India suffering from smoking epidemic

India caught in catastrophic smoking epidemic, researchers predict 1M tobacco deaths a year during the 2010s – India is in the midst of a catastrophic epidemic of smoking deaths, which is expected to cause about one million (10 lakh) deaths a year during the 2010s ? including one in five of all male deaths and one in 20 of all female deaths at ages 30-69.

Part of ACCORD study halted due to safety concerns

Canadian Diabetes Association has issued its position statement regarding safety concerns of diabetes treatment in ACCORD study. It is important that people with diabetes not make any changes to their treatments or adjust their blood glucose targets without speaking to their healthcare team. – Canadian Diabetes Association has issued its position statement regarding safety concerns of diabetes treatment in ACCORD study – “It is important that people with diabetes not make any changes to their treatments or adjust their blood glucose targets without speaking to their healthcare team”.

Intensive blood glucose lowering treatment proved fatal for diabetes patients

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health, USA has stopped one treatment within a large, ongoing North American clinical trial of diabetes and cardiovascular disease 18 months early due to safety concerns after review of available data, although the study will continue. – Intensive blood glucose lowering treatment proved fatal for diabetes patients in a US study, and for Safety, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has changed intensive blood sugar treatment strategy in clinical trial of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Stress in pregnancy may lead to schizophrenia in offspring

This population-based study suggests that severe stress to a mother during the first trimester may alter the risk of schizophrenia in offspring. This finding is consistent with ecological evidence from whole populations exposed to severe stressors and suggests that environment may influence neurodevelopment at the feto-placental-maternal interface. – Most societies believe that a mother’s psychological state can influence her unborn baby. Children of women who undergo an extremely stressful event-such as the death of a close relative-during the first trimester of pregnancy appear more likely to develop schizophrenia, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

27% lower mortality in top hospitals, finds HealthGrades

Hospital quality gap persists, resulting in 171,424 preventable deaths, according to HealthGrades’ Sixth Annual Hospital Quality and Clinical Excellence study. – Patients treated at top-rated hospitals in US are nearly one-third less likely to die, on average, than those admitted to all other hospitals, according to a study released by HealthGrades (Nasdaq: HGRD), the leading independent healthcare ratings organization.

Abbott to educate Chicago-area women about heart disease

Abbott named exclusive Chicagoland ‘Hometown’ Partner of the American Heart Association’s ‘Go Red for Women’ Campaign – As a leader in cardiovascular treatment and the exclusive Chicagoland “hometown” partner for the national “Go Red for Women” program, Abbott is partnering with the American Heart Association (AHA) to raise awareness about heart disease, the leading cause of death for women in America.

Diabetes increasing among older Americans

Diabetes increasing among older Americans

The burden of financing and providing medical care for persons older than 65 in the United States having diagnosed diabetes is growing rapidly as a result of increased incidence and, especially, prevalence of diagnosed diabetes, decreased mortality, and overall lack of improvement in rates of complications in persons having diagnosed diabetes. – The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is growing worldwide. Consequently, there has been increased emphasis on primary and secondary prevention of diabetes. The annual number of Americans older than 65 newly diagnosed with diabetes increased by 23 percent between 1994 to 1995 and 2003 to 2004, according to a report in the January 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Ongoing review of cholesterol drug Vytorin

FDA issues early communication about an ongoing review of vytorin, and advises patients to talk with their health care providers if they have questions about the ENHANCE study. – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is informing the public that the agency will conduct a review of Merck and Schering Plough’s recent trial once the FDA receives the final study results.

Eating broccoli may help fight heart disease

Eating broccoli may help fight heart disease, according to a new study. Eating steamed broccoli reduces the risk of a heart attack by boosting the body?s ability to fight off cell damage. – Wishing your Valentine good heart health on February 14 – and throughout 2008″ Then consider the food some people love to hate, and hand over a gift bag of broccoli along with that heart-shaped box of chocolates. Researchers in Connecticut are reporting impressive new evidence that eating broccoli may protect against heart disease.

Heart and stroke death rates steadily decline in US

American Heart Association goals to reduce deaths from heart disease and stroke by 2010 have been virtually met. – In an appropriate prelude to American Heart Month, which is just ahead in February, new mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that, since 1999, coronary heart disease and stroke age-adjusted death rates are down by 25.8 percent and 24.4 percent, respectively.

Vytorin does not appear to be unsafe – American Heart Association

Schering-Plough Corp and Merck & Co are defending their shared cholesterol treatments, Vytorin and Zetia, in advertisements in The New York Times after a failed study generated negative publicity. – Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals released results from the ENHANCE trial, which found that the ezetimibe/simvastatin (Zetia/Zocor) combination drug known as Vytorin was no more effective in reducing artery plaque build-up than simvastatin (Zocor) alone. There were no statistically significant differences in the safety of the drugs, which are used to lower cholesterol.

Depression and anxiety can double heart disease risk

Anxiety and depression are associated with mechanisms that promote atherosclerosis. Most recent studies of emotional disturbances in coronary artery disease (CAD) have focused on depression only. Anxiety and depression predict greater MACE (Major adverse cardiac events) risk in patients with stable CAD (Coronary Artery Disease). – Matters of the mind can affect matters of the heart. A new study from Universit? de Montr?al and McGill University researchers has found that major anxiety and/or depression, can double a coronary artery disease patient’s chances of repeated heart ailments. This is one of the first studies to focus on patients with stable coronary artery disease ? not those who were hospitalized for events such as a heart attack.

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