Human Recombinant Fibroblast Growth Factor-1 (FGF-1141), for the Treatment of Subjects with Severe Coronary Heart Disease, a Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Dose-varying Study (ACORD)
Treatment for no-option heart patients with coronary artery disease. Procedure includes the injection into the heart of a protein growth factor, administered by the Cordis Corp. MyoStar injection catheter, to stimulate the growth of blood vessels around blocked coronary arteries.
Read more! Air Pollution May Raise Blood Pressure9/14/2009 12:00:00 AM (CST)
Inhaling microscopic particles could raise risk of heart disease, study finds
Hide Article Air Pollution May Raise Blood Pressure9/14/2009 12:00:00 AM (CST)
Air Pollution May Raise Blood Pressure
MONDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Breathing polluted air for even two hours can boost blood pressure, potentially raising the risk of cardiovascular disease in those exposed to smog, a new study suggests.
Although the increase may not mean much for healthy people, "this small increase may actually be able to a trigger a heart attack or stroke," study author Dr. Robert D. Brook, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Michigan, said in a university news release.
An estimated nearly one in three Americans suffer from high blood pressure, meaning the heart is straining to push blood through the circulatory system.
In the study, which appears in a recent issue of Hypertension, researchers tested 83 people as they breathed levels of air pollution similar to those in an urban city near a roadway.
"We looked at their blood vessels and then their responses before and after breathing high levels of air pollution," study co-author Robert Bard, a University of Michigan clinic research coordinator, said in a news release.
The air pollution caused diastolic pressure -- the lower number in a blood pressure reading -- to rise within two hours. Blood vessels were impaired for as long as 24 hours.
Tests showed that microscopic particles in the air, rather than ozone gases, caused the rise in blood pressure and impaired blood vessel function.
"If air pollution levels are forecasted to be high, those with heart disease, diabetes or lung disease should avoid unnecessary outdoor activity," Brook said.
The IMPELLA LP 2.5 system will be superior to the intra aortic balloon pump in preventing the composite rare on intra and post procedural major adverse events.
Read more! Adult Stem Cells Can Repair Damaged Heart12/4/2009 12:00:00 AM (MST)
Small study found they spurred blood vessel growth after heart attack
Hide Article Adult Stem Cells Can Repair Damaged Heart12/4/2009 12:00:00 AM (MST)
Adult Stem Cells Can Repair Damaged Heart
FRIDAY, Dec. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Adult stem cells appear to help repair heart attack damage, a new study shows.
The phase 1 study of 53 patients found that stem cells from donor bone marrow promoted the growth of new blood vessels in heart tissue damaged by heart attack.
The patients received the stem cell injections within 10 days of having a heart attack. During follow-up, they were compared to patients who had received a placebo injection.
After six months, those who got the stem cells were four times more likely to be better off overall, pumped more blood with each heartbeat, and had one-quarter as many irregular heartbeats, when compared to the placebo group. There also were no serious side effects with the stem cell treatment, according to the report published in the Dec. 8 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
This is the strongest evidence so far that adult stem cells can repair heart attack damage, the Rush University Medical Center researchers said. It had been believed that only embryonic stem cells could turn into heart or other organ cells.
"The results point to a promising new treatment for heart attack patients that could reduce [death] and lessen the need for heart transplants," Dr. Gary Schaer, head of the Rush Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, said in a news release from the university.
More information
The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more about heart attack.
SOURCE: Rush University Medical Center, news release, Dec. 2, 2009
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A prospective, multi-center, randomized, double-blind trial to assess the effectiveness and safety of 12 versus 30 months of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in subjects undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with either drug-eluting stent (DES) or bare metal stent (BMS) placement for the treatment of coronary artery lesions
The DAPT study is intened to determine the appropriate duration for dual antiplatelet therapy (the combination of aspirin and a second anti-clotting medication) as well as the safety and effectiveness of dual antiplatelet therapy to protect patients from certain events following the placement of coronary stents.
Read more! Abuse May Raise Risk of Heart Attack, Stroke in Migraine Sufferers6/23/2010 12:00:00 AM (CST)
Mistreatment, neglect in childhood increased chances of cardiovascular disease, researchers say
Hide Article Abuse May Raise Risk of Heart Attack, Stroke in Migraine Sufferers6/23/2010 12:00:00 AM (CST)
Abuse May Raise Risk of Heart Attack, Stroke in Migraine Sufferers
WEDNESDAY, June 23 (HealthDay News) -- Adults who suffer migraines and were victims of childhood abuse or neglect face an increased risk for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, a new study suggests.
The multi-center, cross-sectional study included more than 1,300 migraine patients who completed surveys about their health status and childhood history. A team of researchers from 11 neurology centers in the United States and Canada found a link between risk of stroke, transient ischemic attack (mini-stroke), heart attack and the total number of forms of abuse a person suffered as a child (physical, emotional or sexual abuse, or physical or emotional neglect).
The study was to be presented Wednesday at the American Headache Society's annual meeting in Los Angeles.
"It is clear from this work that early adverse experiences influence a migraine sufferer's cardiovascular health in adulthood," study leader Dr. Gretchen E. Tietjen, of the University of Toledo College of Medicine in Ohio, said in a news release from the headache society.
"Other work has shown a link between childhood maltreatment and migraine, and now we know that early abuse puts these adults at a greater risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease," she added.
"Dr. Tietjen and her teams are pioneers in understanding the relationship between negative childhood experiences and migraine," Dr. David Dodick, president of the headache society, said in the news release. "Now we need to drill even deeper to understand the relationship between migraine, aura status, childhood maltreatment and [cardiovascular] disease risk."
A possible limitation to the study is that the physician-diagnosed diseases were self-reported.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more about migraine.
SOURCE: American Headache Society, June 23, 2010, news release.
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Chronic Heart Failure Study
We are seeking individuals in the advanced stages of heart failure to participate in a research study at Chandler Regional Medical Center.
We are seeking individuals with significant narrowing or blockage in an artery in the heart to participate in a research study at Chandler Regional Medical Center.
