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.
FDA warns consumers about tainted weight loss pills. US Health Agency seeks recall of products that pose serious health risks. – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is alerting consumers nationwide not to purchase or consume more than 25 different products marketed for weight loss because they contain undeclared, active pharmaceutical ingredients that may put consumers’ health at risk.
Breathing life into injured lungs: World-first technique will expand lung donor organ pool – For the first time in the world, transplant surgeons at Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network used a new technique to repair an injured donor lung that was unsuitable for transplant, and then successfully transplanted it into a patient.
In patients with type 2 diabetes, 6-month treatment with a low?glycemic index diet resulted in moderately lower HbA1c levels compared with a high?cereal fiber diet. – Persons with type 2 diabetes who had a diet high in low-glycemic foods such as nuts, beans and lentils had greater improvement in glycemic control and risk factors for coronary heart disease than persons on a diet with an emphasis on high-cereal fiber, according to a study in the December 17 issue of JAMA.
Preventing a broken heart: Research aims to reduce scarring from heart attacks – A heart damaged by heart attack is usually broken, at least partially, for good. The injury causes excessive scar tissue to form, and this plays a role in permanently keeping heart muscle from working at full capacity.
Back pain still an issue for over 5 million Australians: Are we treating it right? – A new study by researchers at The George Institute for International Health has found that back pain is a reoccurring problem for five million Australians.
Sugar can be addictive, Princeton scientist says. Animal studies show sugar dependence. – Sugar can be an addictive substance, wielding its power over the brains of lab animals in a manner similar to many drugs of abuse, revealed by researchers at the Princeton University, USA.
New genes present drug targets for managing cholesterol and glucose levels – Scientists have identified 12 new genes that are somewhat strange bedfellows: Some link gallstones and blood cholesterol levels, others link melatonin and sleep patterns to small increases in glucose levels and larger jumps in the risk of diabetes.
High blood pressure in the doctor’s clinic may not predict heart risks. Round-the-clock blood pressure measurements, especially those during the night, are better predictors of major cardiovascular problems. – Continuously measuring blood pressure may help predict heart disease and related deaths among individuals with treatment-resistant hypertension, while blood pressure readings taken in a medical clinic do not appear to predict future heart risks, according to a report in November 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Researchers have developed a list of 14 widely prescribed medications most urgently in need of additional study to determine how effective and safe they are for their off-label uses. – Physicians and policy-makers know that drugs are frequently prescribed to treat certain diseases despite a lack of FDA approval – a practice known as off-label prescribing. Yet they say the problem is so big they don’t know how to begin tackling it.
Gasping helps cardiac arrest victims survive. Gasping should not be mistaken for breathing and CPR should be initiated. – People who witness an individual collapse suddenly and unexpectedly should perform uninterrupted chest compressions even if the patient gasps or breathes in a funny way, research from the Resuscitation Research Group at The University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center shows.
Diabetes medications (rosiglitazone – Avandia) in same class carry different risks of heart failure, death – Older adults who take the diabetes medication rosiglitazone appear to have a higher risk of death and heart failure than those taking the related medication pioglitazone, according to a report in the November 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Extended care delivered either by telephone or in face-to-face sessions improved the 1-year maintenance of lost weight compared with education alone. Telephone counseling constitutes an effective and cost-efficient option for long-term weight management. – Face-to-face and telephone follow-up sessions appear to be more effective in the maintenance of weight loss for women from rural communities compared with weight loss education alone, according to a report in the November 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
