Heart Disease Weekly back issues from September 2008:
For coronary artery disease patients, B vitamins may not reduce cardiovascular events.(Report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... In a large clinical trial involving patients with coronary artery disease, use of B vitamins was not effective for preventing death or cardiovascular events, according to a study published in the August 20 issue of JAMA (see also JAMA and Archives Journals). "Observational ...
Joslin study identifies protein that produces 'good' fat.
Sep 07, 2008 ... A study by researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center has shown that a protein known for its role in inducing bone growth can also help promote the development of brown fat, a "good" fat that helps in the expenditure of energy and plays a role in fighting obesity (see also Joslin Diabetes ...
Ultrasound used to predict heart attack risk.
Sep 07, 2008 ... Repeat exams using widely available and inexpensive ultrasound imaging could help identify patients at high risk for a heart attack or other adverse cardiovascular events, according to a study published in the September issue of the journal Radiology (see also Radiological Society of North ...
Research reports on aneurysm from S. Kannoth and colleagues provide new insights.
Sep 07, 2008 ... "We propose a set of criteria for diagnosis of intracranial infectious aneurysm (IA). The proposed diagnostic criteria contain a mandatory criterion ( demonstration of intracranial aneurysm by neuroimaging) and 12 supportive criteria drawn from three domains," researchers in Trivandrum, ...
Research conducted at D. Vivas and co-researchers has updated our knowledge about angina.
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to a study from Madrid, Spain, "Several reports have suggested that the onset of allergic phenomena in predisposed subjects may trigger an angina episode, and this association has been described as Kounis syndrome. However, no previous reports have convincingly demonstrated a ...
Study results from G. Runza et al provide new insights into angiography.
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to recent research from Palermo, Italy, "The aim of our study was to assess the influence of heart rate on the selection of the optimal reconstruction window with 40-slice multidetector-row computed tomography (40-MDCT) coronary angiography. We studied 170 patients (114 men, age ...
Researchers from Kocaeli University report on findings in angioplasty.
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to a study from Kocaeli, Turkey, "This study aimed to determine the expected treatment benefits from the patient's perspective before and after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Descriptive study. The sample consisted of 60 patients that underwent PTCA in the ...
Researchers at Iwate Medical University, Heart Center have published new data on annuloplasty.
Sep 07, 2008 ... "Background and aim of the study: The study aim was to determine the three-dimensional motion of the semilunar attachment of leaflets (annulus) and the aortic root in annuloaortic ectasia with aortic insufficiency (AI). Five patients (four males, one female) underwent preoperative and ...
Studies from D. Weisenberg and colleagues reveal new findings on aortic stenosis.
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to a study from Israel, "Background and aim of the study: The study aim was to assess the clinical utility and added value of exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) over exercise testing alone in asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). The results of treadmill ESE ...
Researchers from German Heart Center describe findings in bioengineering.
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to recent research from Munich, Germany, "Background and aim of the study: The St. Jude Medical Epic Supra (ES) valve is a new porcine bioprosthesis designed for complete supra-annular implantation." "To date, no in-vivo data regarding the hemodynamic and clinical ...
New cardiology findings from University of Athens described.
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to a study from Athens, Greece, "Anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery (LMCA) from the right sinus of Valsalva (RSOV) represents in about 2 per 10,000 patients undergoing diagnostic cardiac catheterization." "This rare anomaly correlates with sudden cardiac ...
Report summarizes cardiology study findings from S.J. Gandy and co-researchers.(Clinical report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... " Quantitative MRI assessments of cardiac structure and function are possible and potentially useful for longitudinal clinical monitoring. The aim of this study was to compare the magnitude and repeatability of left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) and mass (LVM) measurements in ...
New research on cardiovascular disease from University of London summarized.
Sep 07, 2008 ... " Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is responsible for an estimated one third of all deaths worldwide. Patients and methods One group of patients who are at a particularly high risk of cardiovascular events and death are those with stable coronary artery disease (CAD), especially if they have ...
Study results from D. Puri and colleagues update understanding of coagulation.
Sep 07, 2008 ... "Background and aim of the study: Anticoagulation is started soon after mechanical valve replacement as the risk of thromboembolic complications is especially high during the first six months after surgery. At present there is no consensus on the optimal protocol to prevent early ...
Researchers from University Hospital publish findings in congenital heart defects.
Sep 07, 2008 ... "An increasing survival rate for adult patients with congenital heart defects has been related to increased hospitalization and a greater risk of incidences during physical activity. The limited follow-up of these adult patients is partly due to a lack of knowledge about the number of ...
New research on congenital heart disease from R. Liew and co-authors summarized.
Sep 07, 2008 ... " Right atrial (RA) tachycardias may involve several mechanisms other than typical isthmus-dependent flutters, particularly in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) or structural heart disease. We aimed at investigating the clinical utility of non-contact mapping in the diagnosis ...
Report summarizes congenital heart disease study findings from Congenital Heart Center.
Sep 07, 2008 ... "Sleep disordered breathing is frequently observed in patients with cardiovascular disease. Even in the absence of heart disease, acute and chronic hypoxia have been shown to promote sleep-related periodic breathing with central apnea characterized by a repetitive reduction or lack of ...
Research results from Harvard University update knowledge of deep vein thrombosis.
Sep 07, 2008 ... " Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE). We analyzed a large US deep vein thrombosis (DVT) registry to explore the profile of patients with COPD and VTE," scientists in the United States report (see also Deep Vein ...
New depression research has been reported by scientists at Bergen University.
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to a study from Bergen, Norway, "Anxiety and depression are frequently observed in patients with coronary artery disease. Because emotional distress is of prognostic importance in these patients, screening is recommended." "We compared the Short Form 36 (SF-36) and the ...
Data on diabetes described by H.S. Kim et al.
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to recent research published in the journal Current Medical Research and Opinion, "Data on achieving National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) goals in Asia are limited. To examine treatment patterns, goal attainment, and factors influencing ...
Recent findings in dilated cardiomyopathy described by researchers from University of Leeds.
Sep 07, 2008 ... " Adults with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) are at risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). ESC and AHA guidelines suggest the use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) to protect from this," researchers in Leeds, the United Kingdom report (see also Dilated Cardiomyopathy). ...
Research on dilated cardiomyopathy detailed by scientists at Heraklion University.(Report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... " Several studies suggest the clinical efficacy of carvedilol in reducing atrial and ventricular arrhythmias in patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) due to congestive heart failure (CHF) or following myocardial infarction. However, the mechanisms supporting its antiarrhythmic ...
Findings from Y. Hiura and co-authors provide new insights into heart attack.
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to recent research published in the Circulation Journal, " Recent large-scale genome-wide association studies have identified several loci associated with the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of the present study was to examine whether the previously reported ...
New findings reported from Tokyo Women's Medical University describe advances in heart attack.(Clinical report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to a study from Tokyo, Japan, " The lack of any randomizedcontrolled trials demonstrating a beneficial effect of nitrates for the secondary prevention of coronary artery disease leads to a negative recommendation in current practice guidelines. The aim of the present ...
Scientists at University of Queensland describe research in heart attack.
Sep 07, 2008 ... "The helical arrangement of myocardial fibers leads to left ventricular ( LV) torsion, a vital contributor to systolic and diastolic function. Rotation and torsion can now be measured; we sought to determine the utility of torsion as a marker of LV function at rest and after stress in ...
Studies from Wake Forest University in the area of heart attack described.
Sep 07, 2008 ... In this recent report published in the Emergency Medicine Journal, researchers in the United States conducted a study "To describe the presenting characteristics and risk stratification of patients presenting to the emergency department with chest pain who have a normal initial troponin ...
Data on heart disease discussed by J.A. Diamond and colleagues.
Sep 07, 2008 ... " Normal or near normal myocardial perfusion stress imaging (MPI) suggests the absence of life-threatening coronary artery disease (CAD). Nevertheless, there are instances where severe left main or three-vessel CAD may be present despite no significant perfusion abnormalities on MPI," ...
Data on heart disease discussed by researchers at Juntendo University, Medical Department.
Sep 07, 2008 ... " Limited data are available regarding the effects of phase III cardiac rehabilitation on the physical status and risk factors in elderly patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods and Results Thirty-four male CAD patients (>65 years old) were randomly assigned to an intervention ...
Investigators at University of Alabama publish new data on heart disease.(Report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... "Candida infective endocarditis (IE) is uncommon but often fatal. Most epidemiologic data are derived from small case series or case reports," scientists in the United States report (see also Heart Disease). "This study was conducted to explore the epidemiology, treatment ...
New findings reported from R.D. Lopes and co-authors describe advances in heart disease.
Sep 07, 2008 ... " Elderly patients are at high risk from non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE ACS) as well as from treatment-related complications. Age-associated changes in physiology may alter the risk and benefit expected from therapy," scientists in the United States report (see ...
New heart disease data have been reported by researchers at Aarhus University.(Report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... "Normal upper endoscopy may be a marker of ischemic heart disease in patients with unexplained chest/epigastric pain. We examined the 10-year risk of ischemic heart disease and mortality in a cohort of 386 Danish patients with chest/epigastric pain, normal upper endoscopy, and no prior ...
New heart disease findings from University of Berlin published.
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to recent research from Berlin, Germany, " Late gadolinium-hyperenhancement (LHE) on cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CMR) has been linked to cardiovascular risk in ischemic and non-ischemic heart disease. We aimed to systematically categorize LHE-patterns in a variety of ...
New heart disease research from K.D. Accola et al outlined.
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to recent research published in the Journal of Heart Valve Disease, "Background and aim of the study: Aortic valve dysfunction is the most common form of valvular heart disease. As the population continues to age, a greater number of patients will become candidates for aortic ...
New heart disease research from University of Salford discussed.
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to a study from Salford, the United Kingdom, "The White Paper Choosing health acknowledges that there is no lack of information in the system about healthy lifestyles, but the manner of communication of risk and the level of support for lifestyle change need improvement. Action ...
New heart disease study findings have been reported by P. Lipiec and colleagues.(Clinical report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... "The aims of this prospective study were to compare the diagnostic value of accelerated vasodilator stress real-time myocardial contrast echocardiography ( MCE) and single photon emission computed tomography ( SPECT) against coronary angiography and to evaluate whether the addition of MCE ...
New heart disease study findings recently were published by M. Benoit and co-researchers.
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to a study from Marseille, France, "Patients with valvulopathy have the highest risk to develop infective endocarditis (IE), although the relationship between valvulopathy and IE is not clearly understood. Q fever endocarditis, an IE due to Coxiella burnetii, is accompanied by ...
New heart disease study results from S. Patane et al described.
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to a study from Messina, Italy, "Acute myocardial infarction has been reported in pregnant women [1,2]." "Cardiac troponin I is unaffected by normal pregnancy, labour, and delivery and therefore it is the investigation of choice in the diagnosis of acute coronary ...
Peking University details research in heart disease.(Clinical report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... " Resistin, a novel adipocytokine, has been suggested as representing a link between metabolic signals, inflammation and atherosclerosis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the alteration in level of plasma resistin in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) to uncover the ...
Recent findings in heart disease described by Y. Higashikuni and colleagues.
Sep 07, 2008 ... " The difference in the Culprit plaque composition of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with and without the no-reflow phenomenon has not been fully evaluated. Methods and Results Intravascular ultrasound radiofrequency data Of Culprit plaques were obtained and analyzed in 49 ACS ...
Reports from J.P. Xie and colleagues advance knowledge in heart disease.
Sep 07, 2008 ... "Coronary heart disease ( CHD) affects 15.8 million Americans. However, data on the national impact of CHD on health-related quality of life, particularly among people of different age, sex, racial, and ethnic groups, are limited," scientists writing in the journal Circulation report (see ...
Reports from University of Helsinki advance knowledge in heart disease.
Sep 07, 2008 ... " To assess changes in coronary heart disease (CHD) event rates and CHD mortality rates among diabetic and non-diabetic individuals between two large study cohorts with baseline assessments 10 years apart and followed up for 10 years. Methods and results Four population surveys were ...
Research from F. Cademartiri and co-researchers in the area of heart disease published.(Report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to a study from Parma, Italy, "This study aimed to determine the prognostic value of coronary angiography with multislice computed tomography (MSCT) in a population of diabetic subjects with known or suspected ischaemic heart disease compared with a nondiabetic control ...
Research from Trakya University provides new data on heart disease.
Sep 07, 2008 ... In this recent study, researchers in Edirne, Turkey conducted a study "To demonstrate the efficacy of low or high dose statin treatment on C-reactive protein (CRP), von Willebrand Factor (vWF) and Factor VII (FVII) during the first two weeks of acute coronary syndromes. Patients with acute ...
Research from University of Heidelberg broadens understanding of heart disease.
Sep 07, 2008 ... "We compared the diagnostic performance of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) with a newly developed assay for the midregional part of pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP) concerning the detection of impaired left ventricular ejection function (LVEF) among patients ...
Research from Y.J. Hong and colleagues has provided new data on heart disease.(Clinical report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... " The aim of this study was to assess the age-related differences in intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) findings of target lesions in patients with coronary artery disease," scientists writing in the Circulation Journal report (see also Heart Disease). "Methods and Results The ...
Research in the area of heart disease reported from University of Delhi.
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to recent research published in the International Journal of Cardiology, "Cannabis is a common substance of drug abuse among the young adults because of its euphoric and addictive effects. The pathophysiological effects of cannabis smoking and its relation to adverse ...
Research on heart disease published by scientists at University of Washington.
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to recent research from the United States, "Background and aim of the study: Previous studies have reported associations between individual inflammatory biomarkers and aortic valve disease, but none has examined associations with, baseline prevalence or severity of aortic valve ...
Research on heart disease reported by scientists at University of Turin.(Clinical report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... " The optimal approach for a significant unprotected left main coronary stenosis is debated in light of the recent progresses of percutaneous coronary intervention. However, bypass surgery is still considered the first choice treatment," scientists in Turin, Italy report (see also Heart ...
Research reports on heart disease from Baskent University, Medical Department provide new insights.(Report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to recent research from Turkey, "This study investigated the value of exercise-induced ST-segment elevation in lead aVR with or without concomitant ST-segment elevation in lead V-1 for detection of left main (LM) coronary artery disease in patients with Duke treadmill score ...
Research results from Cumhuriyet University, Medical Department update understanding of heart disease.(Report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to a study from Sivas, Turkey, "Acute coronary syndromes, characterized by the rupture of unstable plaque and the subsequent thrombotic process involving platelets, have been increasing in relative frequency. The central role of platelet activation has long been noticed in this ...
Researchers at Baskent University, Medical Department target heart disease.(Clinical report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to a study from Ankara, Turkey, "Background and aim of the study: A growing body of data indicates an independent association between serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) activity, a marker of increased oxidative stress, and cardiovascular diseases. The process of calcific ...
Scientists at Colorado State University release new data on heart disease.
Sep 07, 2008 ... "Background and aim of the study. Myxomatous mitral valve disease is a common naturally occurring heart disease of dogs that is pathologically similar to myxomatous mitral valve disease in humans," scientists writing in the Journal of Heart Valve Disease report (see also Heart Disease). ...
Studies conducted at University of Texas on heart disease recently published.(Report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... "The management of concurrent carotid and coronary artery disease is controversial. Although single-center observational studies have revealed acceptable outcomes of combined carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), community-based outcomes have been ...
Studies from K.P. Savonen and co-researchers yield new data on heart disease.
Sep 07, 2008 ... " The objective is to study whether a heart rate (HR) increase from 40 to 100% of maximal work capacity in the exercise test (HR40-100) independently predicts mortality in men with known or suspected coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods and results The subjects were 294 men, 42-61 years ...
Studies from Laval University in the area of heart disease described.
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to recent research published in the Journal of Heart Valve Disease, "Background and aim of the study: Aortic valve sclerosis is fairly common and is currently seen as a marker of systemic atherosclerosis. For unclear reasons only a minority of those sclerotic valves will evolve ...
Studies from National Taiwan University add new findings in the area of heart disease.(Report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... " This study was designed to evaluate the joint effects of plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) vs coronary angiographic severity on cardiovascular risk stratification. Methods and Results A total of 345 patients with stable coronary ...
Studies from Z. Kabir and co-authors have provided new information about heart disease.
Sep 07, 2008 ... "We used the previously validated IMPACT coronary heart disease (CHID) mortality model to estimate the CHD deaths attributable to reductions in smoking prevalence following the introduction of the Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program (MTCP) in 1993," investigators in Dublin, Ireland ...
Study data from A. Valbusa and colleagues update understanding of heart disease.(Report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... "Objectives To assess the late outcome of the Tako-Tsubo like syndrome in a community hospital in northern Italy. Methods and results We reviewed 2233 patients who were admitted from 2001 to 2006 with diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome," scientists in Genoa, Italy report (see also Heart ...
Study data from Vrije University update knowledge of heart disease.(Report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... "The purpose of this study was to examine if a 1-year lifestyle intervention study (cycling to work) has an influence on coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors and health-related quality of life, in previously untrained healthy adults. Healthy, untrained men and women, who did not cycle ...
Study findings from Ibaraki Christian University provide new insights into hypercholesterolemia.(Clinical report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... " Because many Japanese patients with hypercholesterolemia have received statin therapy for nearly a decade, there was a need to investigate the benefit of long-term treatment. The Japan Lipid Intervention Trial (J-LIT) Extension 10 study was planned to continue the original J-LIT study ...
Study results from A. Tanaka et al provide new insights into intravascular.(Clinical report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... " Plaque rupture and secondary thrombus formation play key roles in the onset of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) allows the non-invasive assessment of coronary artery stenosis and plaque properties," researchers in Kimiidera, Japan report (see also ...
Research results from Oulu University update knowledge of ischemia.
Sep 07, 2008 ... "The aim of the present study was to validate the Finnvasc score for prediction of immediate outcome after infrainguinal percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) for critical lower limb ischemia (CLI). Our registry included prospective data on 512 patients who underwent isolated ...
Research from B. Chiappini and co-authors in the area of ischemic cardiomyopathy published.(Clinical report)
Sep 07, 2008 ... "Background and aim of the study: Clinical and echocardiographic results were investigated to evaluate mitral valve repair in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) with moderately severe mitral regurgitation (MR). A total of 78 ...
New life sciences research from S. Hammer and colleagues discussed.
Sep 07, 2008 ... "The T-box farnily of transcription factors has been shown to have major impact on human development and disease. In animal studies Tbx20 is essential for the development of the atrioventricular channel, the outflow tract and valves, suggesting its potential causative role for the ...
New research on life sciences from W.M.L. Neethling and co-authors summarized.
Sep 07, 2008 ... According to recent research from Fremantle, Australia, "Background and aim of the study: Matrix preparation remains controversial due to incomplete cell removal, inflammatory responses, reabsorption and thrombocyte activation. Previously, crosslinked matrices have been considered ...