Use Of Statins Increases The Risk Of Developing Type 2 Diabetes But Reduces Coronary Events
An article published Online First and in an upcoming edition of The Lancet reports that new research based on a meta-analysis of thirteen statin trials has shown that use of statins increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 9 percent. Still, the absolute risk is low, especially when compared with the beneficial effect that statins have on reducing coronary events. The article is the work of Professor Naveed Satar and Dr David Preiss, Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Glasgow, UK, and colleagues.
Cooling Inflammation For Healthier Arteries
Agricultural Research Service (ARS)-funded scientists have reported new reasons for choosing "heart-healthy" oats at the grocery store. Nutritionist Mohsen Meydani, director of the Vascular Biology Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston, Mass., led the research on the oat compounds, called avenanthramides. Meydani previously has shown that phenolic antioxidants in oats obstruct the ability of blood cells to stick to artery walls.
Cameras Of The Future: Heart Researchers Create Revolutionary Photographic Technique
Scientists funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the British Heart Foundation at the University of Oxford have developed a revolutionary way of capturing a high-resolution still image alongside very high-speed video - a new technology that is attractive for science, industry and consumer sectors alike. By combining off-the-shelf technologies found in standard cameras and digital movie projectors they have successfully created a tool that will transform many forms of detailed scientific imaging and could provide access to high-speed video with high-resolution still images from the same camera at a price suitable for the consumer market.
News From The Annals Of Internal Medicine: Feb. 16, 2010
1. Early Release: Annals Readers Respond to USPSTF Mammography Guidelines An editorial and a selection of reader responses to the November 17 article, "Screening for Breast Cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement, " was published early online at http://www.annals.org on February 15. 2. Pipe and Cigar Smoking Strongly Associated with Decreased Lung Function, COPD Pipe and cigar smoke may be more harmful than once thought. While some believe pipes and cigars are healthier than cigarettes, a major known cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a new study directly links pipe and cigar smoking to decreased lung function.
Stentys Drug-Eluting Self-Expanding Coronary Stent Shows 4 Restenosis In Complex Lesions
Medical device pioneer Stentys announced today that the complete 'OPEN-I' clinical study was presented by Stefan Verheye, M.D., Ph.D., at the Joint Interventional Meeting ("JIM") 2010 in Rome, demonstrating superior results in 60 patients (27 Stentys drug-eluting stents and 33 Stentys bare-metal stents) who were followed - up angiographically after six months. "These clinical results suggest very promising benefits for patients, " said Stefan Verheye, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Cardiology, Middelheim Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium.
Novel Screening Technique Identifies New Effects Of Approved Drugs For Cardiovascular Disease
Drugs that target the way cells convert nutrients into energy could offer new approaches to treating a range of conditions including heart attack and stroke. Using a new way to screen for potential drugs, a team led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers has identified several FDA-approved agents, including an over-the-counter anti-nausea drug, that can shift cellular energy metabolism processes in animals. Their findings, being published online in Nature Biotechnology, may open the door to new therapeutic strategies for several serious health problems.
Researchers Find Air Pollution Linked To Progression Of Atherosclerosis
Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC), in collaboration with international partners in Spain and Switzerland and colleagues in California, have found that exposure to air pollution accelerates the thickening of artery walls that leads to cardiovascular disease. The study, published this week in the journal PloS ONE, is the first to link outdoor air quality and progression of atherosclerosis in humans. Researchers found that artery wall thickening among people living within 100 meters (328 feet) of a Los Angeles highway progressed twice as quickly as those who lived farther away.
Heart-Assist Device Helped Ready 16-Year-Old For Successful Surgery
The wait is over for 16-year-old Francesco "Frank" De Santiago. On January 29, De Santiago received a donor heart in a nine-hour transplant operation at Texas Children's Heart Center De Santiago made news last October as the first child ever discharged from a pediatric hospital with an implanted mechanical heart pump, or ventricular assist device (VAD). Until then, pediatric patients with VADs remained in the hospital, often in ICU, while awaiting a donor heart. "Frank's surgery went extremely well;
Cordis Corporation Announces Agreement With Boston Scientific To Resolve Certain Coronary Stent Patent Disputes
Cordis Corporation, a Johnson & Johnson company, announced today that it has reached an agreement with Boston Scientific resolving two Delaware litigations related to Cordis's Palmaz and Gray patents and Boston Scientific's Jang patents. Under the terms of the agreement, Cordis will receive $1.725 billion from Boston Scientific and Johnson & Johnson expects to record the majority of this payment as a special item in the first quarter of 2010. Boston Scientific will pay Cordis $1 billion by close of business and $725 million on Jan.
St. Jude Medical Announces IRASE AF Clinical Trial To Evaluate Cardiac Ablation Catheter System For Treatment Of Atrial Fibrillation
St. Jude Medical, Inc. (NYSE:STJ) announced it has received an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin enrollment in the IRASE AF (IRrigated Ablation System Evaluation for AF) trial, a multicenter, randomized, single-blind study evaluating the safety and efficacy of the company's Duo 12 port open irrigated catheter ablation system for treatment of Atrial Fibrillation (AF). AF is the most common cardiac arrhythmia (abnormal heartbeat), affecting an estimated 3.