MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'heart muscle'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:31:22 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3322440&cid=t_152360_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FkdspckZVYNg%2F Everyone who has walked into a doctor’s office or hospital has had their blood pressure taken at least once. The cuff that wraps around your arm is inflated to the point that it stops the superficial circulation to the arm, which then returns gradually as the cuff slowly deflates. These blood pressure cuffs (sphygnomanometers) have been used for other things as well. In an emergency, a cuff can be pumped up around a unit of blood to push it into the patient’s vein more quickly. A cuff can be used around an arm (or leg) if you’ve been bitten by a poisonous creature, slowing down the flow of blood back to the heart. And now, a blood pressure cuff may be another way to save your life, or at least limit the amount of damage that can occur, from a heart attack. A study publish... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3322440 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:23:53 +0100 3322440 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2216899&cid=t_152360_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FQl7CY-Cjx8k%2F A new study in which researchers are using MRI to spot bleeding in the heart after stent surgery is giving new hope to heart attack patients. When the artery feeding blood to the heart is blocked a heart attack occurs. The blockage not only stops the flow of blood to the heart muscle, it also stops the hearts oxygen. In most cases when a blockage is found a metal stent is placed in the artery. Until recently researchers were unable to tell if the patients were bleeding into the heart after the stent surgery. In the new study, researchers used (magnetic resonance imaging) to examine bleeding inside the hearts of 15 individuals who had recently suffered a heart attack. (They could spot areas of bleeding due to the magnetic effects of iron, which is present in the blood.) Thanks to the study... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2216899 Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:00:00 +0100 2216899 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1497856&cid=t_152360_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Flearn-from-kelsey-grammers-heart-attack%2F Kelsey Grammer, TV sitcom star, suffered a mild heart attack this past Saturday while vacationing in Hawaii. While we don’t yet know the full extent of the 53-year-old actor’s condition or exactly what risk factors he might have had, there’s still a lot we can learn from his experience. And since coronary heart disease is the number one killer of Americans, these are important lessons. First of all, let’s talk about what a heart attack is and what it means when it’s “mild.” The heart, like all the body’s organs, needs a constant supply of fresh, oxygen-rich blood to keep its muscle fibers healthy and functioning properly. It therefore has a complex network of arteries called coronary arteries, which provide blood to all parts of the heart. A heart attack, also calle... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1497856 Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:33:28 +0100 1497856 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1400714&cid=t_152360_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F277925469%2F Here are some Friday links for you… Novel Way to Prevent Cardiac Fibrosis Identified- In a study that points to a new strategy for preventing or possibly reversing fibrosis — the scarring that can lead to organ and tissue damage — researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have determined that a molecule called Epac (Exchange protein activated by cAMP1), plays a key role in integrating the body’s pro- and anti-fibrotic response. Chocolate Bar Shown To Lower Cholesterol- “Eating two CocoaVia dark chocolate bars a day not only lowered cholesterol, it had the unexpected effect of also lowering systolic blood pressure,” said John Erdman, a U. of I. professor of food science and human nutrition. Heart Derived Stem Cells Develop ... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1400714 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:15:28 +0100 1400714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1368887&cid=t_152360_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F269220908%2F New research out of the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Chicago have discovered a new role for 2 enzymes and heart muscle contraction, histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs). Being in its early stages, it is none the less exciting in that it could provide new treatments… As a possible treatment for such conditions as congestive heart failure, this technique could present an alternative to current therapies that counteract heart muscle weakness by boosting cellular calcium content, Shroff said. The heightened calcium improves muscle contraction but also results in more energy consumption in hearts that often are energy-starved to begin with. This could prove to be a much safer way to treat these patients. Next is looking at the contraction ov... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1368887 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 02:15:57 +0100 1368887 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1093161&cid=t_152360_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F199788042%2F Oh boy, I get so darn excited when I read anything about the progress of stem cell research. Yes, you know which side of the debate I sit on. Scientists are getting closer and closer to the use of stem cells to help rejuvenate damaged cardiac tissue! The two major hurdles that needed to be tackled are becoming a reality… …via Science Daily- solve two problems in the development of a stem cell heart patch. The first is undesirable side effects, such as arrhythmia, that can result from immature and undeveloped cardiomyocytes being introduced to the heart. The second is the need for a scaffold that is biocompatible with the heart and able to hold the new cardiomyocytes in place while they integrate into the existing heart tissue. Matching the material to human heart muscle is also... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1093161 Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:41:33 +0100 1093161 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1061008&cid=t_152360_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2007%2F11%2F30%2Fthe-latest-stem-cell-breakthrough-what-is-in-it-for-you.html This study estimated the per-individual yearly cost of PD in 1997 at $24,041 ($24,425 in 1998). Based on a prevalence of one million affected individuals, the total economic burden was calculated at $24 billion. So there you have it. I listed only four diseases that may be amenable to stem cell therapy. The reason I included the costs of these diseases is to highlight the cost to you, in the form of health-care insurance and direct costs, before you die.What is a stem cell?Just think of it as the stem of a plant, which gives rise to the branches and leaves. The developing embryo is formed by a few cells that have the potential to develop into any of the body’s almost 200 cell types. We call such cells ‘pluripotential’, and when their origin is from an embryo they are call... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1061008 Fri, 30 Nov 2007 07:22:40 +0100 1061008 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=970210&cid=t_152360_134_f&fid=36049&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FDiabetesNotes%2F%7E3%2F173400378%2F Researchers have discovered a new congenital heart disease. What does this have to do with diabetes? Well, it seems that the heart muscle in this case does not depend on and use glycogen for energy in crunch time thus leaving the heart void of activity. So, the children will suddenly collapse and die with little or no preceding symptoms other then low energy levels. This is very scary; however, with the new research brings new hope both for the children involved and diabetics. It has been long been known that one theory of type 2 diabetes is that reduced formation of glycogen in the muscles is the cause of reduced insulin sensitivity and increased blood sugars. So… this research could help in identifying further treatments and bring about a whole new batch of studies to provide us wi... Diabetes Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=970210 Mon, 22 Oct 2007 17:24:14 +0100 970210 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=970167&cid=t_152360_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F173382770%2F Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy have discovered a previously unknown congenital disease that is caused by a genetic defect resulting in muscle cells not being able to store energy from sugar. In the worst case, the disease can lead to the heart stopping. The researchers identified three sisters who had previously had an undetermined disease. Their parents must have both been carriers as that is what is needed for this congenital heart defect to transpire. The eldest of the siblings collapsed suddenly while on a playground and died. She had previously been treated for epilepsy with diminished energy and strength. It wasn’t till after her death and a post mortem exam that they discovered that her heart was not “normal”. When the next sibling started with similar symp... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=970167 Mon, 22 Oct 2007 16:36:12 +0100 970167 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=956201&cid=t_152360_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F170743113%2F I am bringing you a list of 10 Hearty trivia facts. Some are oh so crazy and off the wall, others are expected. Enjoy! And don’t forget to check out all of my fellow science and health bloggers “top 10 lists”. I think it is a fun way to relay information, both clinically and personally… Top 10 Hearty Trivia Facts 1. Poet Mary Shelley kept her dead husband’s, Frankenstein author Percy Shelley, heart wrapped in silk until she died. Imagine how that smelled! 2. You can purchase the largest model of a human heart for a small price of $5795.95 US dollars. Um huh, I said five thousand. It is 8 times the size of an anatomical heart at 100×90x70 cm. Wow, that is a lot of money! 3. The smallest person believed to ever have open heart surgery was just over 25 week... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=956201 Tue, 16 Oct 2007 17:45:44 +0100 956201 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=825376&cid=t_152360_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2007%2F8%2F28%2Fstem-cell-therapy-is-no-longer-theoreticalwhat-now.html By Dov Michaeli MD, Ph.D The sometimes acrimonious debate over the use of human embryonic stem cells usually follows this outline: Con : We respect all life, however primordial. The blastocyst is a potential human being and deserves all the ethical considerations of a living human. Pro : The blastocyst is just an agglomeration of cells formed within one week of fertilization of the egg, still undifferentiated into organs such as a heart, GI tract or nervous system. There is nothing “human” about it. And in any event, these embryos are destined to be discarded by the fertility clinic. Against the theoretical/ theological argument of respect for potential life, the promise of curing  presently incurable diseases is real, not theoretical, and the beneficiaries are live, suffe... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=825376 Tue, 28 Aug 2007 05:55:50 +0100 825376 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=814193&cid=t_152360_87_f&fid=34866&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecardioblog.com%2F2007%2F08%2F21%2Fw%2F Filed under: Diet, Prevention, Nutrition, ExerciseWhat is healthy? At first blush, this may seem like an easy question to answer. However, when you actually stop and think about it, it's not easy at all. Is it the number of push-ups you can do? Is it the distance you can run? Is it how well-rounded your diet is? Or could it somehow be a combination of these things and more? The more I think about it, the more I realize that the easiest way to determine what IS healthy is to point out what I know is NOT healthy. Starvation diets, foods high in bad cholesterol, sedentary lifestyles, trans fat, simple sugars, lack of sleep, and so on, and so on. This list, of what it means to be unhealthy, is very easy to compile. But, this whole thing gets a bit tricky when you honestly don't know if somethi... The Cardio Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=814193 Tue, 21 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0100 814193 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=770622&cid=t_152360_87_f&fid=34866&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecardioblog.com%2F2007%2F07%2F31%2Fheart-patch-helps-heart-grow-new-cells%2F Filed under: Research, Daily news, SurgeryA new patch containing a naturally occurring compound called periostin was recently tested in rats and was successful in creating new heart muscle cells, called cardiomyocytes. This is a spectacular feat, according to researchers, because heart muscle, once damaged, does not regenerate. But in rats with damaged hearts, the patch improved heart function and increased the number of these types of cells.Periostin is found in the human body and the compound helps encourage cardiomyocytes to divide. Researchers hope that this finding may one day lead to a treatment that can help patients on heart transplant lists improve heart function enough that they can be taken off the list. Read more about the study and findings here.Read | Permalink&nbsp... The Cardio Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=770622 Tue, 31 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 770622