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.
Vioxx trial data shows early cardiovascular risk — Provides lessons for post-market pharmaceutical safety. – US researchers revealed that the heart complications after taking Vioxx, the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (rofecoxib), could have been identified nearly four years before its manufacturer Merck pulled the drug from the market.
Among the population aged 20 years or older, the prevalence of high LDL-C levels decreased from 1999-2000 to 2005-2006. In the most recent period, the prevalence was 21.2%. – Between 1999 and 2006, the prevalence of adults in the U.S. with high levels of LDL cholesterol, the “bad” cholesterol, decreased by about one-third, revealed by US researchers. But a high percentage of adults still are not being screened or treated for high cholesterol levels.
Heart disease found in Egyptian mummies — Findings suggest that atherosclerosis is not only a modern disease. – Atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries has been detected in Egyptian mummies, some as old as 3,500 years, suggesting that the factors causing heart attack and stroke are not only modern ones; they afflicted ancient people, too.
Many parents, high-priority adults who tried to get H1N1 vaccine unable to get it — Most who tried and didn’t get it say they will try again. – In US, majority of adults who tried to get the H1N1 vaccine for themselves or their children have been unable to do so, revealed in a poll from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH).
Bundling 2 low-cost heart drugs prevents heart attack and stroke in large, diverse population — Kaiser Permanente program averted 1,271 heart attacks and strokes, observational clinical study shows. – Low-cost drugs ? a cholesterol-lowering statin and a blood pressure-lowering drug ? as daily doses to 68,560 people with diabetes or heart disease for two years is estimated to have prevented 1,271 heart attacks and strokes.
Women who make poor shoe choices at risk for foot pain later in life – Women who make poor shoe choices early in life suffer with foot pain in later years, revealed by researchers. The new study is published in the October issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology.
Many Australians at risk of cardiovascular disease are not receiving best practice care – Many people are not receiving the best possible care when it comes to managing cardiovascular or heart conditions, revealed by researchers.
No evidence for the routine use of aspirin in people with asymptomatic vascular events, reported by Professor Gerald Fowkes from the Wolfson Unit for Prevention of Peripheral Vascular Diseases in Edinburgh. – The routine use of aspirin for the prevention of vascular events in people with asymptomatic disease cannot be supported, according to results from the Aspirin for Asymptomatic Atherosclerosis (AAA) study.
Dabigatran vs. warfarin as long-term anticoagulant therapy in atrial fibrillation – The anticoagulant dabigatran is more effective than warfarin in the prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, revealed by researchers in a study RE-LY (Randomized Evaluation of Long-term anticoagulant therapY).
Feelings of hopelessness linked to stroke risk in healthy women – Healthy middle-aged women with feelings of hopelessness appear to experience thickening of the neck arteries, which can be a precursor to stroke, revealed by researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School.
University of Maryland researchers identify gene variant linked to effectiveness of plavix — First study to use genome-wide scanning approach to locate gene that affects response to popular anti-clotting medication. – Patients with a certain genetic variation and who received the antiplatelet drug clopidogrel — Plavix — had a decreased platelet response to treatment, revealed by researchers.
More research on risks and benefits of medical imaging needed – Researchers are evaluating the risks and benefits of medical imaging in patients. They revealed that the average effective dose of radiation nearly double the amount they would otherwise be exposed to from natural sources.
