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FMC offers new Flolan treatment

May 16, 2012

For patients with high pressure in the lungs after open heart surgery, Flolan relieves the pressure in the right ventricle, which can get stressed after a bypass. Research has shown that inhaled Flolan effectively relieves that pressure.

Postorthopedic Anticoagulation a Double-Edged Sword

May 16, 2012

A systematic review suggests that a prolonged course of anticoagulation after major orthopedic surgery decreases the risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) but increases the risk for minor bleeding.

Lack of Gut Bugs Linked to Extra Pounds on Kids

May 15, 2012

Low concentrations of Bacteroides fragilis group bacteria were linked with a greater likelihood of being obese using two different methods of assessing the bacteria (P=0.033 and P=0.013, respectively), Liene Bervoets, MD, of the University of Hasselt in Belgium, and colleagues reported at the European Congress on Obesity in Lyon, France.

Don’t forget to care for the caregiver

May 15, 2012

The typical family caregiver is a college-educated, married and employed 49-year-old woman who juggles several important duties. She is likely caring for her widowed 69-year-old mother who lives nearby, and there is a 37 percent chance that her children or grandchildren are living with her. And as a consequence of these selfless efforts to care for others, she is compromising her own health.

Ablation Could Be First-Line Afib Therapy

May 14, 2012

For patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, radiofrequency ablation was superior to antiarrhythmic drug therapy as first-line treatment, a randomized trial showed.

Acupuncture May Find Role in COPD

May 14, 2012

Japanese scientists, evaluating the needle and the damage undone, say that acupuncture can relieve an important symptom of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).

Scleroderma Study

May 14, 2012

A new analysis finds that compared to Caucasians, African-Americans with systemic scleroderma have more antibodies in the blood that are linked to severe complications and an increased likelihood of death. Researchers say this finding, recently published in Arthritis & Rheumatism, suggests physicians can use these disease markers to screen and treat scleroderma patients proactively.

Do Vitamins And Supplements Actually Work?

May 14, 2012

Vitamins and dietary supplements are big -- more than 110 million Americans forked over a collective $28 billion in 2010 on little bottles of would-be health magic. Research is unclear, however, on whether shoring up your diet with extra vitamins, minerals, and other supplements helps or hurts -- in the short run or in reaching for the century mark.

Update on Mechanical Circulatory Support in Heart Failure

May 13, 2012

Temporary mechanical support technology has advanced, and the miniaturisation of these devices has permitted their use with less operative morbidity and more rapid functional recovery following operation. At present a broad range of devices are available.

Closing Patent Foramen Ovale Eases Oxygen Desaturation During Exercise

May 13, 2012

Percutaneous closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO) ameliorates oxygen desaturation during stair exercise and improves functional status, researchers say.

Brand vs Generic Drugs: Are Patient Outcomes Affected?

May 13, 2012

Do differences, if any, between generic and brand products affect clinical outcomes?

More Evidence Soda Consumption May Raise Stroke Risk

May 13, 2012

A new analysis from the Nurses' Health Study provides more evidence that drinking sugar-sweetened and low-calorie soda may raise the risk for stroke, independent of established dietary and nondietary cardiovascular risk factors.

FDA Panel Recommends Tofacitinib Approval for RA

May 12, 2012

The US Food and Drug Administration Arthritis Advisory Committee voted 8-2 today to recommend the approval of tofacitinib, the first oral drug to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

Pearls on the Use of Tiotropium and a LABA for COPD

May 12, 2012

Two strategies are commonly used as maintenance treatment for patients with moderate or severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): (1) an inhaled corticosteroid + long-acting beta-agonist (ICS-LABA) combination, such as fluticasone and salmeterol or budesonide and formoterol, and (2) an ICS-LABA combination along with the long-acting anticholinergic agent tiotropium.

12 Common COPD Comorbidities Linked to Higher Risk for Death

May 12, 2012

Certain comorbidities common among people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are independently associated with a higher likelihood of death, new research shows.

Probiotics May Lower Risk for Antibiotic-Related Diarrhea

May 12, 2012

Probiotics appear to reduce risk for antibiotic-related diarrhea, although questions of which probiotics work best, with which antibiotics, or even how much probiotic someone needs to take remain up in the air after a meta-analysis of 63 sometimes shaky randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Dietary Nitrate Ameliorates Pulmonary Hypertension

May 12, 2012

British scientists demonstrate in mice, that dietary nitrate, and to a lesser extent dietary nitrite, elicit pulmonary dilatation, prevent pulmonary vascular remodeling, and reduce the RVH characteristic of PH. This favorable pharmacodynamic profile is dependent on eNOS and XOR -catalyzed reduction of nitrite to NO. Exploitation of this mechanism (i.e. dietary nitrate/nitrite supplementation) represents a viable, orally-active therapy for PH.

The beneficial effects of dietary nitrate and nitrite were reduced in mice lacking endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) or treated with the xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) inhibitor allopurinol.

FDA Safety Concerns on new Obesity Drug: Fen Phen Lawsuits

May 11, 2012

In the briefing documents for the May 10th, 2012 meeting of the FDA Advisory Committee, reviewers expressed concerns on safety of Lorcaserin obesity drug. Safety concerns relate mainly to heart problems. Another obesity drug, the popular Fen Phen, was withdrawn from the market in 1997. Fen Phen was linked with heart valve damage and primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH).

Stem Cell Study Shows Promising Results Against Heart Failure

May 11, 2012

THURSDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- A new treatment that involves spinning bone marrow stem cells to enhance their healing potential may help people with advanced heart failure feel and function better, a small study suggests.

Stony Brook, NYU in deal with drug firm

May 10, 2012

The medical schools of Stony Brook University and New York University have struck an agreement with a New Jersey pharmaceutical company to develop an experimental treatment for a fatal lung disease.

Feinstein Institute Researchers Discover Gene that Leads to Severe Weight Gain with Antipsychotic Treatment

May 10, 2012

Antipsychotic medications are increasingly prescribed in the US, but they can cause serious side effects including rapid weight gain, especially in children. In the first study of its kind, researchers at Zucker Hillside Hospital and the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research identified a gene that increases weight gain in those treated with commonly-used antipsychotic drugs. These findings were published in the May issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

When it comes to organs, Philly is most generous

May 10, 2012

IT WAS ONE of those letters that made me throw my hands in the air.

“Please help my son get a kidney,” the woman wrote in shaky script. “I am elderly, and he takes care of me. He has bad kidney disease and is getting sicker. He needs a kidney.”

So, she asked: Could I find one for him?

Indian drug regulator accused of malpractice

May 9, 2012

India’s drug regulator colluded with global pharmaceutical companies to expedite the approval of drugs, according to a parliamentary report whose findings were swiftly challenged by manufacturers.

GE Healthcare Secures Additional Supply of Optison™

May 9, 2012

PRINCETON, N.J.--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--GE Healthcare today announced that additional supply for Optison™ (Perflutren Protein-Type A Microspheres Injectable Suspension, USP) has been made available from its contract manufacturer to meet the current market demand. Optison is a contrast agent that may improve the visualization of the left ventricular border – an area of the heart that is critical to see in order to diagnose certain heart diseases such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Optison is indicated for use in patients with suboptimal echocardiograms to opacify the left ventricle and to improve delineation of the left ventricular endocardial borders.

India-Born Superbugs Spread Global Drug Resistance

May 8, 2012

India's overuse of antibiotics, coupled with the nation's poor sanitation, has led to a new type of superbug, mutated bacteria that even the most high-powered antibiotics can't kill.

Erectile Dysfunction Drug May Benefit Cardiac Function in Young Patients with Heart Defects

May 8, 2012

PHILADELPHIA, May 8, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Echo Study at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Shows Improvements in Children, Young Adults with Single Ventricle--

Sildenafil, also known as the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra, may give a boost to underdeveloped hearts in children and young adults with congenital heart defects.

Actelion presents its strategy for value creation

May 8, 2012

ALLSCHWIL/BASEL, SWITZERLAND - 08 May 2012 - Actelion (SIX: ATLN) will today outline the company's three key strategic elements for value creation at an investor event in London.

Cardio Notes: Stroke Imaging Not Always Timely

May 7, 2012

Even hospitals schooled in enhanced stroke treatment are lagging in efficient brain scanning. Also this week, rivaroxaban vies for indication expansion and peripheral arterial disease has new treatment options. The mantra in stroke care is "time is brain," but imaging acute stroke patients to determine stroke type is not happening as quickly as it should, researchers found.

O2 Advised for Air Travel With Pulmonary Hypertension

May 6, 2012

Patients with pulmonary hypertension often develop hypoxemia on airplanes, and they should consider using supplemental oxygen on long flights or if they've used oxygen before.

Effects of CPAP on Cardiac Remodeling as Assessed by Cardiac Biomarkers, Echocardiography, and Cardiac MRI

May 6, 2012

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Although previous echocardiographic studies have demonstrated short-term improvement in cardiovascular remodeling in patients with OSA receiving continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, a long-term study incorporating cardiac biomarkers, echocardiography, and cardiac MRI (CMR) has not been performed to date.

Sildenafil Helps 'Unload' Heart in Patients With Aortic Stenosis

May 6, 2012

A single dose of sildenafil improves pulmonary and systemic hemodynamics in very ill patients with aortic stenosis, a new 20-patient trial indicates.

Sildenafil Improves Diabetic Cardiomyopathy

May 6, 2012

Better known as a treatment for erectile dysfunction, the phosphodiesterase 5A inhibitor sildenafil also improves diabetic cardiomyopathy, researchers from Italy report.

NIH to Help Drugmakers Share Research

May 5, 2012

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced Thursday that it will partner with three drug companies -- Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Eli Lilly -- to make data on two dozen already researched, but mostly discarded, molecular compounds available to academic researchers in hope of developing new disease treatment.

FDA, NIH Respond to Charges of Lax Oversight

May 5, 2012

Both agencies wrote letters to Congress disputing charges leveled against them in an analysis published in January in BMJ that found that neither government-funded nor privately-funded studies for pre-approved drugs were being reported in a timely manner, according to an article published online this week in Nature.

Actelion Gets 'Best Case' Results From Trial of PAH Drug

May 5, 2012

A new drug for pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) from Actelion beat expectations in a key phase III trial. Actelion is banking on macitentan to replace Tracleer (bosentan), which treats the same condition. Tracleer goes off patent from 2015 and also faces growing competition from Gilead's Letairis (ambrisentan).

Fully Oral Therapy for Symptomatic Pulmonary Embolism

May 5, 2012

In a previous study, the oral factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban was as effective as standard enoxaparin-warfarin therapy for patients with proximal deep venous thrombosis (JW Gen Med Jan 15 2011, p. 13, and N Engl J Med 2010; 363:2499). Now, industry-supported researchers have conducted a similar open-label, randomized trial involving nearly 5000 adults with acute symptomatic pulmonary embolism

Adenosine Points to Calcium Blocker Response in PAH

May 5, 2012

Adenosine infusion, used for acute vasoreactivity testing in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), can also help patients likely to respond to treatment with calcium channel blockers (CCBs), Chinese researchers say.

Medscape Pulmonologist Compensation Report: 2012 Results

May 5, 2012

In 2011, pulmonologists earned a mean income of $242,000 -- slightly more than in the previous year. Of the 25 specialties surveyed, they are in the middle ranks in compensation. More than one third of pulmonologists earned $200,000 to $299,000. Some 13% earned $400,000 or more, while 14% earned $100,000 or less.

Serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) is increased and predicts survival in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

May 5, 2012

In two rodent models, OPG correlated with the degree of pulmonary vascular remodeling. OPG levels are significantly elevated in patients with idiopathic PAH and are of prognostic significance. The role of OPG as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target merits further investigation.

Orphan Drug OK'd for Gaucher Treatment

May 4, 2012

The injectable, marketed by Pfizer, is a long-term enzyme replacement therapy for patients with type I, non-neuropathic Gaucher disease, and is to be administered once every other week by a healthcare professional, an FDA statement said.

More Proof CMS Infection Pay Policy Works

May 4, 2012

Hospitals have become more focused on preventing infections since the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has stopped paying for those it deems preventable, a survey found.

Actelion's Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held in Basel, Switzerland

May 4, 2012

VentriPoint 3D Heart Analysis System Approved for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Canada

May 4, 2012

Read this news by clicking the headline

Press Releases VentriPoint Launches Clinical Trial in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) With Top Pulmonary Hypertension Centres in the United States and Canada

May 4, 2012

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON--(Marketwire - May 2, 2012) - VentriPoint Diagnostics (TSX VENTURE:VPT) (OTCQX:VPTDF) today announced the commencement of the pivotal clinical trial to demonstrate that the VentriPoint VMS™ heart analysis system is equivalent to cardiac MRI in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The trial will be lead by Dr. Robyn Barst.
Find the clinical sites nd the lead clinical investigators at each site by clicking the headline.

A novel expression of exercise induced pulmonary hypertension in human immunodeficiency virus patients: a pilot study.

May 4, 2012

Patients with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at risk for multiple pulmonary complications including pulmonary hypertension. Exercise induced pulmonary hypertension (EIPH) has been previously described in patients with scleroderma, sickle cell disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, yet has not been associated with the HIV population.
[..]
This pilot study suggests that it is feasible to use recumbent bicycle and transthoracic Doppler echocardiography for the evaluation of EIPH among HIV patients with dyspnea of unknown etiology. The study is too small to draw any broad conclusion. Further evaluation of this concept with a larger study is warranted.

Aspirin is as 'good as warfarin' for most heart failure patients

May 3, 2012

Aspirin could be as effective as more expensive drugs for heart failure patients with a normal heart rhythm, according to researchers. Their study on more than 2,000 patients, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, said aspirin was as effective as the commonly prescribed drug warfarin.

Evidence Grows for Effects of Fat on Heart

May 2, 2012

There is a causal link between increased body mass index (BMI) and the risk for ischemic heart disease, according to a new study.

Ischemic heart disease risk rose 52% with each 4 kg/m² in BMI when factoring in genetics (95% CI 1.12 to 2.05), Nicholas J. Timpson, PhD, of the University of Bristol, in England, and colleagues found...

Beneficial effects of ?-aminobutyric acid on right ventricular pressure and pulmonary vascular remodeling in experimental pulmonary hypertension.

May 1, 2012

It has been reported that activation of the sympathetic nervous system and increase in plasma norepinephrine (NE) levels are observed in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is one of the major inhibitory neurotransmitters in the central nervous system and suppresses peripheral sympathetic neurotransmission. This study investigated whether chronic treatment with GABA prevents the development of monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PH.
[..]
These results suggest that plasma NE levels play an important role in the development of MCT-induced PH in rats and that GABA exerts a preventive effect against MCT-induced PH by suppressing the sympathetic nervous system but not the cardiac ET-1 system.

Erythroid-Specific Transcriptional Changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from Pulmonary Hypertension Patients

May 1, 2012

In PH, the expansion of immature red blood cell precursors may constitute a response to the increasingly hypoxic conditions prevalent in this syndrome. A correlation of this erythrocyte signature with more severe hypertension cases may provide an important biomarker of disease progression.

Facebook encouraging organ donations

May 1, 2012

On average, 18 people in the United States die each day waiting for an organ transplant.

Billionaire Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg wants to change that. He announced Tuesday that the social networking site wants to "help solve the crisis" by allowing users to volunteer as potential organ donors in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Kids Overlooked for Inclusion in Drug Trials

April 30, 2012

Clinical drug trials have left pediatrics behind, with too few trials and too little industry funding given the disease burden, researchers found.

Actelion's macitentan meets primary endpoint in pivotal Phase III SERAPHIN outcome study in patients with PAH

April 30, 2012

Macitentan increases survival rate very significantly...

News editor note: This is a truly exciting development.

Scar Tissue Becomes Heart Muscle in Mice

April 29, 2012

It is possible to convert scar tissue in the heart to functioning cardiomyocytes following a myocardial infarction (MI), a proof-of-concept study in mice showed.

Both Hyper- and Hypothyroidism Linked to CV Events

April 29, 2012

Mild degrees of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism both appear to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events [1,2]. And treatment of hypothyroidism with levothyroxine may reduce this risk, at least in younger patients.

Junk Food Linked to Depression

April 29, 2012

In a cohort study of almost 9000 adults in Spain, those who consistently consumed "fast food," such as hamburgers and pizza, were 40% more likely to develop depression than the participants who consumed little to none of these types of food. In addition, investigators found that the depression risk rose steadily as more fast food was consumed.

Regular Tooth Scaling May Protect the Heart

April 29, 2012

Older adults who get thorough dental cleanings may be somewhat less likely to suffer acute myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke than their peers who are less careful about oral hygiene, a new study hints.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Appears Useful for Obesity

April 29, 2012

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), including acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, has better efficacy than placebo and lifestyle interventions and similar efficacy to antiobesity drugs, with fewer side effects, according to the findings of a systemic review.

Everest Climbers in Test for Keys to Heart Treatment

April 28, 2012

A team of U.S. scientists departed on Friday to conduct research on Mount Everest climbers in an effort to further knowledge of the cardiovascular system at extreme altitudes and help improve treatment for heart and lung patients.

Emphysema on CT Scans Tied to Higher Lung Cancer Risk

April 28, 2012

Emphysema that's visible to a doctor reading a computed tomography (CT) scan is associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, according to a report online March 19 in Lung Cancer.

Medical Device Tax May Spur Price Hikes, Cost Cuts

April 28, 2012

Raising prices and cutting spending are among the steps medical device makers are considering to offset the impact of a new U.S. excise tax on the devices, set to take effect in 2013, according to a survey by global accounting and audit firm KPMG.

LVADs May Confer Unfair Transplant Advantage

April 28, 2012

A 30-day preference for heart transplantation given to patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) may not be necessary and may put others on the waiting list at risk, researchers found.

New Techniques May Improve Infant Heart Surgery

April 27, 2012

Two monitoring methods could warn doctors of brain damage, researchers say.

Pulmonary hypertension associated with benfluorex exposure.

April 26, 2012

Benfluorex was marketed in France until 2009, despite its similar pharmacological properties with fenfluramine and its derivatives known to be a cause of pulmonary arterial hypertension.
[..]
"The results of our study, together with the accumulated data regarding the known toxic effects of fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine, strongly suggest that benfluorex exposure is a potent trigger for pulmonary arterial hypertension."

Obesity and pulmonary arterial hypertension: Is adiponectin the molecular link between these conditions?

April 26, 2012

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a condition of unknown etiology whose pathological features include increased vascular resistance, perivascular inflammatory cell infiltration and pulmonary arteriolar remodeling. Although risk factors for PAH are poorly defined, recent studies indicate that obesity may be an important risk factor for this condition. The mechanisms leading to this association are largely unknown, but bioactive mediators secreted from adipose tissue have been implicated in this process. One of the most important mediators released from adipose tissue is the adipokine adiponectin.[..]
Levels of adiponectin decrease with increasing body mass, and low levels are directly linked to the development of PAH in mice. Moreover,..

PET imaging can quantify increased cellular metabolism in pulmonary arterial hypertension

April 26, 2012

The past decade has seen increased application of 18-flurodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18)FDG-PET) imaging to help diagnose and monitor disease, particularly in oncology, vasculitis and atherosclerosis. Disordered glycolytic metabolism and infiltration of plexiform lesions by inflammatory cells has been described in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). We hypothesized that increased (18)FDG uptake may be present in the lungs, large pulmonary arteries and right ventricle of patients with pulmonary hypertension, and that this uptake would be related to markers of immune activation. We

Illinois surgeons re-transplant kidney into second patient in unusual operation

April 26, 2012

In what is claimed to be the first operation of its kind, surgeons at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago have removed a transplanted kidney from its original recipient and implanted it in a second recipient. The kidney was failing in the first patient, but began fluorishing in the second and is now healthy.

Silicosis Is Still A Major Killer Globally

April 26, 2012

Free crystalline silicon dioxide, or silica, is one of the most common minerals worldwide. It is used to manufacture many items, including glass, bottles, ceramics, but it is also a common additive in the production of foods where it is primarily used as a flow agent in powdered foods or to absorb water. Inhalation of silica dust is associated with developing various diseases...

Debt Collector Is Faulted for Tough Tactics in Hospitals

April 25, 2012

Hospital patients waiting in an emergency room or convalescing after surgery are being confronted by an unexpected visitor: a debt collector at bedside.

Sleep Apnea Impacts Brain Artery Function After Just 1 Month, Study Shows

April 24, 2012

Sleep apnea has been linked with a whole host of health problems, including obesity, diabetes, depression and memory problems. And now, a new animal study shows how big of an effect sleep apnea has on the brain's arteries, which could put a person at risk for stroke

Appendix removal: Huge sticker shock in study

April 24, 2012

What do hospitals charge to remove an appendix? The startling answer is that it could be the same as the price of a refrigerator — or a house.

Erectile Dysfunction Drug Seizure

April 23, 2012

Canada Border Police Seize Counterfeit Drug Shipment - Mounties and border guards in Manitoba have seized a shipment of fake drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction.

FDA Alerts Doctors on Fakes

April 23, 2012

The Food and Drug Administration warned more than 50 doctors and medical practices in the U.S. that they may have bought a fake version of the cancer drug Avastin, in a sign of just how widely counterfeit medicines can spread.

The Wrong Way to Stop Fake Drugs

April 23, 2012

IN 2007-8, when counterfeit versions of heparin, a blood-thinning drug, were shipped from China to the United States market, 149 people died. In the last few months, bogus versions of the cancer drug Avastin, apparently shipped from the Middle East, have surfaced in clinics in California, Illinois and Texas. Thankfully, so far as we know, they haven’t killed anyone, but more and more cases of dangerous fake drugs are being reported by the Food and ...

Study Finds No Harm From Beta-Blockers in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

April 22, 2012

Use of beta blockers does not appear to cause adverse clinical effects in patients with pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH), Canadian researchers have found.

RA Pain: New Recommendations for Treatment

April 22, 2012

Rheumatologists associated with the 3e (evidence, expertise, exchange) Initiative report a set of 11 evidence-based recommendations for drug therapy to manage pain in inflammatory arthritis (IA; predominantly rheumatoid arthritis [RA]), as well as a new treatment algorithm for clinical use. The recommendations were published online March 24 in Rheumatology.

Close Monitoring Needed Immediately After Multilevel OSA Surgery

April 22, 2012

Routine ICU admission might not be necessary after multilevel surgery for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but patients should be observed in the recovery room for several hours, say researchers who reviewed nearly 500 cases.

COPD: An Independent Risk Factor for Peptic Ulcer Bleeding

April 21, 2012

Although Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) play important roles in peptic ulcer formation and bleeding, peptic ulcer disease is not uncommon in patients with chronic medical conditions like liver cirrhosis, renal failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In literature, patients who smoke or have COPD carry higher risk of developing peptic ulcer disease. Moreover, COPD patients often have other smoking-related chronic diseases, such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, or heart failure, and use similar medications, including anti-platelet drugs or corticosteroids. These drugs may be ulcerogenic or delay ulcer healing.

COPD: A Slowly Progressive Cardiovascular Disease Masked by its Pulmonary Effects?

April 21, 2012

While in COPD the abnormalities in the lungs, including pulmonary arterial hypertension, and pulmonary-induced systemic effects such as hypoxaemia, oxidative stress, chronic progressive muscle wasting, and increased sympathetic tone, may induce (right-sided) heart failure, the concomitant presence of COPD and heart failure seems primarily attributable to shared cardiovascular risk factors (and not only cigarette smoking!) and (preclinical stages of) cardiovascular disease. Importantly, these are far more prevalent among COPD patients than in age-matched population controls, even independently of smoking behaviour. Consequently, heart failure in unselected COPD patients is left sided in the large majority, because of its known link with cardiovascular risk factors and disease.[

Spirometric obstructive lung function pattern early after lung transplantation.

April 21, 2012

An obstructive pattern in pulmonary function test is common after lung transplantation (LTx) and may be caused by multiple disorders. In this study, the impact and outcome of an obstructive spirometric pattern identified in transplant recipients early posttransplantation were investigated.

Assessment of cardiac and pulmonary function in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

April 21, 2012

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common rheumatologic disorder of childhood. It is a group of diseases characterized by chronic synovitis and associated with many extra-articular manifestations including cardiac and pulmonary involvement. Cardiac involvement as pericarditis, myocarditis and valvular disease is common in JIA. There are, however, few descriptions concerning systolic and diastolic functions of the left ventricle (LV) and the development of lung disease in children with JIA. The study was carried out to detect the cardiac and pulmonary involvement and to study the systolic and diastolic function of the left ventricle in a group of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Pulmonary HTN Predicts Heart Failure After Acute MI

April 20, 2012

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a strong independent predictor of heart failure in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), according to a study published in the May 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.

New Look, Features for Patient Web site

April 20, 2012

United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) today launched a new patient Web site, www.transplantliving.org. Long considered an important patient resource for transplant candidates and recipients, the site now has more information, a new patient community and an updated look.

Hospital-Linked Infections Down, CDC Says

April 20, 2012

Progress is being made nationwide in lowering rates of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), according to a report from the CDC.

Low-Fat Dairy Skims Off Stroke Risk

April 20, 2012

Getting plenty of low-fat milk, yogurt, and other dairy in the diet is associated with lower stroke risk, Swedish researchers found.

New Data Released At ISHLT Meeting May Impact Treatment for Patients With PAH

April 19, 2012

PRAGUE, Czech Republic, Apr 19, 2012 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- An initial report from the EPITOME-1 (Epoprostenol for Injection in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension) study of a new formulation of the drug therapy epoprostenol, marketed as Flolan(R) will be revealed today at the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) 32nd Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions in Prague, Czech Republic.

New Data Shows GeNO LLC Nitric Oxide Delivery

April 19, 2012

COCOA, Fla., April 19, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- New data presented today studied the safety of the GeNO system for delivering inhaled nitric oxide (NO) to patients being evaluated for cardiac transplant. GeNO LLC ( www.genollc.com ), a privately held, advanced development-stage technology company, announced that a study of GeNO's NITROSYL Delivery System during Right Heart Catheterization (RHC) in subjects being evaluated for Orthotopic Heart Transplantation (OHT) and Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) implantation was presented at the International Society for Heart & Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) Annual Meeting in Prague, Czech Republic.

Stanford scientists show lab-made heart cells ideal for disease research, drug testing

April 18, 2012

STANFORD, Calif. — Heart-like cells made in the laboratory from the skin of patients with a common cardiac condition contract less strongly than similarly created cells from unaffected family members, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The cells also exhibit abnormal structure and respond only dully to the wave of calcium signals that initiate each heartbeat.

Soprano sings about importance of organ donation

April 18, 2012

CBS News) About 113,000 Americans are waiting for new organs, but many will not live long enough to get them. To raise awareness of the need for organ donors, one young patient is raising her voice, sharing her remarkable story of survival