing Your Teeth Prevent Heart Disease?

Healthbolt — Fri, 28 May 2010 17:58:56 +0100

photo: Thinkstock We used to think of brushing our teeth just as a matter of hygiene, but now it’s proved to be a serious health issue. Most of us brush our teeth every morning, evening, and maybe during the day if we eat something garlicky for lunch. But those who skip one of their daily teeth cleaning sessions may be putting themselves at a much greater risk for heart disease. Researchers in England studied data from more than 11,000 people who took part in a study called the Scottish Health Survey, which took data about lifestyle habits. Participants were asked how often they went to the dentist, and how often they brushed their teeth. The researchers adjusted the data for other cardiovascular risk factors like smoking, family history, obesity, and social class, and still found th...

Pfizer Halts a Trial Early - On Good News

In the Pipeline — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:54:56 +0100

Pfizer was able to announce some good news today - their trial of Inspra (eplerenone) for patients with a particular combination of heart failure symptoms. The trial was halted early, but (for once) because the endpoints were reached so early that it would have been unethical to continue the placebo arm. It's always nice to hear about one of those; we don't get them that often. The drug is an aldosterone antagonist which had already been approved several years ago for heart failure and hypertension, so it's not really a surprise that it worked in this population. But you never know, and Pfizer wanted to be able to get specifically recommended for patients of this type. And that they will. (Source: In the Pipeline)

The Epidemic Of Sedentary Behavior

Better Health — Tue, 25 May 2010 12:00:32 +0100

“I never worry about action, but only about inaction.” — Winston Churchill Winston Churchill was right: Experts are saying sedentary behavior is an epidemic, with the resulting health effects potentially devastating. Lack of muscular activity is associated with higher incidence of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer, as well as a heightened risk of death. And this is regardless of one’s level of structured physical exercise, according to the authors of an article published [recently] in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The team from Stockholm, Sweden, says that sedentary behavior has become synonymous with lack of exercise, but that this is inaccurate and misleading. Rather, sedentary behavior should be defined as whole body muscular inactivity...

Home blood-pressure monitoring better than doctors’ readings

Dr John Biffa's Blog — Mon, 03 May 2010 22:25:18 +0100

Not uncommonly in practice I see individuals who have a diagnosis of possible ‘hypertension’ (high blood pressure) hanging over their heads. Usually what has happened here is that a doctor has noted a high or borderline high reading, which has been ‘confirmed’ again on another visit. Perhaps not surprisingly, individuals can be quite uptight about [...] (Source: Dr John Biffa's Blog)

Coffee drinking has biochemical benefits for the body

Dr John Biffa's Blog — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:39:05 +0100

Coffee, despite its not-so-healthy reputation, has been quite consistently linked in the scientific literature with benefits for health including a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and dementia. See here, here, here, and here. While the research regarding the effects of coffee on health is voluminous, the great majority of it comes in the form of [...] (Source: Dr John Biffa's Blog)

Journal of the American Medical Association 2010 ( Vol. 303 No. 9)

Fade Library — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:02:16 +0100

This article aims to determine the effectiveness of aspirin in preventing events in people with a low ABI identified on screening the general population. An NHS Athens password is required to access this article online or contact the library for a print copy. Filed under: Current Awareness, E-Journals, Journals Tagged: Ankle Brachial Index, Aspirin, Atherosclerosis, Cardiovascular Disease, Stroke (Source: Fade Library)

Tricor's Troubles

In the Pipeline — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:22:13 +0100

It's easy to lose sight of what a drug is supposed to do. Many conditions come on so slowly that we have to use blood chemistry or other markers to see the progress of therapy in a realistic time. And over time, that blood marker can get confused with the disease itself. To pick one famous example, try cholesterol. Everyone you stop on the street will know that "high cholesterol is bad for you". But the first thing you have to do is distinguish between LDL and HDL cholesterol - if the latter is a large enough fraction of the total, the aggregate number doesn't matter as much. And fundamentally, there's not a disease called "high cholesterol" - that's a symptom of some other cluster of metabolic processes that have gone subtly off. And the endpoint of any therapy in that field isn't really...

Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, Diet Coke & Health. Part I.

Laika's MedLibLog — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 11:59:54 +0100

At Medical and Technology of Joseph Kim, the upcoming Grand Rounds host, I saw the blog post “Need your help on Facebook to get Diet Coke to Donate $50,000 to the Foundation for NIH”. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute has started a national campaign in the US, The Heart Truth®. They issued a challenge in [...] (Source: Laika's MedLibLog)

Is Psychiatry a Science?

World of Psychology — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 11:10:22 +0100

In a nearly 6,000-word essay, Louis Menand asks the question of the hour in the March 1 edition of The New Yorker. Menard lays out in excruciating detail the questions revolving around psychiatry these days, including the recent research into drug trials that suggests that some of the science psychiatry is founded upon is sometimes … Well, how shall we put it? Lacking. But it is a thoughtful piece that just doesn’t review two recent books — Gary Greenberg’s Manufacturing Depression and Irving Kirsch’s The Emperor’s New Drugs — but provides a fairly balanced set of observations and valuable historical insights about these never-ending arguments that seem to pervade psychiatry (and psychology and mental disorders in general). Questions such as: What is the basi...

It’s Heart Month

Diabetes Mine — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:00:04 +0100

It’s February. The month of sweet tarts and sweet hearts (and far too much candy being tossed around, if you ask me). Fittingly, it also happens to American Heart Month, a time to call attention to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including stroke, which are our nation’s No. 1 killer (!) A full 50% of people with diabetes [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine)

Remember Apo-A1 Milano? Pfizer Does.

In the Pipeline — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:01:47 +0100

The folks over at the In Vivo Blog will soon be announcing their "Deal of the Year" in the biotech/pharma sector (you can scroll back over there to see the various nominees). But they could just as well run the competition in reverse, and award some retroactive Bad Deal statues based on what's been happening recently. One of those might well go to the 2003 deal in which Pfizer paid over a billion dollars in to acquire Esperion and their Apo-A1 Milano lipoprotein. If you've been following the cardiovascular field for a few years, you'll remember the big press that this got. The Milan variant of the protein seemed to be quite effective at reverse cholesterol transport - just typing that phrase takes me back a few years, to be honest. The hope was that periodic treatments might flush the art...

FDA issues warning for desipramine hydrochloride (Norpramin®)

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:12:00 +0100

Sanofi-Aventis and FDA notified healthcare professionals of changes to the Warnings and Overdosage sections of the Prescribing Information for Norpramin (desipramine hydrochloride), indicated for the treatment of depression. The new safety information states that extreme caution should be used when this drug is given to patients who have a family history of sudden death, cardiac dysrhythmias, and cardiac conduction disturbances; and that seizures precede cardiac dysrhythmias and death in some patients. Sanofi-Aventis: Dear Healthcare Professional Letter () (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Plavix vs. Effient

In the Pipeline — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:29:41 +0100

The InVivo Blog has a good article on a controversy in the blood-thinning market. Plavix (clopidogrel) has a very strong share of that, of course, but since Effient (prasugrel) was finally approved, Lilly and Dai-Ichii are looking to take as much of that market as they can. And one opening might be that not everyone responds similarly to Plavix. In some cases, that's because there are some drug-drug interactions, a problem the FDA has recently addressed. The proton pump inhibitors, especially, are metabolized through the CYP2C19 pathway. That's a problem, since that enzyme is needed to convert clopidogrel into its active form (Plavix, as it comes out of the pill, is a prodrug - its thiophene ring needs to get torn open). This sort of thing has been seen many times before - it's one of the...

Heart patients lacking vitamin D more likely to be depressed

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:47:00 +0100

By Denise Mann Health.com — People with heart disease and similar conditions who don't have enough vitamin D are more likely to be depressed than their counterparts with adequate levels of the "sunshine vitamin," according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association in Orlando. This link seems to be even stronger in the winter. More... CNN © 2009 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Reducing Marital Stress Through Communication

World of Psychology — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:23:39 +0100

One heavily researched area within psychology is couples’ and marital communication. How a couple chooses to communicate — especially during a conflict — affects all sorts of things in the relationship: stress, relationship health, intimacy, even each person’s health. As Gouin et al. (2009) note in a summary of our existing research on this issue: Individuals reporting lower marital satisfaction experienced more non-specific physical illness symptoms over a 4-year period than individuals with higher marital satisfaction. Among healthy women, lower marital satisfaction was also associated with a more rapid progression of carotid atherosclerosis. Furthermore, women who were initially dissatisfied in their marital relationship were more likely to develop metabolic syn...

Heart disease perceived as more disabling when patient also has PTSD

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:42:00 +0100

Steve Tokar - The Veterans Health Research Institute In a study of 1,022 men and women with heart disease, those with post-traumatic stress disorder perceived the effects of their disease as more burdensome and disabling than did those without PTSD, even when their actual heart health was no worse by objective measures. The results are reported by researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC) and the University of California, San Francisco in the November 2009 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry. The researchers, led by Beth E. Cohen, MD, MAS, a staff physician at SFVAMC, looked at an array of perceived effects of heart disease as reported by the study participants, including chest pain frequency and severity, limitations on physical activity and daily functioning, an...

My First Vlog - from the Heart

Diabetes Mine — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:17 +0100

I was tempted to call this post, “I’m better in writing.” I really don’t like seeing myself on film. But I know, it’s time to get with the program. That, and the American Heart Association provided the members of its Heart of Diabetes Connected Council group with free Flip video recorders - pretty cool! See Scott Johnson’s [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine)

Cardio Exercise Helps People with Lupus

A Hearty Life — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 15:24:59 +0100

If you have lupus, you may benefit from speaking to your doctor about participating in exercises to promote cardiovascular health. A small study of 27 patients with lupus showed that there was a good benefit to promoting cardiac health. Lupus, itself, is a risk factor for heart disease. This may not be obvious to some people who are living with the disease, as they focus on the issues that are more obvious. According to a press release from the Hospital for Special Surgery “Lupus patients are battling systemic inflammation, which in itself is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease,” said Doruk Erkan, M.D. the [Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Counseling] program’s director and co-director of the Mary Kirkland Center for Lupus Care at Hospital for Special Surgery in New...

Does depression cause inflammation, or is it caused by it?

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:23:00 +0100

Cindy Fox Aisen - Indiana University School of Medicine Which comes first, depression or inflammation? To help solve this long standing chicken and egg conundrum, researchers led by Jesse Stewart, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis asked two critical questions. Does depression lead to elevated inflammatory proteins in the human body? Or does an increase in these proteins lead to depression? They found that the answer to the first question appears to be "yes," and the answer to the second question may be "no" among healthy adults. The researchers report that depressive symptoms are associated with increases over time in interleukin-6, an inflammatory protein that predicts cardiovascular events. In contrast, levels of interleukin-6 wer...

Abstract: Increased risk of acute myocardial infarction for patients with panic disorder

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 07:46:00 +0100

Conclusion: Panic disorder was identified as an independent risk factor for subsequent acute myocardial infarction. Comprehensive multidisciplinary approaches are needed to optimize primary and secondary prevention of acute myocardial infarction among patients with panic disorder. Source... © 2009 American Psychosomatic Society (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Post coronary depression severity, duration affect mortality risk

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:10:00 +0100

JAMA Among patients with both major depression and acute coronary syndrome, those with more severe depression within a few weeks of hospitalization for a cardiac event and those whose depression does not improve within six months appear to have more than double the risk of dying over a seven-year period, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. About one-fifth of individuals experience major depression in the first few weeks following a heart attack, according to background information in the article. Depression is associated with an increased risk of death after acute coronary syndrome, a term for cardiac events such as heart attack or unstable angina (chest pain). Alexander H. Glassman, MD, of Columbia University M...

Hope plays role in stroke risk

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:26:00 +0100

By Todd Neale, Staff Writer, MedPage Today A feeling of hopelessness about the future appears to be associated with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in apparently healthy, middle-age women, a cross-sectional study showed. More... © 2004-2009 MedPage Today, LLC. All Rights Reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Abstract: Are SSRIs cardiac teratogens? Echocardiographic screening of newborns with persistent heart murmur

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:20:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Newborns exposed in utero to SSRIs, have a twofold higher risk of mild nonsyndromic heart defects than unexposed infants. The data suggest that women who require SSRI treatment during pregnancy can be reassured that the fetal risk is low and possible cardiac malformations will probably be mild. Late-targeted ultrasound and fetal echocardiography at 22 to 23 weeks' gestation are recommended in this patient group. Source... Copyright © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc., A Wiley CompanyCaution: Do not stop any depression medication unless directed to do so by your provider. When some depression medications are discontinued, abruptly worsening depression, anxiety and flu-like symptoms may occur. While not life-threatening these may be very uncomfortable. Ask the prescribing doctor ...

Abstract: The impact of differing anxiety disorders on outcome following an acute coronary syndrome: time to start worrying?

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 06:32:00 +0100

Conclusions: Any impact of anxiety on post-ACS outcome appears to be influenced by the clinical sub-type. The seemingly paradoxical finding that GAD might improve outcome may reflect apprehensive worrying being constructive, by improving self-management of the individual's cardiac problems. (Text has been reformatted for online visual clarity; ed.) Source... © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Abstract: Paroxetine [Paxil®]-induced increase in LDL cholesterol levels

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 08:11:00 +0100

J Psychopharmacol 2009 Sep;23(7):826-830 Paroxetine-induced increase in LDL cholesterol levels Le Melledo JM, Mailo K, Lara N, Abadia MC, Gil L, Van Ameringen M, Baker G, Perez-Parada J. Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Anxiety Disorders Clinic, McMaster University Medical Centre, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurociences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Paroxetine is widely prescribed because it has the indication for multiple psychiatric disorders. Our objective was to assess the effect of short-term administration of paroxetine on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in both healthy controls (HCs) and in patients with panic disorder...

PTSD symptoms common after heart attack

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:38:00 +0100

BPS Many people experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress following a heart attack, and anxiety, depression and social withdrawal are also commonplace. These are the findings of a study by Susan Ayers of the University of Sussex and colleagues Claire Copland and Emma Dunmore, published in the British Journal of Health Psychology. Seventy four people who had experienced a heart attack in the previous 12 weeks and who were attending cardiac rehabilitation programs took part in the study. The sample was predominantly male (76 per cent) with an average age of 62 years. Participants completed questionnaires assessing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, as well as perceptions of the severity of their heart attack and the extent to which they believed their lives were in danger. Ph...

Young vets with PTSD more prone to heart risk factors

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 07:58:00 +0100

By Kathleen DohenyHealthDay Reporter TUESDAY, Aug. 4 (HealthDay News) — Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts who have mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are also at higher risk for having cardiovascular disease risk factors, a new study suggests. While previous studies have found that those with PTSD, a common mental health problem among veterans who have seen combat, are at increased risk of developing and dying from cardiovascular disease, risk factors for heart attack and stroke have not been evaluated in this group, said Dr Beth E. Cohen, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco and staff physician at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. More... Copyright © 2009 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights rese...

Abstract: Effects of antidepressants on plasma metabolites of nitric oxide in major depressive disorder

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 07:44:00 +0100

This study included 40 in- or outpatients in our university hospital who met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for major depressive disorder (M/F: 15/25, age: 47 ± 19 yr) and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (M/F: 10/20, age: 45 ± 15 yr), and also examined the effects of the antidepressants on the plasma NOx levels in depressed patients. The baseline plasma NOx levels were significantly lower in the whole depressed group than in the control group (p < 0.01). Treatment with milnacipran [Ixel®, Savella®], but not paroxetine [Paxil®], significantly increased the plasma NOx levels by 4 and 8 weeks. These results suggest that decreased plasma NOx levels might be partially associated with the pathophysiology of depression, and that treatment with milnacipran, a serotoni...

Social stress linked to increased abdominal fat

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:53:00 +0100

Jessica Guenzel A new study by Wake Forest University School of Medicine researchers shows that social stress could be an important precursor to heart disease by causing the body to deposit more fat in the abdominal cavity, speeding the harmful buildup of plaque in blood vessels, a stepping stone to the number one cause of death in the world. The findings could be an important consideration in the way the United States and other Western countries try to stem the rapid rise of obesity, said Carol A. Shively, PhD, a professor of pathology and the study's principal investigator. The study appears as the cover story of the current issue of Obesity, the peer-reviewed journal of the Obesity Society. "We are in the midst of an obesity epidemic," Shively said. "Much of the excess fat in many peopl...

Depression and heart disease association modest but complex

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:38:00 +0100

Sathya Achia Abraham - JAMA Major depression and coronary artery disease are only modestly related throughout an individual's lifetime, but studying how the two interact over time and in twin pairs paints a more complex picture of the associations between the conditions, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of General Psychiatry. For example, the association between coronary artery disease onset and major depression risk is much stronger over time than vice versa. "While an association between major depression and coronary artery disease has long been noted and recently confirmed, the direction and cause of this association remain unclear," the researchers write as background information in the article. High cortisol levels, inflammation and changes in blood platelet funct...

Depression Increases the Risk of Major Diseases and Illnesses

World of Psychology — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:04:17 +0100

It’s fairly known that depression can occur after a heart attack and can increase the likelihood of a second heart attack. But did you know that the flip side is also true? That depression itself can increase a person’s risk for cardiovascular disease. A recent Johns Hopkins Health Alert reports: Prospective studies show that people who had no CHD [coronary heart disease] but were depressed when the studies began were more likely to develop or die of heart disease. Depression also aggravates chronic illnesses such as diabetes, arthritis, back problems, and asthma, leading to more work absences, disability, and doctor visits. Now results from a large Norwegian study suggests that depression increases the risk of death from most other major diseases, including stroke, respiratory...

Heart disease enzyme triggers depression, stymies antidepressants

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 09:15:00 +0100

This study adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests depression worsens heart disease; in fact, it is shown to be even more of a risk factor for mortality than traditional cardiac risk factors such as high blood pressure. The prevalence of depression in patients with coronary artery disease is shown to be much higher than that of the general population, contributing to a poorer quality of life and increased mortality. "It is important to identify biological pathways that might be involved since the excessive mortality associated with depressive symptoms remains largely unexplained," says Swardfager. In the study, the enzyme's activity was specifically related to "the blues", depressed mood, feelings of failure, loneliness, crying, sadness, and an inability to "get going". Swardfager...

Depression, anxiety bad for the heart

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:24:00 +0100

Two new studies show effects on angina and mortality By Ed Edelson HealthDay Reporter MONDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) — Two new studies show that problems with the mind can play a significant role in problems of the heart. One study found that anxiety and depression can increase the incidence of angina, the chest pain that sends many people to the doctor, said Dr Mark Sullivan, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington, and senior author of one of the reports in the June 29 online issue of Circulation. More... Copyright © 2009 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Sleep Apnea & Abnormal Heart Rhythms in Older Men

Sleep Education — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:00:00 +0100

A new study examines the link between sleep apnea and “cardiac arrhythmias” – abnormal heart rhythms.The study involved 2,911 older men. Sleep apnea was measured during an overnight sleep study. Heart monitoring detected two groups of abnormal heart rhythms: atrial fibrillation or flutter (AF), and complex ventricular ectopy (CVE).Results show that the general risk of AF and CVE increased as the severity of sleep apnea increased. The specific risks varied according to the type of sleep apnea that men had.Men with obstructive sleep apnea had a greater risk of CVE but not AF. Men with central sleep apnea were between two and three times more likely to have AF.The NHLBI reports that the atria are the two upper chambers of the heart. They collect blood as it comes into the heart. The ven...

Omega-3s may prevent coronary disease related depression

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 08:15:00 +0100

Depression is an established risk factor for the development of coronary heart disease in healthy patients and for adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with existing disease. Dietary factors resulting in lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids not only increase coronary heart disease risk, but may also be involved in the pathophysiology of depression. Researchers in Indian and Pakistan measured red blood cell levels of two omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in fasting venous blood samples using capillary gas chromatography to measure the fatty acid composition of red blood cell membranes, and assessed depressive symptoms in a cross-sectional study of 987 adults with coronary heart disease. They assessed current depression using the 9-item Pat...

Rolofylline Hits the Skids

In the Pipeline — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:33:19 +0100

There is no good way to spin a Phase III failure. By then you've made it past the main reasons for a drug to wipe out (PK and total mechanistic failure). A breakdown at this stage is a more subtle affair (well, except for the money involved, which is not subtle at all). For example, a drug might show efficacy in a carefully constructed Phase II trial, but can't perform under the wider (and more realistic) conditions of Phase III. That's what appears to have happened to Merck's MK-7418 (rolofylline, formerly KW-3902). This adenosine A1 antagonist, which Merck picked up by buying NovaCardia a couple of years ago, was being developed for acute heart failure. That's a tough indication, and this isn't going to improve that reputation. (This Forbes piece has a tour of the pile of discards that ...

Bioidentical Hormones Associated with Lower Cancer Risks

Doctor Kalitenko antiaging blog — Tue, 26 May 2009 16:01:51 +0100

New Study Suggests That Bioidential Hormones are Safer Than Traditional HRT A comprehensive analysis of medical studies and literature, performed by Holtorf Medical group in California and published in January 2009 in Postgraduate Medicine has just announced that bioidentical hormones are safer than traditional HRT. The study showed that bioidentical hormones are associated with lower risks, including the risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease, and are more effective than their synthetic and animal-derived counterparts. Until evidence is found to the contrary, bioidentical hormones remain the preferred method of HRT. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to delineate these differences more clearly. (full article available at http://www.postgradmed.com) But what do we do...

CMV-infection, plaques and high blood pressure

Laika's MedLibLog — Tue, 26 May 2009 03:58:58 +0100

A recent experimental study shows that a common virus that hides (becomes latent) after infection can trigger high blood pressure, a leading cause of cardiovascular disease. The virus is cytomegalovirus (CMV). It belongs to the herpesviruses, hence it’s alternative name Human Herpesvirus 5 (HHV-5). The herpesviruses have in common that they can become latent (dormant) for [...] (Source: Laika's MedLibLog)

APA: Heart risks may impair depression treatment

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Mon, 25 May 2009 08:19:00 +0100

By Crystal Phend, Staff Writer, MedPage Today SAN FRANCISCO, May 22 — Cardiovascular risk factors may be linked to lack of response to antidepressant treatment, researchers found. Patients with diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and obesity were twice as likely to be unresponsive to antidepressant medication as other patients (P<0.05 to 0.01), Dale D'Mello, MD, and Alric Hawkins, MD, both of Michigan State University in East Lansing, reported at the American Psychiatric Association meeting. More... © 2004-2009 MedPage Today, LLC. All Rights Reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Mipomersen - It Still Works

In the Pipeline — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:35:33 +0100

Isis Pharmaceuticals has had a long, tough history developing antisense-based therapeutics. I've lost count of the number of promising candidates they've had (and promising deals they've signed). But the latest one seems to be progressing: mipomersen, designed to block production of the ApoB lipoprotein. That should lower LDL, and help with several other cardiovascular risk factors at the same time. Isis and their partner Genzyme have just announced that a trial of the drug in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia showed significant LDL reductions (25 per cent). These people are already maxed out on statin therapy, and still have huge LDL levels, so this does seem to represent an advance. And Genzyme knows all about getting drugs through for very small patient population...

Gene linked to depression in cardiovascular patients

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Wed, 20 May 2009 08:42:00 +0100

Jessica Collins Grimes - Lifespan Individuals with heart disease are twice as likely to suffer from depression as the general population, an association the medical community has largely been unable to explain. Now, a new study by researchers at The Miriam Hospital, in conjunction with The Montréal Heart Institute, University of Montréal and McGill University, reveals there may be genetic variations that contribute to depression in heart disease patients. According to the study, published in the April issue of the American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics, the genes are related to the vascular system, suggesting that vascular health - which includes the body's network of blood vessels, arteries and veins - may be a predictor of depression in indiv...

Abstract: Preclinical atherosclerosis covaries with individual differences in reactivity and functional connectivity of the amygdala

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Mon, 11 May 2009 08:30:00 +0100

Conclusions: Individual differences in amygdala reactivity and functional connectivity may reflect facets of a novel, systems-level neural phenotype conferring risk for atherosclerosis and CVD. Source... Copyright © 2009 Society of Biological Psychiatry Published by Elsevier Inc. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Abstract: Association between anxiety disorders and heart rate variability

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Thu, 07 May 2009 08:33:00 +0100

Conclusion: This study shows that anxiety disorders are associated with significantly lower HR variability, but the association seems to be driven by the effects of antidepressants. (Text has been reformatted for online visual clarity; ed.) Source... Copyright © 2009 by the American Psychosomatic Society (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Farewell to ACAT, and to Lots of Time and Money, Too

In the Pipeline — Tue, 05 May 2009 12:19:33 +0100

Back when I joined the first drug company I ever worked for, the group in the lab next door was working on an enzyme called ACAT, acyl CoA:cholesterol acyltranferase. It’s the main producer of cholesterol esters in cells, and is especially known to be active in the production of foam cells in atherosclerosis. It had already been a drug target for some years before I first heard about it, and has remained one. It hasn’t been an easy ride. Since 1990, several compounds have failed in the clinic or in preclinical tox testing. The most recent disappointment was in 2006, when pactimibe (Daiichi Sankyo) not only failed to perform against placebo, but actually made things slightly worse. Lipid handling is a tough field, because every animal does is slightly differently. There are all sorts ...

An Early Bedtime May Improve Your Heart Health

Sleep Education — Sun, 03 May 2009 11:05:00 +0100

A new study shows that going to bed before midnight may be good for your health. You may be less likely to have hardened arteries.The study involved 251 healthy men. They were all younger than 61 years of age. They had an annual check up to measure their health. They also reported their typical bedtime and sleep duration.The men were put into three groups based on their self-reported sleep duration: less than six hours, six to seven hours, and seven hours or more. In each of these groups, the men who reported going to bed before midnight had more relaxed arteries.“We speculate that going to bed late somehow disturbs our habitual, biological sleep patterns,” study author Dr. Yu Misao said in a prepared statement. “We should consider getting our sleep habits as close to what our bodies...

Niacin, No Longer Red-Faced?

In the Pipeline — Fri, 01 May 2009 12:26:45 +0100

One of Merck’s less wonderful recent experiences was the rejection of Cordaptive, which was an attempt to make a niacin combination for the cardiovascular market. Niacin would actually be a pretty good drug to improve lipid profiles if people could stand to take the doses needed. But many people experience a burning, itchy skin flush that’s enough to make them give up on the stuff. And that’s too bad, because it’s the best HDL-raising therapy on the market. It also lowers LDL, VLDL, free fatty acids, and tryglycerides, which is a pretty impressive spectrum. So it’s no wonder that Merck (and others) have tried to find some way to make it more tolerable. A new paper suggests that everyone has perhaps been looking in the wrong place for that prize. A group at Duke has found that t...

Depression linked to depositing of visceral fat

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 06:11:00 +0100

Study explains association between depression and cardiovascular disease Sharon Butler Numerous studies have shown that depression is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, but exactly how has never been clear. Now, researchers at Rush University Medical Center have shown that depression is linked with the accumulation of visceral adipose tissue, the kind of fat packed between internal organs at the waistline, which has long been known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The study will be published in the May issue of Psychosomatic Medicine. "Our results suggest that central adiposity - which is commonly called belly fat - is an important pathway by which depression contributes to the risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes," said Lynda Powell, Ph...

Heart Health for Breastfeeding Mothers

Breastfeeding 1-2-3 — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 02:16:02 +0100

Researchers have long known that breastfeeding mothers benefit from less incidence of breast and ovarian cancer and type II diabetes than formula-feeding mothers. A new study shows yet more strong correlation between breastfeeding and lower rates of diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Photo courtesy of Karen Barefoot Nearly 140,000 post-menopausal women were studied in the Women’s Health Initiative. According to the Vancouver Sun (via One Small Step for Breastfeeding…), the study revealed breastfeeding’s heart health benefits on three levels: 1. Risk Factors. Women who breastfed their babies had lower incidence of the following three risk factors for heart disease: diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. 2. Cardiovascular Disease. Women who had never breastfe...

Depression increases heart failure risk for cardiovascular patients

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:22:00 +0100

This study-the first to investigate the influence of depression after heart disease on the likelihood of developing heart failure-also found that taking antidepressant medications to ease depressive symptoms did not appear to mitigate this risk. "Our data suggest that depression is an important and emerging risk factor for heart failure among patients with coronary heart disease," said Heidi May, PhD, M.S.P.H., epidemiologist, Intermountain Medical Center, Murray, Utah. "Interestingly, when we stratified patients with depression by whether they received antidepressant medication or not, the incidence of heart failure didn't change. This finding may indicate that antidepressants may not be able to alter the physical or behavioral risks associated with depression and heart failure, despite a...

Snails could be used to test cardiovascular affects of antidepressants

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:05:00 +0100

It's a rainy day and you've just planted some petunias in the garden. Unknowingly you've created an earthly version of snail heaven. Snail hormones begin circulating and hearts beating. Strangely, the hormone that activates the snail heart is serotonin, the psychotropic chemical so beloved by antidepressant manufacturers for its ability to quieten the human brain. The snail heart copes well with the onslaught of serotonin. La Trobe University pharmacologist Michelle Gibson has identified two serotonin receptors in the snail heart and is investigating changes in intra-cellular chemicals. These studies may have implications for humans as the snail heart could be used as a model to study, for example, the cardiovascular side-effects of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, drugs like the ...

Abstract: Depression and whole blood serotonin in patients with coronary heart disease

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 08:54:00 +0100

Conclusions: In this sample of patients with stable CHD, current major depression was independently associated with higher mean WBS levels. Future studies should examine whether elevated WBS may contribute to adverse outcomes in patients with depression and CHD. Source... © 2009 American Psychosomatic Society (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Psychotherapies prove effective for post heart surgery depression

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 08:48:00 +0100

In conclusion, this randomized, controlled trial showed that cognitive behavior therapy was an efficacious treatment for depression in patients with a recent history of coronary bypass surgery," they continue. "Supportive stress management was also superior to usual care for depression in these patients, but it had smaller and less durable effects than cognitive behavior therapy." This study was supported by grants from the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health. Freedland KE, Skala JA, Carney RM, et al. Treatment of Depression After Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2009 Apr;66(4):387-396. [Abstract] (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

The Polypill Rides Again

In the Pipeline — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:14:45 +0100

There are a lot of recommended mediations for people at cardiovascular risk. ACE inhibitors and diuretics for blood pressure, a bit of aspirin for anti-thrombotic activity, most likely a stain for cholesterol levels. There are plenty of people who are taking all of these at once, and millions are taking some subset of them. So why not combine them into one good-for-what-ails-you pill? This idea came up a few years ago, and there’s no point in pretending that I wasn’t a bit skeptical of it: This is a touchingly linear approach to drug therapy. It's actually kind of sweet. Since the authors clearly mean well, I won't wave my fists around too much. But I would like to point out that these things may well work a bit differently in combination than they do in less crowded company. I reali...

It’s time to cut back your red meat consumption

Dr. Z's Medical Report — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 19:05:39 +0100

Eating red meat increases your chances of dying prematurely. That’s the stark finding of a very large and very well done clinical study just published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study found that eating red and processed meat was associated with increases in total mortality, cancer mortality, and cardiovascular disease mortality. They found that eating just 4 ounces of red meat a day raises your overall risk of dying prematurely, raises your risk of dying from cancer and raises your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. I’d say that means it’s time to decrease your consumption of red meat, which includes beef, pork and processed meats like sausage, bacon and cold cuts. There are a number of reasons why eating red meat might be bad for your health. Red...

Takeda Gets A Surprise

In the Pipeline — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:35:12 +0100

DPP-IV is short for “dipeptidylpeptidase IV”, understandably, and we need a good abbreviation for it. It’s an important enzyme target for diabetes therapy, since under normal conditions it breaks down glucagon-like-peptide 1. Longer-circulating GLP-1 would actually do a lot of diabetics good, and people have actually made such proteins as separate drugs, so inhibiting an enzyme that clears it out looks like a good bet. Of such reasoning are drug targets made. A lot of companies have bought into this reasoning, for sure. For quite a while, Novartis looked like the leader in the area, with the most advanced clinical candidate and a lot of publications in the literature from their development work. But Merck turned out to be running a big effort of their own, and actually got to market...

Depression increases healthcare costs for female coronary patients

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 07:49:00 +0100

This study, conducted among 868 women undergoing evaluations for possible coronary artery disease, used three different approaches to measure depression (history of treatment for depression, use of antidepressant medications, and a standard, widely accepted questionnaire). Seventeen percent to 45 percent of the women in the study met depression criteria. Depression was associated with 15 percent to 53 percent increases in cardiovascular costs over five years. Translated into dollar figures, annual cardiovascular costs were $1,550 to $3,300 higher for depressed women than for those who were not depressed (depending on the depression criteria used). Several factors appear to be responsible for these increased costs, but one clear association is the fact that the depressed women experienced m...

More evidence that depression is hard on the heart

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 07:41:00 +0100

By LAURAN NEERGAARD, AP Medical Writer WASHINGTON - Severe depression may silently break a seemingly healthy woman's heart. Doctors have long known that depression is common after a heart attack or stroke, and worsens those people's outcomes. Monday, Columbia University researchers reported new evidence that depression can lead to heart disease in the first place. More... Copyright © 2009 Associated Press (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Abstract+: Cardiovascular disease in women with depression

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 07:31:00 +0100

This article addresses the role of gender in risk stratification and in the responsiveness to preventive interventions for CVD in women with depression. Moreover, it reviews existing evidence on sex hormones as modulators of biomarkers and clinical measures of CVD in depressed patients. (Text has been reformatted for visual clarity; ed.) Source + Full text... © 2009 Primary Psychiatry a Publication of MBL Communications (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Depression greater heart disease risk factor than genes or life-style

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 08:10:00 +0100

In this study, we have demonstrated that exposure to depression is contributing to heart disease only in twins who have high genetic risk and who actually develop clinical depression. In twins with high genetic risk common to depression and heart disease, but who never develop depression itself, there was no increased risk for heart disease. The findings strongly suggest that depression itself independently contributes to risk for heart disease." The investigators were looking for evidence of what they call incident heart disease, an event such as a heart attack, heart surgery, stent placement or medical treatment for angina. Those who had evidence of heart disease prior to the original survey in 1992 were excluded from this study. Because twins were studied, the researchers could divide p...

Treating bypass patients' depression reduces cardiac symptoms, improves quality of life

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 07:58:00 +0100

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients who were screened for depression after surgery and then cared for by a nurse-led team of health care specialists reported better quality of life and improved physical function than those who received their doctors' usual care, according to a study from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The main outcomes of the study were presented publicly for the first time at the American Psychosomatic Society's 67th annual meeting in Chicago this week. CABG surgery is one of the most frequently performed and costly medical procedures performed. Although the procedure clearly benefits many individuals, depressive symptoms are common following CABG surgery and associated with worse clinical outcomes, including poorer quality of life, continued ch...

Is Daytime Sleepiness an Excessive Risk for Older Adults?

Sleep Education — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:26:00 +0100

Excessive daytime sleepiness is common in older adults. But is it anything to be worried about?A new study from France may raise a few eyebrows. It links EDS in older adults with an increased risk of death.The study involved 8,269 adults with an average age of 74 years. All of them were living in the community rather than in a nursing home. None of them had dementia when the study began.At the start of the study almost 19 percent of participants reported having regular or frequent EDS. The study group was followed for six years.During this time 762 people died. Of these deaths, 196 were caused by heart disease.Results show that the older adults with EDS had a much worse survival rate. There was a 33 percent increase in their risk of death. There also was a 49 percent increase in their risk...

For More Potassium and Less Sodium – Eat more Fruits and Veggies

Nutrition and Wellness Biology 50 — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:50:49 +0100

A new study published in January’s Issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine is demonstrating that the ratio of sodium to potassium may be more important than the amount of sodium or potassium alone. Senior author Dr. Paul Whelton from Loyloa University Health System was quoted as saying: There isn’t as much focus on potassium, but potassium seems to be effective in lowering blood pressure and the combination of a higher intake of potassium and lower consumption of sodium seems to be more effective than either on its own in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Potassium Rich Foods In general, the more processed a food is, the more sodium and less potassium a food has. The diagram from the textbook Understanding Nutrition shows the differences in how much sodium vs. pot...

For More Potassium and Less Sodium - Eat more Fruits and Veggies

Nutrition and Wellness Biology 50 — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:50:49 +0100

What Disease is the #1 Killer of Women?

Sleep Education — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:30:00 +0100

Did you guess cancer? You’re close, but wrong. Diabetes? You’re getting colder. The answer: In the U.S. heart disease is the leading cause of death for women. Surprised?Don’t feel bad if you got the answer wrong; you’re not alone. The NHLBI reports that 35 percent of women are unaware that heart disease is the leading killer of women.February is American Heart Month. So now is the perfect time to think about your own heart health.Using 2004 data the CDC reports that 27.2 percent of deaths among women are due to heart disease. Cancer comes in second place at 22 percent. Stroke is third at 7.5 percent, and diabetes is seventh at 7.1 percent.The raw numbers are even more striking. In 2005 heart disease took the lives of 329,250 women – more women than men. Cancer deaths: 268,890 wom...

Psychological stress and unexplained chest pain

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 07:34:00 +0100

Each year, many people seek emergency treatment for unexplained chest pains. A thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, indicates several common factors among those affected, including stress at work, anxiety, depression and a sedentary lifestyle. Chest pain is a common reason for patients to seek emergency treatment. A considerable number of patients are diagnosed with unexplained chest pain, which means that the pain cannot be linked to biomedical factors such as heart disease, or some other illness. The patient group is significant in size but so far researchers have been unable to identify specific causes for unexplained chest pain. "Many suffer from recurring bouts of pain over several years, while the health care services are unable to find out what's ca...

Abstract: Major depression as a risk factor for high blood pressure

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 06:57:00 +0100

Conclusions: MD may be a risk factor for new-onset high blood pressure. Epidemiologic data cannot definitely confirm a causal role, and the association may be due to shared etiologic factors. However, the increased risk may warrant closer monitoring of blood pressure in people with depressive disorders. (Text has been reformatted for visual clarity; ed.) Source... © 2009 by American Psychosomatic Society (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Chocolates For Your Love

A Hearty Life — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 15:00:00 +0100

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner you may want to consider giving your love, a heart healthy treat. For those of us with partner’s that have high blood pressure or heart problems that love their sweets, this article is a great find. Dark chocolate may be just what the answer you are looking for. Do you know that cocoa is actually a fruit? We all know that fruits are good for us. Researchers have found a link that shows cocoa and dark chocolate aid in the fight against cardiovascular disease. The studies show reduced risk for blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks. Food scientists at Cornell University found that there are twice the antioxidants in cocoa as were in red wine. The study also stated that there were three times more antioxidants in cocoa than found in green...

Belly Fat And Your Heart

A Hearty Life — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:36:48 +0100

This question was ask of Dr. Gupta on CNN, is belly fat the worst type to have? The research that has been done in this area has proven that belly fat is the most dangerous type of fat. The fact is that belly fat is more biologically active, and causes build-up of calcium in the arteries. You may be in a normal BMI range, but if you carry belly fat you are at a greater risk of cardiovascular disease. On average the risk factor is 17% for men and 13% for women regardless of their BMI. We all know what our weight is and what it should be, but it seems as though we are always planning to go on a diet tomorrow. Keeping your weight down is important, but we should also keep track of our waist-to-hip ratio. By measuring the circumference around your belly button and your hips you find the waist...

Sleep and coronary artery calcification

sleepdoctor — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 01:49:00 +0100

Several medical bloggers have posted about a recent study in which increased sleep time was associated with a decreased incidence of coronary artery disease (as measured by coronary artery calcification).The problem with these observational studies looking at sleep duration and mortality/morbidity is that they don't distinguish between 1) voluntary sleep deprivation, 2) primary insomnia, and 3) insomnia secondary to medical/sleep disorders.How is a doctor to use the data from this study???I doubt writing a prescription for a sleeping pill would improve someone's coronary artery calcification score. However, advising someone with voluntary sleep deprivation (due to work pressures, etc) to extend their sleep hours might (if they take your advice)- I base this conclusion on prior studies whic...

Amish Gene Heart Research

A Hearty Life — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:10:35 +0100

Researchers have found a gene known only to the Amish population so far. This information may prove to be extremity important in heart research, leading to new methods of preventing heart problems. The researchers found that the older Amish people were the best test subjects. Older Amish are genetically homogenous, that can trace their families back 14 generations all the way to Europe in the 1700 hundreds. Amish people live a slower pace of life and eat homegrown foods that do not contain preservatives. They get more exercise and have higher levels of good HDL-cholesterol, lower levels of LDL or bad cholesterol. “People who have the mutation all have low triglycerides,” said Toni Pollin of the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, who led the study r...

Poor lifestyle choices not stress accounts for most anxiety, depression linked heart disease

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 08:30:00 +0100

This study helps us to better understand the relative contributions of stress-related changes in behavior and physiology leading to heart disease," said Roland von Känel, MD, a professor of medicine and psychiatry, and head of the psychocardiology unit of the Swiss Cardiovascular Center at the University Hospital of Bern, Switzerland. Dr von Känel did not participate in the study but was invited to write an editorial comment in the same issue of JACC. "From a public health perspective, the findings encourage us to emphasize broad preventive strategies to target the behavioral and physiological pathways leading from stress to cardiovascular disease," he said. "These may span from behavioral interventions targeting smoking cessation and increasing physical activity, to stress manag...

Panic attacks linked to higher heart disease risk, but not deaths

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 07:32:00 +0100

Younger people especially at risk Ruth Metcalfe People who have been diagnosed with panic attacks or panic disorder have a greater risk of subsequently developing heart disease or suffering a heart attack than the normal population, with higher rates occurring in younger people, according to research published in Europe's leading cardiology journal, the European Heart Journal. The study found that people who were younger than 50 when first diagnosed had a significantly higher risk of subsequent myocardial infarctions (heart attack), but this was not the case in older people. It also found there was a significantly higher incidence of subsequent coronary heart disease (CHD) in people diagnosed with panic attacks/disorder at all ages, but this was more marked in the under 50s. However, the r...

Torcetrapib: What Was the Problem? And Does It Matter?

In the Pipeline — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:46:28 +0100

Ever since the catastrophic failure of Pfizer's HDL-raising CETP inhibitor torcetrapib in late 2006, everyone involved has wondered just what the problem was. There was a definitely higher cardiovascular-linked death rate in the drug-treatment group as opposed to placebo - which led to the screeching halt in Phase III, as well it might - but why? Is there something unexpectedly bad about raising HDL? Or just in raising it by inhibiting the CETP enzyme, which might well provide a different lipoprotein profile than other high-HDL ideas? Was it perhaps an off-target effect of the drug that had nothing to do with its mechanism? And for any of these possibilities, is there the possibility of a biomarker that could warn of approaching trouble? There are now two analyses of clinical data that ma...

Lifestyle changes may explain depression-coronary event link

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 11:39:00 +0100

The increased risk of cardiovascular events for patients with coronary heart disease and symptoms of depression appears to be largely explained by a change in health behaviors, especially a lack of physical activity, according to a study in the November 26 issue of JAMA. Depression has long been recognized as a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease in healthy patients and for recurrent events in patients with established cardiovascular disease. Despite the substantial body of evidence demonstrating a strong link between depression and cardiovascular disease, the explanation for this association remains unclear, according to background information in the article. "Understanding how depression leads to cardiovascular events is necessary for developing interventions to dec...

The Commissioner Volume 3 Issue 11

Fade Library — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 11:30:36 +0100

World Class Commissioning and Audit Commission Auditors’ Local Evaluation (Use of Resources from 08/09) Three new NICE Commissioning Guides Mental Health Act Briefing: Children & Young People Taking the long term view: the Department of Health’s strategy for delivering sustainable development 2008-2011 NHS must rise to technology challenge Commissioning IAPT for the whole community: Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Improving outcomes in cardiovascular disease; a guide for practice-based commissioners Self-referral pilots to musculoskeletal physiotherapy and the implications for improving access to other AHP services Integrated care pilot programme - prospectus for potential pilots Standard Podcasts [ 5:55m] Feed for Podcast Posted in Current Awareness, Grey L...

Crestor: Would It Save Any Lives?

In the Pipeline — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:25:15 +0100

Should millions more people be taking Crestor? That’s a real balancing act. You have a decrease in heart attacks, but from a fairly small incidence rate. So at a minimum, you’ll need to balance the costs of those coronary events versus the cost of paying for all that Crestor. And statins are not without side effects themselves, so you’ll need to adjust your figures for the incidence of rhabdomyolosis, among other things. (For example, is the increased evidence of high blood sugar in the Crestor treatment group a real effect, or not? If so, you’ll need to add a bit of diabetes cost to the spreadsheet). In any case, the cost of getting all these people screened for C-reactive protein levels in the first place needs to be added in as well. Naturally, as in any of these calculations, ...

Study advises against routine depression screening of heart patients

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:23:00 +0100

American Heart Association call for routine screening 'premature' scientists say In a study publish in a special edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), researchers at McGill University, Johns Hopkins University and six other institutions from around the world question the American Heart Association's recent suggestion that millions of North American cardiac patients be automatically screened for depression. Such screening would involve administering a questionnaire and other tests to try to identify individuals who might have had no history or clinical indications of depression but who may, nonetheless, be depressed. The AHA maintains that the link between depression and cardiac care is important. But Dr Brett Thombs of McGill and the affiliated Jewish General H...

Abstract: Antidepressant use, depression, and survival in patients with heart failure

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 07:46:00 +0100

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that depression (defined by a BDI score 10), but not antidepressant use, is associated with increased mortality in patients with heart failure. Source... © 2008 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Crestor: Risks Up, Risks Down

In the Pipeline — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:12:09 +0100

AstraZeneca took a pretty big risk in running a trial as big as the JUPITER one, but it seems to have paid off for them. As everyone has been reading, it appears that their Crestor (rosuvastatin), lowers the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with elevated C-reactive protein, even those with reasonable cholesterol numbers. (NEJM paper here). These patients don’t have an awful lot of heart attacks, but they did have less while on the drug. That’s going to be enough, all by itself, to expand the market for Crestor (and probably the other statins as well). The question is whether the others will have the same effect. You’d think so, especially a similar strong one like Lipitor, but AstraZeneca is the only company with numbers for its own product. The question will be whether it...

PTSD increased death risk for patients with implanted cardiac defibrillators

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:09:00 +0100

Individuals who receive implantable cardiac defibrillators after a sudden heart event appear more likely to die within five years if they experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, regardless of the severity of their disease, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of General Psychiatry. Surviving a life-threatening heart condition, such as heart attack or cardiac arrest, causes significant distress, according to background information in the article. Resulting symptoms - including intense fear, painful intrusive memories and hyperarousal (a state of physical and psychological tension resulting from the flight-or-fight response) - may qualify an individual for a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Between 8 percent and 20 percent of patients with...

Anxiety disorders linked to high blood pressure

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 07:21:00 +0100

Family doctors and psychiatrists should carefully monitor the heart health of patients with anxiety disorders, Dr Simon Bacon told the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2008, co-hosted by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society. "People with anxiety disorders are four times more likely to develop high blood pressure (hypertension) over one year than those of us who are anxiety free," says Dr Bacon, a Heart and Stroke Foundation researcher at the Montreal Heart Institute. "Hypertension is a leading risk factor for stroke and heart disease." Anxiety disorders are among the most common of all forms of mental illness, according to Dr Bacon. People affected frequently (often daily) experience intense feelings of fear and distress that are typically out of proporti...

Only depression starting after coronary events worsen outcome

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 07:50:00 +0100

Science has found many links between depression and other serious medical illnesses, such as cancer, stroke, diabetes, and heart disease. For example, people who develop depression following a heart attack (myocardial infarction) or chest pain (angina) have an elevated risk of or hospital readmission or cardiac death over the following year. In a new study published in the journal Biological Psychiatry, researchers report that only episodes of depression that commenced after the coronary event were associated with increased cardiac-related morbidity and mortality, but that this increased risk was substantial. The researchers recruited patients hospitalized for Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS), and evaluated them for both lifetime and current depression. Patients were then followed for one yea...

Depression increases health-care utilization after heart attack

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 08:11:00 +0100

New data points to psychosocial factors impacting how often cardiac patients seek further care Depression symptoms are associated with significantly higher use of health-care services following a heart attack, according to a new study by the Canadian Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). "While we know that the use of health services is higher for people with depression symptoms, and depression is common for people who have had a heart attack, this is one of the first studies to quantify the relationship between depression symptoms, cardiac illness severity and their effect on health service consumption," explains Dr Paul Kurdyak, head of CAMH's Centralized Assessment, Triage and Support research program and principal investigator for this research. Data from almost 2000 heart att...

Abstract: Fluoxetine affords robust neuroprotection in the post ischemic [stroke] brain

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 07:44:00 +0100

In this study, we tested whether fluoxetine protects neuronal death in a rat cerebral ischemia model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The administration of fluoxetine intravenously (10 mg/kg) at 30 min, 3 hr, or 6 hr after MCAO reduced infarct volumes to 21.2 ± 6.7%, 14.5 ± 3.0%, and 22.8 ± 2.9%, respectively, of that of the untreated control. Moreover, the neuroprotective effect of fluoxetine was evident when it was administered as late as 9 hr after MCAO/reperfusion. These neuroprotective effects were accompanied by improvement of motor impairment and neurological deficits. The fluoxetine-treated brain was found to show marked repressions of microglia activation, neutrophil infiltration, and proinflammatory marker expressions. Moreover, fluoxetine suppress...

Abstract: Acute coronary syndrome patients with depression have low blood cell membrane omega-3 fatty acid levels

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 07:48:00 +0100

Conclusion: We found an inverse relationship between the n-3 index and the prevalence of depressive symptoms in patients with ACS. Therefore, this study supports the hypothesis that reduced n-3 FA tissue levels are a common and potentially modifiable link between depression and adverse CV outcomes. Source... © 2008 American Psychosomatic Society (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Women more likely to have heart disease misdiagnosed as anxiety

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 07:42:00 +0100

Gender bias could explain delay in assessment of women with heart disease Research presented at the 20th annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium, sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF), found that coronary heart disease (CHD) symptoms presented in the context of a stressful life event were identified as be mental or emotional (psychogenic) rather than physiological in origin when presented by women and organic in origin when presented by men. The study could help explain why there is often a delay in the assessment of women with heart disease. "We know that there is a delay in diagnosing CHD in women and this is an important step forward in understanding why," said AlexanDr J. Lansky, MD, director of the Women's Health Initiative at CR...

Abstract: Effect of medication and psychotherapy on heart rate variability in panic disorder

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:48:00 +0100

Conclusions: Our study replicated the finding that increased HR and decreased HRV occur in PD patients. Given the evidence of cardiac risk related to HRV, CBT appears to have additional benefits beyond symptom reduction. The mechanisms of this difference between CBT and sertraline are unclear and require further study. Source... © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Comment: Concerns about variations in heart rate, palpitations, missed beats, etc, is common in anxiety patients. However, as noted by the authors of this study, lack of variability is a danger signal, not the occasional chaos which is often a product of anxiety. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Biology in Pictures: Clot forming in artery

Biosingularity — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:49:36 +0100

Clot forming in artery on Flickr - Photo Sharing!. (Source: Biosingularity)

American Heart Association urges depression screening for all heart patients

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 08:54:00 +0100

Heart patients are particularly vulnerable to depression and should be screened, and if necessary treated, to improve their recovery and overall health, according to a scientific advisory issued by the American Heart Association. The advisory recommends heart patients be initially evaluated with a simple two-item assessment. If even one of the questions generates a "yes" response, it is recommended that a more in-depth screening be done with a total of nine questions. Heart patients found to be suffering from depression can benefit from a number of treatment options, including behavioral therapy, physical activity, cardiac rehabilitation, antidepressant drugs, or combinations of these treatments. "Depression and heart disease seem to be very much intertwined," said Judith H. Lichtman, co-c...

Abstract: Timing is everything: The onset of depression and acute coronary syndrome outcome

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 08:25:00 +0100

Conclusions: Only a depressive episode that commenced following an ACS admission was associated with a poorer cardiovascular outcome. If confirmed, this finding would narrow the list of causal mechanisms previously proposed to account for the relationship between depression and coronary events. Source... (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Prasugrel Today?

In the Pipeline — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 12:55:28 +0100

I wrote back in the summer about the FDA's delayed decision on Lilly's potential anticoagulant blockbuster Effient (prasugrel). Well, those three months have zipped right by, and the agency is supposed to rule today. Prediction, for what it's worth: I think the drug will be approved, but with label restrictions for the group(s) that seemed to respond best to it in trials - who may have been. at least partly, the groups that could put up with the associated bleeding the best, too. So no elderly patients, no low-weight ones, and no one with a history of stroke or TIA. That'll cut down the market for the drug, definitely, but not as much as if it doesn't get approved at all, right? I think the FDA will require Lilly to keep a careful eye on how Prasugrel performs in the real world while they...

Abstract: Antidepressant drugs and cardiovascular pathology: a clinical overview of effectiveness and safety

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 09:03:00 +0100

Conclusion: Sertraline, fluoxetine, citalopram, bupropion and mirtazapine appear to be safe to use after MI; the use of sertraline, and response to citalopram and mirtazapine may improve mortality. Paroxetine and citalopram appear to be safe to use in patients with established coronary artery disease. Limited data suggest that a variety of antidepressants are effective and safe to use after stroke. Source... Copyright © 1999-2008 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All Rights Reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Newly discovered molecule promises better treatments for heart attacks, heart surgery

Biosingularity — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 22:24:03 +0100

Scientists have discovered a compound that could lead to new treatments for heart attacks as well as methods to protect hearts during open heart surgery and other situations in which blood flow to the heart is interrupted. In the process, the researchers uncovered cellular mechanisms that help explain how alcohol can protect against heart attack damage. [...] (Source: Biosingularity)

Abstract: Nonfearful panic disorder in chest-pain patients : Status after nine-year follow-up

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 09:12:00 +0100

CONCLUSION: NFPD can have a significant impact on the long-term outcome of chest pain patients even though they may not seek psychiatric treatment. (Text has been reformatted for visual clarity; ed.) Source... Copyright © 2008 Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. All rights reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

The blood curdling effects of severe anxiety

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:11:00 +0100

Study shows that people with anxiety disorders tend to suffer from increased blood clottingThe blood froze in my veins" or "My blood curdled" - these common figures of speech can be taken literally, according to the latest studies. Indeed, more literally than some of us would like. For it turns out that intense fear and panic attacks can really make our blood clot and increase the risk of thrombosis or heart attack. Earlier studies showed that stress and anxiety can influence coagulation. However, they were based almost entirely on questionnaire surveys of healthy subjects. In contrast, the Bonn-based research team lead by Franziska Geiser and Ursula Harbrecht an examination of coagulation in patients with anxiety disorders. Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time - fear of failing ...

Cancer Research Blog Carnival #13 - Stand Up To Cancer

Highlight HEALTH — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:49:31 +0100

Conclusion My thanks to everyone that contributed articles — it’s been great hosting the Cancer Research Blog Carnival for a second time this year. Be sure to take a moment and let your fellow bloggers know this issue is available so that everyone’s hard work can be appreciated and enjoyed by all. The Cancer Research Blog Carnival is looking for future hosts. You can find both the hosting schedule and past editions at the Cancer Research Blog Carnival website. For more information on the U.S. investment in cancer research, you can read the NCI’s plan and budget proposal for fiscal year 2009. References Niederhuber JE. A look inside the National Cancer Institute budget process: implications for 2007 and beyond. Cancer Res. 2007 Feb 1;67(3):856-62. View abstract The ...

Eating fish may explain very low levels of heart disease in Japan

Biosingularity — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:50:14 +0100

Consuming large quantities of fish loaded with omega-3 fatty acids may explain low levels of heart disease in Japan, according to a study led by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. The study also found that third- and fourth-generation Japanese Americans had similar or even higher levels of atherosclerosis, or hardening of [...] (Source: Biosingularity)

Abstract: Acute mental stress responses: neural mechanisms of adverse cardiac consequences

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 08:56:00 +0100

Stress Health 2008;24(3):196-202 Acute mental stress responses: neural mechanisms of adverse cardiac consequences Esler M, Lambert E, Alvarenga M. Baker Heart Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia It has always seemed plausible that short-term mental stress can act as a trigger for cardiac catastrophes, but the scientific evidence until recently was unconvincing. Panic disorder provides a special case, illustrating that mental stress responses can be a cause of triggered adverse heart events such as myocardial infarction and sudden death. In recent years systematic evidence has been gathered at times of disasters including war, missile attacks on civilians and earthquakes, which also strongly supports the proposition of an acute mental stress-heart attack link. Do these observations hav...

Abstract: Nighttime heart rate and survival in depressed patients post acute myocardial infarction

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 08:50:00 +0100

Conclusions: Mean day and nighttime HR values are higher in depressed patients than in nondepressed patients post AMI. Depression and elevated nighttime HR, but not daytime HR, are independent predictors of survival in these patients. Although depressed patients have a higher nighttime HR than nondepressed patients, nighttime HR predicts mortality in both depressed and nondepressed patients. (Text has been reformatted for clarity; ed.) Source... © 2008 by American Psychosomatic Society (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Abstract: Persistence of posttraumatic stress symptoms 12 and 36 months after acute coronary syndrome

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:27:00 +0100

Conclusion: Posttraumatic stress symptoms persist for at least 3 years after an acute cardiac event. Early emotional responses are important in predicting longer-term posttraumatic stress. It is important to identify patients at risk for posttraumatic stress as they are more likely to experience reduced quality of life. (Text has been reformatted for clarity; ed.) Source... © 2008 by American Psychosomatic Society (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

The Promise of Stem Cells to Repair the Heart

Highlight HEALTH — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 04:37:42 +0100

This article was published on Highlight HEALTH. Other Articles You May LikeExactly What are Stem Cells?Healthy Fast Food Not So HealthyMapping Connections in the Human BrainIncreased Coffee Consumption Associated with Lower Risk of Liver CancerDid You Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables Today? (Source: Highlight HEALTH)

Taking depression to heart

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 09:16:00 +0100

Physical symptoms of the mood disorder are linked to thickening arteries By Karen Pallarito HealthDay Reporter FRIDAY, Aug. 1 (HealthDay News) — Scientists have long observed a link between depression and heart disease. Now there's research to help pinpoint the symptoms of depression that may signal cardiovascular trouble. A study suggests that people who suffer from depression, especially certain physical symptoms such as loss of appetite, sleep problems or fatigue, may be at risk of developing heart disease. More... Copyright © 2008 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Vytorin: Another Round of Nasty Results

In the Pipeline — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:08:24 +0100

Merck took the unusual step of delaying its earnings release yesterday until after the close of the market. A report on another clinical study of Vytorin (ezetimibe), their drug with Schering-Plough, was coming out, so they put the numbers on hold until after the press release yesterday afternoon. Naturally, this led to a lot of speculation about what was going on. A conspiracy-minded website vastly unfriendly to Schering-Plough suspected some sort of elaborate ruse to drum up publicity. But that sort of thinking doesn't take you very far, unless you count the distance you rack up going around in circles. As it turned out, the SEAS trial (Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis) was, in fact, very bad publicity indeed for the drug and for both companies. In fact, a real conspiracy wo...

Treating depression lowers cardiovascular disease risk factors

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:52:00 +0100

Patients suffering from major depression are at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, but treating these patients with medication can greatly reduce the risk, according to new findings by University of Miami Miller School of Medicine researchers. They specifically studied the stress-hemoconcentration, which is a blood chemistry work-up that includes a blood cell count, hematocrit values, hemoglobin, total serum protein, and albumin. The stress-hemoconcentration increases during psychological stress, such as that caused by depression, and the increase is a risk factor for heart disease. "We studied 146 outpatient depressed patients against controls from the same Mexican-American Los Angeles community," said Ma-Li Wong, MD, professor and vice chair for translational research in the D...

Women over 40 with depression may have heart disease risk: study

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 08:19:00 +0100

Written by: Michael Oliveira, THE CANADIAN PRESS TORONTO - A new study released Wednesday suggests there may be a connection between depression and developing heart disease in middle-aged women. Statistics Canada tracked the health of nearly 5,000 men and women aged 40 or older over a 12-year period and found women had significantly higher risks of being diagnosed with heart disease if they had suffered with depression at some point. More... © 1996 - 2008 MediResource Inc. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Depression increases risk of complications after heart attack

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 08:51:00 +0100

By Kurt Ullman, Contributing Writer Health Behavior News Service People who suffer from severe depression following a heart attack might be more likely to experience cardiac complications while hospitalized, according to a new study. "There is good evidence that if a person has depression after a heart attack, they are more likely to die from cardiac causes in the following months and years," said lead author Jeff Huffman, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. "No one had yet studied whether depression impacts cardiac outcomes immediately after a heart attack-the time we see the most complications." The study included 129 patients at Massachusetts General Hospital. Within 72 hours of having a heart attack, each participant underwent an interview to determine if...

PTSD doubles heart disease deaths in Vietnam veterans

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 09:20:00 +0100

This study excluded patients with a prior history of heart disease and included a national sample of veterans, which is different from prior studies on the topic, Boscarino said. Boscarino JA. A Prospective Study of PTSD and Early-Age Heart Disease Mortality Among Vietnam Veterans: Implications for Surveillance and Prevention. Psychosom Med 2008 Jul/Aug; 70:668-676 [Abstract] (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Abstract: A prospective study of PTSD and early-age heart disease mortality among Vietnam veterans

Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:40:00 +0100

Conclusion: PTSD was prospectively associated with HD mortality among veterans free of HD at baseline. This study suggests that early-age HD may be an outcome after military service among PTSD-positive veterans. (Text has been reformatted for clarity; ed.) Source... (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)

Steve Nissen Gives The FDA Some Advice

Pharmalot — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:51:01 +0100

The FDA’s Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee will conclude today a two-day meeting to decide whether clinical trials to evaluate cardiovascular risks should be undertaken before the meds are approved or after marketing begins and the drugs are used by the population at large And one non-voting panel member, Steve Nissen of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, gave a presentation in which he proposed the FDA raised its standards by requiring drugmakers to prove new drugs don’t increase cardiovascular disease, Dow Jones wrote. “Merely lowering blood glucose levels in diabetes is too simplistic. We must reduce the complications of diabetes, including cardiovascular disease,” Nissen said. “I don’t think it will have a chilling effect but, if w...

Prasugrel: Come Back This Fall

In the Pipeline — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:26:38 +0100

This week was supposed to reveal the FDA's decision on Dai-Ichii Sankyo and Eli Lilly's anticlotting drug prasugrel. That one's in the same chemical class as Plavix (clopidogrel), and works by the same mechanism. Since Plavix did about eight billion dollars of business last year, and the anticlotting area seems to be a limitlessly huge market in general, you can understand why another drug is entering the space. Both clopidogrel and pasugrel are prodrugs - their structures, as they come out of the bottle, are inactive. But they're converted by cytochrome P450 enzymes in the liver to their active forms, which bind irreversibly to the P2Y12 purinergic receptor on platelets. The clopidogrel link above shows the active form - that thiophene ring gets broken open, and a reactive SH is exposed....

More from Baltimore

sleepdoctor — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 01:20:00 +0100

This study does not change the need to aggresively treat osa in patients with preexisting cardiovascular disease. (Source: sleepdoctor)

Elite athletes who died of enlarged hearts may have a genetic mutation

Genetics and Health — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 20:08:58 +0100

Enlarged hearts are found often, but not exclusively, in those who are obese, have diabetes or high blood pressure. People with none of these underlying problems can be affected, as can elite athletes. For example, a post-mortem diagnosed the problem in Cameroon football midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe, who died in 2003 after collapsing during an international match in France. Elite runner Olympic hopeful Ryan Shay died of complications involving an enlarged heart - the very condition that made him a great runner. An international research team headed up by Imperial College, UK say they have for the first time linked enlarged hearts with a gene, osteoglycin (Ogn). Work carried out on rodents and some 30 humans indicated that Ogn - which has never before been linked with heart function - ...

Merck, Vioxx: Seventeen and Three

In the Pipeline — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:29:17 +0100

You may or may not have noticed, but slowly and quietly, Merck has been getting many of the large Vioxx judgments against it overturned on appeal. These cases made huge headlines when they were first tried, but the articles that tell the end of the story have not, for the most part, made the front page. This is one reason that the company was finally able to settle a huge number of pending lawsuits for much less than many people thought likely. Merck seemed to like its chances, considering the cases they’d won and the way things looked in the appeals courts, and the amount of money they were able to settle for finally became a better deal for them than the alternative of fighting out every case. Of course, now people are starting to wonder if the company settled too soon - opinions diff...

Erectile dysfunction may be helped by Maxi-K gene therapy

Genetics and Health — Sun, 18 May 2008 20:29:37 +0100

Maxi-K gene therapy may be a safe and effective future option for men whose erectile dysfunction (ED) is not treatable with oral therapy. This therapy is not yet available commercially but shows immense promise for the future. Maxi-K therapy is a unique, locally administrated gene-transfer technology to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). The safety and the restorative effects of the treatment have been shown by data from participants in a phase I trial. In some men, the effect lasted up to six months. The gene therapy appears safe as no transfer-related adverse events were reported more than two years after the transfer in some subjects. Unlike conventional oral treatments for men with ED, Maxi-K therapy doesn’t require prior planning, fosters sexual spontaneity and can be used by m...