Exercise improves outcomes for heart failure patients

"Regular exercise is safe for heart failure patients and may slightly lower their risk of death or hospitalization, according to results from the largest and most comprehensive clinical trial to examine the effects of exercise in chronic heart failure patients. Supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health, the study also found that heart failure patients who add regular, moderate physical activity to standard medical therapy report a higher quality of life compared to similar patients who receive medical therapy only. Researchers with HF-ACTION (Heart Failure – A Controlled Trial Investigating Outcomes of exercise TraiNing) have published two papers in the April 8, 2009, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study was conducted at 82 centers in the United States, Canada, and France."

Families unveil new postcard to highlight tragic heart condition (UK)

Families from the Liverpool area and across the North West are joining together to help launch a major regional campaign to highlight shocking new statistics that show the number of young people who lose their lives to the tragic condition sudden cardiac death now stands at 12 every week – a staggering 50% rise on previous estimates. The new figures are based on official statistics citing the cause of sudden death among people aged 35 and under

Keyhole for old artificial valves (UK)

" Doctors in the UK say they have for the first time used keyhole surgery to replace an old prosthetic heart valve. The technique has already provided new valves for those too ill for open heart surgery, but this is the first time a replacement has itself been replaced. The procedure means elderly patients effectively have a second roll of the dice if their replacement valve fails. It was assumed that most would die before needing a new one, but increased life-expectancy has altered that view. Doctors at King's College Hospital in London carried out the surgery on a 78-year-old man whose first artificial valve was inserted during open heart surgery in 2002. This began to fail last year, causing breathlessness and fainting" - BBC

GBP7m bill for Ulster heart ops in England and Dublin

"Around GBP7 million has been spent sending Northern Ireland cardiac patients for surgery outside the region in the past year due to a lack of local capacity, a medical charity said today. Nearly a third of procedures (440 of 1,430) had to be carried out in England or the Republic, according to Northern Ireland Chest, Heart and Stroke. While the cardiac specialists at the Royal Victoria Hospital are on track to meet their target of 1,000 heart operations in the financial year (they had completed 990 by the end of March), the charity said more government funding was needed to ensure all surgery is done locally. Each operation in Dublin costs Stormont's Department of Health GBP17,000, with procedures in London priced at GBP14,000, said Andrew Dougal, chief executive of NICHS. He said it would be more cost-effective to spend the money increasing capacity at the Royal" - Belfast Telegraph

Cardiac implant keeps weak heart pumping

"When someone's heart is about to quit, they're usually told to wait for a transplant or wait to die. Lately, doctors have found other options. "Transplant will never solve the public health dilemma which is posed by all these people with end-stage heart disease," said Dr. Edwin McGee, surgical director of heart transplantation at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Because there aren't enough donor hearts to meet the demand, "cardiologists are recognizing that these people need some type of help or they're going to die," McGee said. More and more, surgeons turn to cardiac implants to help weak hearts pump blood to the body. The newest versions of ventricular assist devices are smaller, quieter and more portable. Where once the devices were the size of a coffee maker, the latest versions have shrunk to the size of a D battery. They're not the equivalent of artificial hearts, which actually replace the heart. The implants attach to the heart and serve as a booster pump to increase blood flow. They can help reduce the symptoms of heart failure, including fatigue, shortness of breath and pain." - Press of Atlantic City

Brumbies mourn Mackay death (Australia)

Super 14 (rugby) side Brumbies are mourning the loss of forward Shawn Mackay, 26, who died in a Durban hospital on Monday morning (AEST) from complications arising from a bloodstream infection. Mackay had been involved in a collision with a vehicle following the Brumbies' Super 14 loss to the Sharks in Durban last weekend, suffering spinal damage, a fractured skull and a broken leg. He underwent surgery to fuse vertebrae and spent time in a medically induced coma before his death from cardiac arrest.

Nicotine may have more profound impact than previously thought

"Nicotine isn't just addictive. It may also interfere with dozens of cellular interactions in the body, new Brown University research suggests. Conversely, the data could also help scientists develop better treatments for various diseases. Pharmaceutical companies rely on basic research to identify new cellular interactions that can, in turn, serve as targets for potential new drugs. "It opens several new lines of investigation," said lead author Edward Hawrot, professor of molecular science, molecular pharmacology, physiology and biotechnology at Brown University. Hawrot's research is highlighted in a paper published April 3 in the Journal of Proteome Research. He and a team that included graduate students William Brucker and Joao Paulo set out to provide a more basic understanding of how nicotine affects the process of cell communication through the mammalian nervous system" - EurekAlert

G20 death man 'had heart attack' (UK)

" A man who died during protests around the #G20 summit in London suffered a fatal heart attack, police have said. Ian Tomlinson, 47, collapsed on Wednesday evening while dozens of protesters were gathered near the Bank of England in the City of London. Mr Tomlinson, who lived in the area, was returning home from his work at a nearby newsagents when he collapsed. He was treated at the scene but medics were unable to save him and he was pronounced dead in hospital later" - BBC

Gran's miracle recovery (UK)

"Two days after suffering a massive heart attack 91-year-old Emily Hale was enjoying a cup of tea at home last night - thanks in part to the generosity of Norfolk people. Heart experts said that it was amazing that she could go home so soon because of advances in medical surgery. The grandmother of three had two heart attacks on Wednesday morning, but thanks to a pioneering new service at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, she was able to have a life-saving operation" - Evening News

Study: heart has ability to repair itself

Heart disease kills more Americans than anything else. One-third of all deaths in the United States are caused by heart disease - nearly 2,400 a day. Proper diet and exercise can prevent heart disease, but doctors have always wondered if the heart can heal itself. Now, new research offers an answer and a clue for treating heart disease, reports CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook

Radiation dose can be reduced for 'triple rule-out' coronary CT angiography

Physicians can dramatically reduce the radiation dose delivered to patients undergoing coronary CT angiography in a "triple rule-out" protocol by simply using tube current modulation, according to a study performed at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. - Physorg.com

Nurse gets experimental heart device (USA)

"A Grand Rapids, Michigan, nurse is one of the first people in the United States to be implanted with a small, experimental medical device designed to provide an early warning of a heart attack. The developers of the AngelMed Guardian heart monitor like the one recently implanted in the shoulder of Lisa Holst say it could save thousands of lives yearly. Angel Medical Systems of Shrewsbury, N.J., makes the device. "It's basically an implantable heart-attack detection system," said Dr. David Wohns, the cardiologist overseeing the Grand Rapids portion of a national clinical study of the heart monitor. "It's going to change the way we do things, if it's proven effective." He hopes it will encourage patients to seek quicker treatment for possible myocardial infarctions"

Open Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery

Open Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery is an open access, peer reviewed journal which covers all aspects of surgery on the cardiovascular system. Surgical techniques and procedures are a particular focus, but related topics such as diagnosis, imaging, complications, patient suitability and risks, outcomes, reperfusion, relevant pharmacology and general vascular surgeries are also of interest

UK study reveals worrying survival gap between rich and poor after heart surgery

People from the most deprived areas of England have a far higher risk of death after cardiac surgery than people from the least deprived areas, finds a large study published on bmj.com today. Cardiovascular disease is the commonest cause of early death in the Western world and is closely related to social and economic deprivation. Cardiac surgery has significant benefits, but it is not clear whether they apply equally to all patients, irrespective of their social and economic circumstances. So a team of researchers set out to assess the effects of social deprivation on survival following a range of cardiac surgical procedures. They analysed data on 44,902 patients, with an average age of 65 years, who underwent cardiac surgery between 1997 and 2007 at five hospitals in Birmingham and North West England. Social deprivation was calculated for all patients based on their postcode at the 2001 census for England and Wales. A total of 1,461 patients (3.25%) died in hospital following their surgery and 5,563 patients (12.4%) died during five year follow-up. Social deprivation was a strong independent predictor of death - Science Centric

Heart cells are replenished throughout life: Swedish study

"Scientists have confirmed that heart cells are replenished throughout life, paving the way for better treatments to repair damage caused by cardiac arrest or illness, a Swedish study published Friday showed. Scientific research has shown that some of the body's cells are renewed each week while others are never replaced. A long debate has simmered over whether the heart's cells are replaced, with most cardiologists convinced until now that they are not. 'Researchers at Karolinska Institute have now shown that human heart cells undergo continual, slow replacement,' the Swedish institute said in a statement." - Khaleej Times