AtherosclerosisInfo Center
Bile Acids May Treat Heart Disease
Bile acids in the gut may be more important than for just processing dietary fat. They may also be a key to treating heart disease by exerting an anti-inflammatory effect.
Stopping Heart Attacks at a Cellular Level
A protein embedded in blood vessel walls may be key to preventing second or third heart attacks. Researchers suspect that stopping dangerous cell growth after a vascular injury may be the key to prevention.
Vanishing Stent Successful in Trial
Treating clogged arteries often requires a procedure to open the blockage following by placement of a permanent stent to prop it open. New technology has prompted development of a stent capable of slowly disappearing.
Race May Influence Angioplasty
Race may play a role in determining which patients are more likely to need repeated procedures to widen narrowed arteries caused by coronary artery disease.
Novel Therapy Restores Blood Flow
Over time, bare metal stents implanted to prop open clogged arteries can narrow as scar tissue forms prompting concerns about reduced blood flow. A novel treatment appears to aid patients by improving blood flow.
Reverse Artery Plaque With Medications
Large doses of common cholesterol-lowering medications appear to reverse coronary artery disease by reducing the amount of plaque in clogged arteries.
Heart Surgeon Not Required for Elective Angioplasty
As long as patients seek elective angioplasty and stent placement to open clogged arteries at an experienced hospital, it may not matter whether the medical facility maintains onsite heart surgeons.
Stroke Risk Not Improved After Surgery
Following a mini-stroke patients are at a heightened risk for a stroke. Many take precautions to make sure that doesn't happen. However, some methods for stroke prevention are not proving to be effective protection.
Behind the Pain: Hidden Heart Problems
People with rheumatoid arthritis suffer from inflammation of the joints. That inflammation can spread to other organs, causing additional health problems. Atherosclerosis (hardened arteries) may be one of these problems.
Visualizing Heart Disease
There's such thing as too much technology when it comes to diagnosing heart disease. A newly developed two dimensional artery model may more accurately predict heart disease than its 3D counterpart.