Health News

ER Scan Pinpoints 30-Day Heart Risk
When patients show up at the emergency room complaining of chest pain, they are usually admitted for a gamut of testing for heart problems, the most serious of which could be a blocked coronary artery. A non-invasive test may help speed up that test.
Helping Heart Patients Remember Meds
Following hospitalization, heart patients may do significantly better in remembering to take their medications with intervention that includes reminders, checklists and educational materials.
Mixed Results for Merck Blood Thinner
A second large study has revealed less than stellar results for an experimental Merck blood thinner. Researchers found that while it reduced cardiovascular events, it also increased the risk of major bleeding.
Elderly Heart Attack Patients Benefit From Stent
As healthcare has improved, it's no longer uncommon for patients to live past age 90. Guidelines do not currently address older heart attack patients receiving a stent to prop open a blocked artery.
Drug Shrinks Cardiac Damage After Heart Attack
Infusing anticoagulant drug ReoPro ( abciximab ) straight into the coronary artery appears to help reduce the amount of damage to the heart a month after a certain kind of heart attack.
EMS Key in Heart Attack Care
"Door to balloon" time, or the amount of time from when a patient arrives at the hospital until they receive angioplasty to open a clogged artery, has long been considered critical in improving outcomes.
Vice President Cheney Gets a New Heart
Former Vice President Dick Cheney is recovering at a Virginia hospital following a heart transplant on Saturday. His office made the announcement Sunday.
Imminent Heart Attack Predicted in Trial
What if doctors could identify patients at risk of an imminent heart attack and actually prevent it? It's not as far from reality as it sounds. In a trial researchers have found a blood test can identify a heart attack before it happens.
Treat Psoriasis, Save Your Heart
Those suffering from psoriasis are known to be at increased risk of cardiovascular disease like heart attack and stroke. A new treatment for psoriasis may also significantly decrease the cardiovascular risk. In the treatment, a compound known as adalimumab (sold as Humira ) is injected under the skin. The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology and showed that the treatment decreased skin damage and improved cardiovascular health indicators. Ask your dermatologist about psoriasis’ relation with cardiovascular disease. Robert Bissonn...
British Soccer Star Suffers Heart Attack
An English soccer match was halted Saturday after a star soccer player suffered a heart attack during a quarter-final match against Tottenham Hotspur in London. He remains hospitalized in critical condition.