Health & Medicine - May 28, 2010 13:36 - 3 Comments

When good cholesterol goes bad

U. ROCHESTER (US)—HDL cholesterol, long thought of as “good” cholesterol actually places certain patients at high risk for recurrent coronary events, including chest pain, heart attack, and death. (more…)

Health & Medicine - May 28, 2010 12:05 - 2 Comments

Built-in bypass bolstered by key molecule

UNC-CHAPEL HILL(US)—An abundance of tiny specialized blood vessels, called collaterals, can reduce damage caused by a blocked artery—such as stroke, heart attack, or leg injury—by enlarging to create a natural bypass. Research shows that this ability is related to levels of nitric oxide, a key signaling molecule. (more…)

Health & Medicine - May 24, 2010 22:59 - 2 Comments

Cholesterol crystals form early in heart disease

MICHIGAN STATE (US)—Cholesterol crystals, known to be a catalyst for heart attacks and strokes, also cause cells to send out danger signals that can lead to the inflammation and hardening of arteries. (more…)

Health & Medicine - May 17, 2010 11:58 - 2 Comments

Flexible implant maps heart’s electrical activity

U. PENN (US)—Researchers have created and tested a new type of implantable device for measuring the heart’s electrical output. The device represents the first use of flexible silicon technology for a medical application. (more…)

Health & Medicine - Apr 2, 2010 10:52 - 0 Comments

Fat layer is heart’s gatekeeper

EMORY (US)—Using CT or MRI to image epicardial adipose tissue, the layer of fat around the heart, provides extra information compared with standard diagnostic techniques such as coronary artery calcium scoring. (more…)

Health & Medicine - Mar 24, 2010 16:51 - 0 Comments

Zebrafish mend hearts. Why can’t we?

DUKE (US)—Humans have very limited ability to regenerate heart muscle cells, which is a key reason why heart attacks and scar tissue are so dangerous. Now researchers are studying the highly regenerative zebrafish, searching for clues to better therapy. (more…)

Health & Medicine - Mar 11, 2010 13:09 - 6 Comments

Old arteries blocked? Just grow new ones

YALE (US)—A new method for growing arteries could lead to a less invasive way to treat coronary artery disease. (more…)

Health & Medicine - Mar 1, 2010 12:49 - 2 Comments

Preschoolers get head start on heart disease

UNC CHAPEL HILL (US)—Overweight children—as young as 3 years old—show signs of having elevated levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation that in adults is considered an early warning sign for future heart disease. (more…)

Health & Medicine - Feb 15, 2010 13:55 - 3 Comments

Highway pollution drives up heart risk

USC (US)—Exposure to air pollution accelerates the thickening of artery walls that leads to cardiovascular disease, reports a new study—the first to link outdoor air quality and progression of atherosclerosis in humans. (more…)

Health & Medicine - Feb 3, 2010 0:52 - 2 Comments

Super sensitive—and simple—heart scanner

U. LEEDS (UK)—A cardiac scanner being developed at the University of Leeds is expected to dramatically improve the process of diagnosing heart conditions. (more…)

Science & Technology - Dec 15, 2009 17:35 - 6 Comments

This chip’s got real heart (cells)

JOHNS HOPKINS (US)—Biomedical engineers have built a lab chip with nanoscopic grooves and ridges that grows cardiac tissue closely resembling natural heart muscle. (more…)

Health & Medicine - Dec 14, 2009 13:08 - 0 Comments

Sensor gauges good vs. killer plaque

USC (US)—A new tool may help clinicians distinguish cardiac emergencies requiring immediate surgical intervention from chronic problems that can be treated with diet and medication. (more…)

Health & Medicine - Dec 10, 2009 11:41 - 3 Comments

Genes help explain racial gap in diabetes

UNC-CHAPEL HILL (US)—A recent discovery suggests that inherited genetic variations exist between whites and blacks living in the United States, which may help explain the racial discrepancies in the development of conditions such as type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. (more…)

Health & Medicine - Dec 4, 2009 17:54 - 0 Comments

Body’s own chemical could cut ticker toxins

EMORY (US)—Scientists have found a way of getting a naturally occurring antioxidant directly into the hearts of rats, with the hope that someday this discovery could improve the health of human heart-attack sufferers. (more…)

Health & Medicine - Nov 30, 2009 14:39 - 3 Comments

Big dose of x-ray after heart attack

DUKE (US)—Acute heart attack patients receive an average dose of radiation that is equal to 725 chest X-rays, or 30 percent of the recommended annual limit, during an average hospital admission, according to a new study. (more…)

Health & Medicine - Nov 20, 2009 17:01 - 2 Comments

Mummy’s curse: hardened arteries

UC IRVINE (US)—Hardening of the arteries has been detected in both male and female Egyptian mummies as old as 3,500 years, suggesting that factors causing heart attacks and strokes are not solely byproducts of modern times. (more…)

Health & Medicine - Nov 18, 2009 16:26 - 1 Comment

Shot of stem cells straight to the heart

NORTHWESTERN (US)—The largest national stem cell study for heart disease shows the first evidence that transplanting a potent form of adult stem cells into the heart muscle of subjects with severe angina results in fewer deaths, less pain, and an improved ability to walk. (more…)

Health & Medicine - Oct 20, 2009 15:21 - 2 Comments

Depression may raise heart disease risk

EMORY (US)—Depression tends to reduce coronary flow reserve, resulting in a greater risk of heart disease for people who suffer from it, according to a new study. The findings also suggest genetic susceptibility influences which individuals have an increased risk. (more…)

Posts Tagged ‘cardiology’