Research Could Lead To Way To Halt Deadly Immune Response
Researchers have teased out the molecular process that can shut down a marauding, often deadly immune response that kills thousands each year who suffer battlefield casualties, heart attacks, strokes, automobile accidents and oxygen deprivation, according to an article published in the January edition of Molecular Immunology. The article provides additional detail about the enormously complex biomechanics of a reaction first observed in the lab by Neel Krishna, Ph.D., and Kenji Cunnion, M.D., while conducting pediatric research at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters (CHKD) and Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) in Norfolk, Va. "Military medics and ER doctors know that one of the most common killers is an out-of-control immune system that destroys organs after a patient who has suffered a trauma is ostensibly stabilized, " said Krishna, a pediatric virologist at CHKD and assistant professor of microbiology and molecular cell biology at EVMS.
Tryton Stent Implanted In First Cases In Portugal And Austria
Tryton Medical, Inc., the leading developer of stents designed to definitively treat bifurcation lesions, today announced that the Tryton® stent has been implanted for the first time in Portugal and Austria. Francisco Pereira Machado, M.D., of Hospital da Luz in Lisbon performed the first implant in Portugal. "The Tryton Side Branch Stent is a simple approach to secure and dilate the side branch with optimal scaffolding of its ostium. Its use makes the placement and deployment of the main vessel stent easy, " said Dr. Machado. "When there is involvement of both the main vessel and the side branch, and when, for any reason, you choose to go for two stents, think of dedicated stents.
Don't Worry, Be Happy! Positive Emotions Protect Against Heart Disease
People who are usually happy, enthusiastic and content are less likely to develop heart disease than those who tend not to be happy, according to a major new study. The authors believe that the study, published in the Europe's leading cardiology journal, the European Heart Journal [1], is the first to show such an independent relationship between positive emotions and coronary heart disease. Dr Karina Davidson, who led the research, said that although this was an observational study, her study did suggest that it might be possible to help prevent heart disease by enhancing people's positive emotions. However, she cautioned that it would be premature to make clinical recommendations without clinical trials to investigate the findings further.
Providence Medical Centers Host 16th Annual Cardiovascular Symposium
Designed for a wide spectrum of generalists and specialists who diagnose and manage cardiovascular conditions, the Providence Medical Centers' 16th Annual Cardiovascular Symposium will explore new advances in preventive and interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, and vascular and cardiovascular surgery. Held Friday and Saturday, February 26 and 27, at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Universal City, California, a highlight of the Symposium will be a live feed carotid stent procedure performed by Zahi Nassoura, MD, FACS. Sessions will provide updates on preventive cardiology, interventional treatments, cardiac arrhythmia, lead extraction surgery, cardiac surgery and vascular disease.
Statement Of Health And Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius On American Heart Month February 2010
American Heart Month is a time to spread awareness of the dangers of heart disease and stroke, and recommit to strengthening prevention, improving treatments, and helping all Americans live longer, healthier lives. Hundreds of thousands of American families are devastated each year by heart disease. Even though the risk factors for heart disease can be prevented or controlled, it is the leading killer of both men and women in the United States. And yet, heart disease is preventable. By leading a healthy lifestyle, Americans can lower their risk of heart disease by as much as 82 percent. This means following a heart healthy eating plan, getting regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, and not smoking.
Women With Gout At Greater Risk Of Heart Attack Than Men
Women with gout are at greater risk of a heart attack than men with the disease, indicates research published ahead of print in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. Gout is known to boost the risk of a heart attack in men. But to date, little has been known about the impact of gout on women's cardiovascular health. Gout is common and caused by inflammation in the joints as a result of excess uric acid deposits. Uric acid is a by-product of purines, which are abundant in a Western diet. Obesity, weight gain, high alcohol intake, high blood pressure, poorly functioning kidneys and certain drugs can all precipitate its development. The authors base their findings on a population study of more than 9500 gout patients and 48, 000 people without the disease, aged 65 and older.
LUMEDX Completes Expansive Multi-Modality Cardiovascular PACS Implementation At Iowa Health
LUMEDX Corporation, a leading provider of vendor-agnostic, integrated medical imaging and information systems, announced the completion of an extensive cardiovascular PACS deployment at Iowa Health Systems (IHS). Working together with IHS, a team of technical and clinical experts implemented CardioPACS multi-modality imaging system at ten affiliate hospitals across Iowa and western Illinois in under six months' time. The first site, Trinity Regional Medical Center in Fort Dodge, went live July 3, 2009; by December 16, all ten sites were using CardioPACS. "This project represents one of the most expansive and most sophisticated cardiovascular PACS deployments in this country to date, " said LUMEDX Chief Operating Officer Chris Winquist.
Gene Variant For Biological Ageing In Humans Discovered
Scientists from the UK and The Netherlands have identified for the first time a variant of a gene that is linked to biological ageing in humans and suggest the discovery will help us better understand cancer and diseases of ageing. The findings of the study by researchers based at the University of Leicester and King's College London, UK, and also at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, were reported online in Nature Genetics on 7 February. The Wellcome Trust and the British Heart Foundation sponsored the work. Professor Nilesh Samani, a British Heart Foundation Professor of Cardiology at the University of Leicester's Department of Cardiovascular Sciences co-led the project and also co-wrote the paper.
Sorin Group Announces U.S. FDA Clearance Of Newest Generation Heart Lung-Machine
Sorin Group, (MIL:SRN) (Reuters Code: SORN.MI), a global company and a leader in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance of its newest generation C5 Heart-Lung Machine (HLM). A Heart-Lung Machine is a sophisticated piece of medical equipment that provides blood oxygenation and circulation to organs and the brain while the patient's heart and lungs are temporarily stopped during a cardio-thoracic surgical procedure. Sorin's C5 HLM is the culmination of over 25 years of experience in extracorporeal perfusion system design and manufacturing. The C5 HLM builds on the state-of-the-art technology and proven interface of Sorin's S5 industry-standard HLM, while being lighter in weight and more compact.
Happy, Enthusiastic People Less Likely To Develop Heart Disease
People with a tendency to experience positive emotions, such as being happy, enthusiastic and content, are also less likely to to develop heart disease than those who tend not to experience it, suggests a new American study: however the researchers said the findings should be confirmed via clinical trials before making any clinical recommendations. The study, with an accompanying editorial, is published in the 17 February advance online issue of the European Heart Journal, and was led by Dr Karina Davidson, Herbert Irving Associate Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry and Director of the Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health at Columbia University Medical Center, New York, USA.