The heart is a hollow, muscular organ in vertebrates, responsible for pumping blood through the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions. The term cardiac, as in cardiology, means – related to the heart – and comes from the Greek word, kardia, for heart.
Cognitive decline can begin as early as age 45, warn experts — Research: Timing of onset of cognitive decline: Results from Whitehall II prospective cohort study – The brain’s capacity for memory, reasoning and comprehension skills (cognitive function) can start to deteriorate from age 45. But, previous research suggests that cognitive decline does not begin before the age of 60, but this view is not universally accepted.
Bariatric surgery associated with reduction in cardiovascular events and death – Among obese individuals, having bariatric surgery was associated with a reduced long-term incidence of cardiovascular deaths and events such as heart attack and stroke, revealed by researchers.
Restricted calorie diet improves heart function in obese patients with diabetes – A low-calorie diet eliminates insulin dependence and leads to improved heart function in obese patients with type 2 diabetes. It is striking to see how a relatively simple intervention of a very low calorie diet effectively cures type 2 diabetes mellitus. Moreover, these effects are long term.
A new stent design may put patients at risk – Stent shortening – a newly observed deformity in cases using a particular family of stents, can cause serious complications for patients, says researchers. In this case the stent clotted off and the patient had a heart attack.
Avastin Loses FDA Approval to Treat Breast Cancer – US health agency FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. has revoked the approval of the breast cancer indication for Avastin (bevacizumab) after concluding that the drug has not been shown to be safe and effective for that use.
Cleveland Clinic researcher reports that evacetrapib can increase HDL (good) cholesterol 128 percent – Researchers at Cleveland Clinic reported that administration of a new drug? evacetrapib ? can dramatically increase HDL (good) cholesterol, while significantly lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol). At the highest tested dosage, the levels of HDL more than doubled.
Professional dental cleanings may reduce risk of heart attack and stroke – Tooth scaling at least once a year reduced heart attack and stroke risks. Professional tooth scaling was associated with fewer heart attacks and strokes in a study from Taiwan presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2011.
Sugar-sweetened beverages may increase cardiovascular risk in women – Drinking two or more sugar-sweetened beverages a day may expand a woman’s waistline and increase her risk of heart disease and diabetes. In a new study, researchers compared middle-aged and older women who drank two or more sugar-sweetened beverages a day, such as carbonated sodas or flavored waters with added sugar, to women who drank one or less daily.
Quality of life benefits of transcatheter aortic valve replacement, cost effectiveness analysis demonstrates continued superiority over standard therapy – A two-year study of patients in the landmark PARTNER trial, which compared transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients who have severe aortic stenosis and are not candidates for open heart surgery, confirm the one-year findings and support the role of TAVR as the standard of care.
FDA: 35 innovative new drugs approved in fiscal year 2011 — Report shows quick approvals of safe and effective medicines occur in the United States before other countries – Over the past 12 months, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved 35 new medicines for patients, like two new treatments for hepatitis C; a drug for late-stage prostate cancer; the first new drug for Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 30 years; and the first new drug for lupus in 50 years.
Fatty acids involved in python heart growth could benefit diseased human heart – Now, Burmese python’s heart may diseased human hearts, revealed by researchers from University of Alabama, USA. Three fatty acids involved in the extreme growth of Burmese pythons’ hearts following large meals could prove beneficial in treating diseased human hearts.
Overweight or obese kids at almost 3 times greater risk of high blood pressure — Increased fat in children raises their blood pressure risk – American Heart Association – Overweight or obese children are at three times greater risk for high blood pressure than children of normal weight, according to researchers from the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University School of Medicine.
