Phone support boost to COPD patients (IAustralia)

Researchers from Australia have found that even brief phone contact from medical professionals can provide benefits to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). But a structured telephone-delivered mentoring program over 12 months provided additional advantages with regard to self-management capacity and disease knowledge. The team randomly assigned 31 general practices in Tasmania to intervention or control, with 74 and 80 COPD patients subsequently assigned to the respective groups completing the study. Patients in the intervention group received a median of 9.5 30-minute telephone calls from community nurses trained as health mentors. They provided cognitive behavioral-based support, including psychoeducation, self-management skills, cognitive coping skills training, communication skills, and self-efficacy promotion. Meanwhile patients in the control group received usual care as well as a median of nine phone calls, lasting on average 1 minute, from a research nurse. Reporting in BMJ Open, the team found that patients in the mentored group experienced significantly greater improvements in chronic disease self-management scores, according to the Partners in Health scale

Diabetes and virus link confirmed (Australia)

"Children with Type 1 diabetes are nearly 10 times as likely to also have a viral infection than healthy children, Australian research suggests. Childhood diabetes has been linked to enteroviruses, which can lead to cold, flu and even meningitis. However the review of 26 existing studies by a group in Australia, published in the BMJ, does not prove that the virus causes diabetes. Diabetes UK said more research was needed to pinpoint the cause of Type 1. The illness typically appears in childhood, when the pancreas stops producing the hormone insulin and the body cannot control the level of sugar in the blood"

Scientists shed new light on how heart works (Australia)

Doctors at the Victor Chang Institute have uncovered new information about the rhythm of the heart and why some drugs might affect that rhythm. Half of all new drugs being developed block one of the channels of the heart and can cause cardiac arrhythmia, which can lead to sudden cardiac death. Professor Jamie Vandenberg, head of the Cardiac Electrophysiology Laboratory at the Victor Chang Institute, says doctors have now found the mechanism which opens the gate to these channels. "Just like a set of metal wires that carry electricity to light up our streets, our body has a series of channels that carry tiny charged particles called ions, into and out of cells, to trigger a heartbeat," he said. "Depending on the position of these gates, many common drugs attach themselves to these channels, blocking the ions from passing through. "This causes what we call Long QT syndrome, where the length of the heart beat is longer than usual, which greatly increases the risk of arrhythmia." Professor Vandenberg believes the "gate mechanism" will also apply to other channels important in the heart's electrical system, as well as those that control electrical communication in the brain.

Garlic 'remedy for hypertension' (Australia)

"Garlic may be useful in addition to medication to treat high blood pressure, a study suggests. Australian doctors enrolled 50 patients in a trial to see if garlic supplements could help those whose blood pressure was high, despite medication. Those given four capsules of garlic extract a day had lower blood pressure than those on placebo, they report in scientific journal Maturitas. The British Heart Foundation said more research was needed. Garlic has long been though to be good for the heart. Garlic supplements have previously been shown to lower cholesterol and reduce high blood pressure in those with untreated hypertension. In the latest study, researchers from the University of Adelaide, Australia, looked at the effects of four capsules a day of a supplement known as aged garlic for 12 weeks. They found systolic blood pressure was around 10mmHg lower in the group given garlic compared with those given a placebo"

Skipping breakfast might put your heart at risk - Australian study

"A new Australian study found that people who skipped breakfast had a greater risk of heart diseases. The study noticed that those skipping breakfast at an early age often did have larger waist circumferences and had higher levels of cholesterol and insulin in their blood. Overall, they had less healthy lifestyles and may have detrimental effects on cardio-metabolic health. Researchers at University of Tasmania and other places in Australia assessed the cardiovascular and metabolic risks. Breakfast habits of the adults, followed up from childhood, were assessed at the same time as their cardiovascular risk; however researchers say the link between the two is still uncertain. Therefore, it is still a bit unclear whether people who skip breakfast as a child are in fact at greater risk of heart-related illness. The team followed a sample of Australian children aged 9 to 15 years old in 1985, and revisited them between 2004 and 2006, when they were aged up to 36 years old"

The Heart Foundation 2011 Conference - Australia

"The Heart Foundation's 2011 Conference, "Heart to Heart: from Access to Action", will be held at the world class Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, on 17-19 March 2011. The Heart Foundation is the leading organisation in the fight against cardiovascular disease in Australia. Over more than five decades, we have achieved some great milestones in pursuit of our mission of reducing suffering and death from heart, stroke, and blood vessel disease in Australia"

Eating chocolate 'as good for your heart as 30 minutes exercise' (Australia)

"Researchers at the University of Adelaide found that dark chocolate "significantly" decreased blood pressure in subjects with hypertension. The benefits stem from chemicals called flanavols, which are present in high quantities in cocoa beans. The chemical stimulates the production of endothelial nitric oxide, which causes blood vessels to dilate. The research concluded that eating food high in flanavols could have an effect on blood pressure equivalent to that produced by 30 minutes of exercise. But the study stopped short of recommending the replacement of hypertension drugs with a chocolate diet. The sugar and fat found in the snacks could have a harmful effect on the heart, they said. "

Women and heart disease: Cardiovascular profile of women in Australia

Cardiovascular disease is Australia's biggest killer. This report focuses on its impact on the health of Australian women - a group who may not be aware of how significant a threat this disease is to them. The report presents the latest data on prevalence, deaths, disability, hospitalisations, services, treatments, risk factors and expenditure, as well as comparisons to other important diseases among women. This report is a useful resource for policy makers, researchers, health professionals and anyone interested in cardiovascular disease in Australian women

Australia plans plain-packaging rule for cigarettes

Australia has set out plans for new rules forcing tobacco companies to use plain packaging carrying graphic health warnings. From July 2012, manufacturers would be required to drop all colour and branding logos from cigarette packets. The move, billed as a world-first, comes after recommendations were made by the World Health Organisation. Australia also announced a 25% increase in tax on cigarettes, effective from 0001 on Friday. The move will put A$2.16 ($1.99, £1.31) on a pack of 30 cigarettes - BBC

Worrying can help heart patients (Australia)

"Australian researchers have made the surprising finding that patients who are worriers are likely to be better off after being hospitalised with an acute heart condition. Worry, they say, can be both normal and constructive. Results suggest that heart patients who worry may attend to their health needs more regularly and conscientiously. They may take their proper medication and may even be more proactive with their GP or other health practitioners. The study, conducted by the Black Dog Institute, challenges the published literature that patients with anxiety and depression in these cases are worse off. "

Too much television points to an early death (Australia)

"Australian scientists have published new research that suggests that the more television people watch, the sooner they die. The Australian report says that every hour viewers spend watching television increases the risk of premature death. The study was undertaken by the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne. Researchers there studied more than 8,000 adults in Australia, for a six-year period. The results will almost certainly be disconcerting for those who regularly watch TV. The findings have revealed that those adults who watched television the most died younger. The team in Melbourne was led by Professor David Dunstan, who believes this elevated risk of an early death was independent of other risk factors, including high blood pressure or cholesterol levels as well as diet, exercise and smoking. Dunstan says the research shows that shows that too much sitting on the couch/sofa can be detrimental to our health. Health campaigners have welcomed the findings, which have been published this week in the journal Circulation"

Baker IDI scientist develops life-saving test to predict heart attacks (Australia)

Peter Meikle speaks to Channel 10 news about the life-saving test he has developed to predict heart attacks

Heart study shows many suffer poor quality of life (Australia)

"The world's largest quality of life study of chronic angina patients has revealed that almost one in three experience frequent chest pain, which affects their daily life. The collaborative project between the University of Adelaide and Servier Australia surveyed more than 2000 chronic angina patients attending general practice clinics throughout Australia and has been published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Lead author Associate Professor John Beltrame says the study showed that 29% of patients experienced angina chest pain at least once a week, despite contemporary treatments which include medications, balloon/stent treatments and bypass surgery" - PhysOrg.com

Milk Bottle CPR (Australia)

"Without a proper dummy, training CPR techniques can be a bit suboptimal, which means people might know the basic methodology but haven't actually practiced chest compressions. Ian Miller, an ER nurse in Canberra, Australia, suggests using two empty 2 liter (quart) plastic milk jugs as a basic replacement for a CPR dummy"

Heart disease to cost economy $18b (Australia)

Heart attack and chronic chest pain will cost the Australian economy an estimated $18 billion this year - a burden that could be avoided. The figure covers a range of costs from hospital bills through to lost productivity resulting from 90,000 new cases of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). ACS is a preventable disease, The Heart Foundation's Professor Derek Chew said at the launch of new Access Economics research on Wednesday. "If we all exercised more, if we all controlled our cholesterol, stopped smoking, all those sorts of things, it is estimated that 90 per cent of those heart attacks would not occur," Professor Chew said. The study estimated there will be just over 87,500 ACS events in 2009 - split between approximately 55,000 heart attacks and 32,500 chest pain events. Most of these will occur in men (61 per cent) and they will lead to 10,000 deaths - 9News

Autopsy finds Tasered man died of heart attack (Australia)

"A woman claiming to have witnessed a fatal Taser incident in north Queensland last week says she begged police to stop continuously zapping him with the electric stun gun moments before he died. Antonio Galeano, 39, died after being shot with a 50,000-volt Taser stun gun during a violent confrontation with police at a unit in Brandon, near Townsville last Friday. Police initially said Mr Galeano was shot three times but data recorded by the Taser showed it operated on 28 separate cycles during the confrontation." - Brisbane Times

Phones, Internet may help extend our lives

"Modern communication technologies such as cell phones and the internet don't just make our lives easier - they may even make our lives longer, at least when the devices are used to keep good communication between patients and their doctors. New research finds that heart patients who used tele-health systems to talk to their doctors and nurses were less likely to have future heart attacks or other forms of coronary artery disease. A new study published today finds that telephones and internet devices can help heart patients reduce their risk factors and lower their odds of future heart attacks. Patients use these modern technologies to talk to nurses or doctors who can answer questions, as well as guide patients in a personalized care program. Researchers in Australia examined 11 studies that contained more than 3,000 patients to see if tele-communication could actually improve people's health. They found that people using phones or the internet to talk to their health-care providers tended to have a lower rate of death. In addition, patients improved on many risk factors for heart disease - they lowered their cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and reduced their smoking. They even increased their physical activity as well. Researchers say that today's patients lead busy lives and often don't want to come in for face-to-face appointments. Modern technology allows patients, nurses and doctors to have conversations about diet, medications, and exercise programs that would not have happened otherwise. Source: published in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation"

Defibrillators installed on NSW trains (Australia)

"Life-saving devices to help heart attack victims are being installed on major NSW stations and long-haul trains after a successful trial. The rollout of more than 100 defibrillators, designed to be used by commuters and railway staff, comes after a life was saved during a trial of just five machines. NSW Premier Nathan Rees said the units were aimed to provide vital help during the 24 cases of heart attack on RailCorp platforms and trains recorded on average each year. They will be installed on the network's busiest stations including Central, Strathfield, Parramatta and Penrith, as well as in Newcastle, Maitland and Gosford. The defibrillators will also be available onboard CountryLink XPT and Xplorer trains." - 9News

Heartfelt thanks for new St John of God Hospital procedures (Australia)

"New procedures at St John of God Hospital are already saving the lives of cardiac patients. In a first for regional Victoria, the hospital's catheter laboratory is now doing cardiac angioplasty and stenting, which opens artery blockages and allows blood flow to the heart. Previously, patients needing the procedure were sent to Melbourne or Geelong. Cardiologist Dr Chris Hengel said having the procedures in Ballarat meant patients no longer had to travel for treatment, where they often had to wait days. "Patients can have the stents when they need, as opposed to when Melbourne labs can fit them in," Dr Hengel said. When Ballarat man Stewart Hutchison, 67, had a heart attack on Saturday, he expected to go to Melbourne this week for treatment. But thanks to the new service, Mr Hutchison was treated in Ballarat on Monday and was going home today. Coronary angioplasty and stenting is the use of a balloon to open up a coronary blockage, followed by the insertion of a stent, which is a tiny metal scaffold used to hold the artery open. Mr Hutchison could not praise the service enough. "It's just fantastic and I'm fortunate I could have it here," he said. The laboratory has done up to 18 stents with the new service and aims to perform 200 stents per year. SJOG chief executive officer John Fogarty said the hospital now provided almost the whole range of cardiac procedures using state-of-the-art technology" - The Courier

Cardiac patients trial home-based rehabilitation (Australia)

"Patients who have been treated in hospital for cardiac health problems, such as a heart attack, are being given a powerful new option to help set them on the path to good health. CSIRO's Australian E-Health Research Centre (AEHRC) and Queensland Health are reinventing cardiac rehabilitation programs by using mobile phone and web technology that will allow patients to undergo healthy lifestyle programs at home and still receive the appropriate medical support. AEHRC Chief Executive Officer, Dr Phil Gurney, said patients used the mobile phones to measure physiological data, such as the number of steps taken, and make their online wellness diary entries. "Daily motivational and educational text messages are sent by phone and mentors set personalised goals at weekly phone or video conferences," Dr Gurney said. Currently less than 20 per cent of people who have been treated in hospital for a cardiac event complete the standard six-week outpatient rehabilitation program. Brisbane's Prince Charles Hospital Director of Cardiology, Associate Professor Darren Walters, said preventing further cardiac events in patients is as important as treating the initial acute heart attack. "The advantage of this technology is that it is personalised, accessible and has been widely adopted by Australians from all walks of life," Professor Walters said. "It's a novel approach that could provide a better option for the delivery of cardiac rehabilitation for a significant proportion of patients."" - GEN