Day November 18, 2013

People with damage in the small blood vessels of the retina and kidneys are at increased risk to develop the most common type of abnormal heart rhythm, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2013. Atrial…

The odds of preterm delivery appear to increase for pregnant women exposed to phthalates, chemicals people are exposed to through contaminated food and water and in a variety of products including lotions, perfumes and deodorants, according to a study published…

For the first time, an antidote developed specifically for dabigatran successfully reversed the effects of the anti-clotting medication in healthy volunteers, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2013. New oral anti-clotting medications such as dabigatran…

U.S. hospitalizations and costs of care for atrial fibrillation nearly doubled from 1998 to 2010, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2013. Over 4.6 million hospitalizations occurred nationwide for atrial fibrillation during the decade, said…

Based on the largest comprehensive systematic review to date, researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania concluded that available evidence does not support an association between statins and memory loss or dementia. The new study,…

Young adults who survived childhood cancer are more likely than their peers to be frail, according to a St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital study, which reported the condition is more common among female survivors than women decades older. The research…

Therapeutic hypothermia – cooling the body and brain down to 33°C – is the method used worldwide to treat cardiac arrest, even though a lower body temperature may raise the risk of side-effects. However, keeping the temperature steady at 36°C…

A new University of Michigan study found that the state immunization registry – the public health database that tracks vaccinations– can be an effective tool to encourage influenza vaccinations during a pandemic. U-M researchers collaborated with the Michigan Department of…

A targeted effort to help high-risk heart failure patients stay on their medications did improve adherence to drug regimens, but had surprisingly little effect lowering hospital readmission rates, according to a study at Duke Medicine. The findings, presented Monday at…

The military lifestyle can be one of extremes: the orderliness of regimen and obedience juxtaposed with the chaos of danger and violence. But is that lifestyle a help or a hindrance when individuals with military backgrounds must face similar extremes…

Women with depression in the perinatal period experience a high degree of conflict in deciding whether and how to treat their depression, but strongly prefer treatments other than antidepressant medications, reports a study in the November Journal of Psychiatric Practice.…

A new report by the Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS) examines the impact of federal and state policy decisions on community health centers (CHCs) and…

Extract taken from an Asian vegetable may have therapeutic qualities to treat head and neck cancer, a Saint Louis University researcher has found. Preliminary findings of the research were published in the Public Library of Science One Journal by Ratna…

New research has shown that people who are not accustomed to holding power are more likely to be vengeful when placed in charge. Experienced power-holders, on the other hand, were found to be more tolerant of perceived wrongdoing. The research,…

New research explores strategies to develop new technologies for fighting antibacterial resistance. “Antibiotic resistance threatens a return to the pre-antibiotic era”. The World Health Organisation uses this strong expression when referring to a phenomenon that is rapidly spreading: the increasing…

An unprecedented probe into high levels of arsenic in Bangladesh’s groundwater strengthens suspicions that eating rice boosts exposure to the poison, scientists said on Monday. Samples provided by 18,470 volunteers living in an arsenic-contaminated district showed that those who ate…

A new lab test that detects antibiotic resistance genes quickly could help doctors choose the right drugs to knock out superbugs. Patients affected by a bacterial infection can usually be treated with an antibiotic. But sometimes a resistant bacterial strain…

Family members of patients with heart disease adopted healthier lifestyles and decreased their risk of a cardiovascular event after participating in a program to improve heart health, according to a clinical trial published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Family…

The speed of surgery after a hip fracture may have a significant impact on outcomes for older patients, and faster may be better, say researchers at McMaster University. Their study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) today.…

A 31-year-old Indonesian woman has died of bird flu, bringing the death toll to 163 in the country hardest-hit by the virus, the Health Ministry said Monday. The housewife from Bekasi Timur, a West Java district just east of Jakarta,…

Hany S. Abed, B.Pharm., M.B.B.S., of the University of Adelaide and Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia and colleagues evaluated the effect of a structured weight reduction program on atrial fibrillation symptoms. “Atrial fibrillation has been described as the epidemic of…

Seth S. Martin, M.D., of the Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, Baltimore, and colleagues developed a method for estimating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels that is more accurate than the standard measure. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol…

Jose Augusto Barreto-Filho, M.D., Ph.D., of the Federal University of Sergipe and the Clinica e Hospital Sao Lucas, Sergipe, Brazil, and colleagues assessed procedure rates and outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) among 82,755,924 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries between 1999…

Michael J. Mack, M.D., of the Baylor Health Care System, Plano, Texas, and colleagues describe the experience in the U.S. with transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), including patient selection, procedural details, and in-hospital and 30-day outcomes following TAVR, a less…

“Virtual reality hands”—controlled by stroke survivors’ thoughts—could help them recover use of their hands and arms, according to a small study presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2013. “Using a brain-computer interface, we’ve created an environment where people…

Researchers from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute, in collaboration with researchers from Johns Hopkins University and the National Institutes of Health, have discovered a simple way to further predict a diabetic patient’s risk for heart disease: by measuring their…