Heart failure Archives

Elderly must start tai chi to prevent falls

New guidelines for preventing falls in the elderly include: start tai chi, cut-back on meds – In the first update of the American Geriatrics Society and the British Geriatric Society’s guidelines on preventing falls in older persons since 2001, they now recommend that all interventions for preventing falls should include an exercise component and that a number of new assessments should be used, including; feet and footwear, fear of falling, and ability to carry out daily living activities.

Electronic medical records not always linked to better care in hospitals

Electronic medical records not always linked to better care in hospitals, study finds – Use of electronic health records by hospitals across the United States has had only a limited effect on improving the quality of medical care, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

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.

Cancer risks in blood pressure medicines

University Hospitals Case Medical Center cardiologists discover cancer risks in blood pressure meds – University Hospitals Case Medical Center cardiologists have uncovered new research showing an increased risk of cancer with a group of blood pressure medications known as angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs).

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.

Chocolate reduces blood pressure and heart disease risk

Study shows chocolate reduces blood pressure and risk of heart disease — Easter eggs may be good for you – Easter eggs and other chocolate may be good for you ? at least in small quantities and preferably if it’s dark chocolate ? according to research that shows just one small square of chocolate a day can lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease.

High blood pressure a neglected disease in US

IOM report declares high blood pressure a neglected disease — Calls for strategies to change Americans’ lifestyles and diets to curb hypertension – Public health officials and health care providers need to step up their efforts to reduce Americans’ increasing rates of high blood pressure and better treat those with the condition.

Catheter treatment works better than drugs for heart rhythm disorder

Landmark heart treatment study — Atrial fibrillation treatment with catheter shows better results than drug therapy – Treating a common heart rhythm disorder by burning heart tissue with a catheter works dramatically better than drug treatments, according to a landmark study published in the Jan. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Metformin safe for patients with heart failure and diabetes

UCLA study shows metformin is safe for patients with advanced heart failure and diabetes mellitus — Drug may improve survival rates for these patients – A new study has shown that metformin, a drug often used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, is safe for use in treating patients who have both diabetes and advanced heart failure.

Moderate weight loss improves heart function in obese

Moderate weight loss in obese people improves heart function – Obese patients who lost a moderate amount of weight by eating less and exercising more improved their cardiovascular health, revealed by researchers.

Sleep apnea increases risk of death

Severe breathing disorders during sleep are associated with an increased risk of dying – Moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk of death from any cause in middle-aged adults, especially men, revealed by researchers.

High fat diets are realy unhealthful

Do high-fat diets make us stupid and lazy? — New research in the FASEB Journal shows that high-fat diets are just as unhealthful in the short term as they are in the long term – Short-term memory getting worse? Exercise getting harder? Examine your diet. Eating a high-fat diet may decrease ability to exercise and cause short-term memory loss.