Heart’s sounds can help diagnose heart failure
Heart’s sounds can help diagnose heart failure – For emergency department patients with shortness of breath and a risk of heart failure, physicians usually grab one thing first: a stethoscope.
Heart disease
Heart disease is the narrowing or blockage of the arteries and vessels that provide oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to the heart. It is caused by atherosclerosis, an accumulation of fatty materials on the inner linings of arteries that restricts blood flow. When the blood flow to the heart is completely cut off, the result is a heart attack because the heart is starved of oxygen.
95 genetic variants linked to cholesterol, triglycerides
Scientists identify 95 genetic variants associated with cholesterol, triglycerides – Researchers have discovered or confirmed 95 regions of the human genome where genetic variants are associated with blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which are major indicators of heart disease risk.
Calcium supplements may increase heart attack risk
Calcium supplements linked to increased risk of heart attack — Research: Effect of calcium supplements on risk of myocardial infarction and cardiovascular events: meta-analysis – Calcium supplements, commonly taken by older people for osteoporosis, are associated with an increased risk of a heart attack, revealed by researchers. The results suggest that a reassessment of the role of calcium supplements in osteoporosis management is needed.
Fish oil may reduce breast cancer risk
Fish oil may reduce risk of breast cancer – A recent report in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, adds to the growing evidence that fish oil supplements may play a role in preventing chronic disease like breast cancer.
Sensor in insulin pump results in better blood sugar control in diabetes patients
Sensor and insulin pump results in better blood-sugar control in all age groups with diabetes – Adding a continuous blood sugar level sensor to an insulin pump helps patients with type 1 diabetes achieve better blood sugar control compared to the common standard of care, multiple daily insulin injections, concludes a study published on-line today in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Folic acid and vitamin B12 have no beneficial effects in heart disease
Study examines outcomes of lowering homocysteine levels with folic acid and vitamin B12 – A new study revealed that the substantial long-term reductions in blood homocysteine levels with folic acid and vitamin B12 supplementation did not have beneficial effects on vascular outcomes but were also not associated with adverse effects on cancer incidence.
Readmission rate has increased for heart failure patients
For heart failure patients, risk of in-hospital death has decreased; readmission rate has increased – An analysis of Medicare data from 1993 through 2006 for older patients hospitalized for heart failure indicates that along with a decrease in hospital length of stay, the rate of in-hospital and 30-day mortality has decreased, while the rate of hospital readmission and discharge to skilled nursing facilities has increased, according to a study in the June 2 issue of JAMA.
More good cholesterol is not always good for health
More ‘good’ cholesterol is not always good for your health — HDL cholesterol can transform from good to bad actor in heart-disease process
– We’ve all heard about the importance of raising HDL, or the so-called “good” cholesterol, and lowering LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, to improve heart health. While we’ve come to assume HDL cholesterol is an inherently good thing, a new study shows that for a certain group of patients, this is not always the case.
Supercomputer can predict heart attack
3-D model of blood flow by supercomputer predicts heart attacks – EPFL Laboratory of Multiscale Modeling of Materials, in Switzerland, has developed a flowing 3D model of the cardiovascular system that should allow for predictions of certain heart diseases before they become dangerous.
A new drug may reduce inflammation and atherosclerosis
Patients at high risk of recurrences of heart disease: Breakthrough in prevention – A clinical study directed by Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif of the Montreal Heart Institute confirms the potential of a medication to reduce inflammation in patients with atherosclerosis.