Urinary Albumin To Creatine Ratio Is An Independent Predictor Of Prognosis Of Heart Failure
An article in this week's issue of The Lancet reports that the ratio of albumin to creatine in a person's urine is a dominant and independent predictor of prognosis of heart failure. The article is the work of Professor John J V McMurray, British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Glasgow, UK, and collaborators. It is documented that increased excretion of albumin in urine is a risk factor for mortality, cardiovascular events, and kidney disease in the general population, and in patients with diabetes, high blood pressure, and other types of cardiovascular disease. The authors aimed in this study to measure the prognostic value of a spot urinary albumin to creatine ratio (UACR) in patients with heart failure.
What Women Don't Know Could Kill Them: Every 60 Seconds A Woman Dies Of Heart Disease
Stop ten women on the street and ask them what their biggest health risk is, and, chances are, more than half of them would answer " breast cancer ." They would be wrong. Taking the life of one woman every minute, heart disease is the leading cause of death of women in America. Unfortunately, most women put their own needs behind the needs of their families, rarely considering the risks and dangers of this devastating disease. To address such widespread lack of awareness, The Main Line Health Heart Center announces the launch of its Women's Heart Initiative, a one-of-a-kind team of physicians and clinical staff in southeast Pennsylvania, designed specifically to empower women in taking charge of their cardiovascular health.
Severe Breathing Disorders During Sleep Are Associated With An Increased Risk Of Dying
Severe breathing disorders during sleep are associated with an increased risk of dying from any cause according to research published this week in the open access journal PLoS Medicine. The study finds that the increased risk of dying is most apparent in men between 40 and 70 years of age with severe sleep-disordered breathing, and suggests a specific link between this condition and death from coronary heart disease in men. Sleep-disordered breathing is characterized by a collapse of the upper airway during sleep, leading to numerous, brief interruptions of breathing known as sleep apnea, and it is experienced by one in four men and one in ten women.
Exciting New Method Could Help Stem Cells Target Damaged Arteries, Says British Heart Foundation
A new method using nanomagnets which enables cells to be targeted to sites of injury in the body is published today by University College London researchers in The Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Interventions. In response to the research part-funded by the charity, Professor Peter Weissberg, Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said: "This encouraging research shows that nanomagnets could be used to help therapeutic stem cells reach specific areas of the body, particularly inside blood vessels where the blood is flowing fast and at high pressure. "It is hoped that this strategy could be used to help these cells home-in to the sites of diseased tissue and improve the chances of repairing it.
One Year On: Survey Of GP Opinion On The Impact Of NICE Guidelines On CHD Risk, UK
One year after the publication of the NICE Lipid Modification (CG67) and Type 2 Diabetes (CG66) Guidelines, a new survey of 400 UK healthcare professionals, conducted by TNS Healthcare UK and sponsored by Merck Sharp & Dohme Limited and Schering-Plough Limited has revealed that the majority of GPs recognise the important role played by these guidelines in reducing the level of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk among UK patients over the last year. Of the GPs surveyed (n=100), over half (57%)3 reported that the NICE Lipid Modification Guideline has played an important role in reducing the level of CHD risk among UK patients over the past year and up to two thirds (66%)3 felt that the Type 2 Diabetes Guideline has played the same role.