Pre-diabetes awareness not happening (USA)

Most people are not aware if they are pre-diabetic and most who know they are are not doing anything about it, U.S. health officials found. Study leader Linda Geiss of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta said survey data indicates almost 30 percent of U.S. adults age 20 and older had pre-diabetes, a metabolic syndrome - but only 7.3 percent were aware of their pre-diabetes status. - UPI

Secondhand smoke ups teen vessel damage (Finland)

Exposure to secondhand smoke has been linked to an increased risk of hardened arteries in 13-year-olds, researchers in Finland said. The study, published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, associated higher levels of exposure to secondhand smoke between the ages of 8-13 to a significant increase by age 13 of blood vessel wall thickness and vessel functioning problems - both precursors to hardened arteries. The researchers also found greater exposure to tobacco smoke associated to another risk factor for heart disease - higher levels of apolipoprotein B - a component of low-density lipoprotein or LDL, the "bad" cholesterol. "Although previous research has found that passive smoke may be harmful for blood vessels among adults, we did not know until this study that these specific effects also happen among children and adolescents," lead author Dr. Katariina Kallio of the University of Turku said in a statement. The study participants - 494 children - had been recruited as infants beginning in 1990 into Finland's ongoing prospective randomized Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project, which aims to lower children's risks of heart disease by controlling their exposure to known environmental dangers

'Heart risk' at football stadiums (Europe)

"Too many football grounds in Europe do not have the right equipment and plans to save the lives of fans who have heart attacks, a study has found. The poll of 187 stadiums found over a quarter did not have defibrillators and many did not have emergency plans. The Sweden-led study, carried out by a group of club doctors, stressed more had to be done as it was not always easy to get ill fans to hospital. Researchers said there should be mandatory rules covering the issue. At the moment, it is simply considered good practice to have defibrillators at sports grounds. But in recent years many governments - including the authorities in the UK - have been doing more to increase the availability of the life-saving equipment in public spaces. Defibrillators work by delivering a controlled electric shock through the chest wall to the heart to restore a normal heartbeat" - BBC

Hospital suspends heart surgery after child deaths (UK)

An Oxford hospital has suspended child cardiac surgery pending the results of an external investigation into the deaths of four children over the past three months. Twenty six children are awaiting heart surgery at the hospital. Those who need urgent treatment will be offered operations elsewhere. A hospital statement said the four children had been "very sick." It read: "Paediatric cardiac surgery outcomes are nationally validated and the data is published. Oxford has been within normal outcome ranges." The statement added that it was "right that we take a pause while we look in to the individual cases, to see if there is anything to learn from them." The four children had congenital heart problems and had been receiving care at the hospital before their operations." - Reuters

Scientist turns skin cells into heart cell (USA)

A University of Houston scientist says he has developed a stem cell technique that might lead to new treatments for Alzheimer's, diabetes and other diseases. Professor Robert Schwartz, head of the university's Center for Gene Regulation and Molecular Therapeutics, said he devised a method that allows the reprogramming of ordinary human skin cells into heart cells that are similar to embryonic stem cells. Schwartz and his colleagues said the cells could be implanted and grown into fully developed beating heart cells, reversing the damage caused by previous heart attacks. The new cells would replace the damaged cardiac tissue that weakens the heart's ability to pump, develops into scar tissue and causes arrhythmias. The researcher said early clinical trials using reprogrammed cells on actual heart patients could begin within one or two years - UPI

Don Hambleton - Obituary

Don Hambleton: April 27, 1949 to March 1, 2010. "We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Don Hambleton after a long, courageous and bravely fought battle with heart disease. He leaves to grieve his beloved wife, Alice (nee Taillefer); his dear children, son, Chris (Elsa Johnston) of Regina; his daughter, Jana (Rob Klenz) of Saskatoon; his sister, Myna Hambleton (Ross McLeod) of Stewiacke, NS; his step-son, Tyson Williams of North Battleford; his step grand-daughter, Kiera Williams; his mother-in-law, Flora Taillefer of Prince Albert; his sister-in-law, Lorraine Clyesdale (Gordon) of Warman; brother-in-law, Gerry St. Pierre (Dorine) of Barrhead, AB; and nephews, Donny (Leah) Hebden of Cape Breton and Scott (Tabitha) Hebden of Georgia, USA. He also leaves to mourn aunts, Esther (Calvin Beddome), Delphine Ruszkowski and Ruth Jenic, all of Prince Albert; and uncle, Gerald (Shirley ) Campbell of Victoria, BC; as well as many cousins. Don was born in Prince Albert and attended school at Riverside and obtained his Bachelor of Education at U of S. In his youth, he was an avid softball, football, and hockey player. Before his teaching career he worked for the Forestry department where he developed a great love of trees, the North and fishing; spending many happy days in the Prince Albert National Park. He taught at various schools in Prince Albert until 1996 and during that time he also successfully ran commercial greenhouses and a market garden near St. Louis. He and Alice moved to Saskatoon in 1999. Don took great pride in his children's accomplishments but also achieved many outstanding accomplishments himself. After his teaching career was over, he spent many hours volunteering at Yarrow Youth Farm, at the U of S and various horticulture events. He became a Master Gardener and spent countless hours planning and designing people's yards as well as his and Alice's acreage. In honour of his volunteering, he was so proud to have received the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal from Linda Haverstock in 2005. Don learned about gardening at his Granny Campbell's knee, and everywhere he lived, he created his own little Garden of Eden. As well as horticulture, Don was an accomplished wood worker, sculptor, and painter. He had a remarkable eye for detail and the patience to make anything he worked at perfect. His motto was always leave a place better than what it was when you arrived. Don was predeceased by his father, Frederick in 1977; his mother, Margaret in 2006; uncles and aunts, Jack Ruszkowski, Max Jenic, Sandy and Lorna Taylor, Jean London, Henry and Irene Olson; grandparents, Bill and Elsie Campbell. A Funeral Service will be held on Friday, March 5th, 2010 at 1:30 p.m. at Hillcrest Funeral Home (east on 8th Street, turn right before railway crossing). Interment will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Electrophysiology department at the Royal University Hospital (103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, SK. S7N 0W8). Arrangements entrusted to Kenneth Scheirich"

First Hyper Acute Stroke Unit opens at The Royal London (UK)

"Barts and The London's acute stroke service has been formally accredited to provide regional stroke thombolysis and to go live as a Hyper Acute Stroke Unit (HASU) from April 2010 - the first trust in London to achieve full accreditation, following an external evaluation of the service in late January 2010. The accreditation of the HASU at The Royal London Hospital follows a London-wide review of stroke services last year, in which the Trust's stroke service was selected to be one of eight HASUs across the capital. The Trust's stroke service offers significantly lower than average mortality rates - 12% compared with 20% nationally - along with lower rates of long-term disability requiring institutionalisation for people who have suffered a stroke - 3% compared with 11% nationally. As well as The Royal London, hyper-acute stroke centres will be located at Northwick Park Hospital, Charing Cross Hospital, University College Hospital, St George's Hospital, King's College Hospital, The Princess Royal University Hospital and Queen's Hospital"

The 2010 DiabetesMine™ Design Challenge

The 2010 DiabetesMine™ Design Challenge is an online competition to encourage creative new tools for improving life with diabetes

Menopause increases heart risk (USA)

Women entering menopause need to be aware of their increasing risk of heart disease, a U.S. doctor advises. Dr. Vera Rigolin of Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago says women need to know their symptoms of heart attack may differ from those of men. Men often experience chest discomfort while women commonly may have other, more subtle symptoms - such as fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath, jaw pain or abdominal discomfort. "In some women, plaque can build in the smallest blood vessels called the microvascular circulation. These blockages do not show up in an angiogram," Rigolin says in a statement. "In these cases, we often use magnetic resonance imaging with medication to visualize blood flow within the small blood vessels when other standard tests do not provide us answers." Menopausal women can lower their risk of heart disease by adopting a healthy lifestyle, Rigolin says. "If you are a smoker, quit immediately and avoid secondhand smoke. Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and exercise at least three times per week to maintain a healthy body weight," she says. Rigolin urges visiting a healthcare provider at least yearly to have blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol checked

Watch out for infection if taking cholesterol drug simvastatin

"New research published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology suggests that simvastatin negatively impacts the immune system's ability to clear infection and control inflammation in the presence of bacteria. Simvastatin might help us control our cholesterol, but when it comes to infection, it's an entirely different story says a new research study published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology. In the research report, scientists from Italy show that simvastatin delivers a one-two punch to the immune system. First it impairs the ability of specialized immune cells, called macrophages, to kill pathogens. Then, it enhances production of molecules, called cytokines, which trigger and sustain inflammation. 'Statins are key drugs in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease,' said Cosima T. Baldari, Ph.D., a scientist from the Department of Evolutionary Biology at the University of Siena in Siena, Italy, who was involved in the research. 'Our understanding of how these drugs affect the immune system should help maximize the benefits of these excellent drugs.'"

New research shows innovative respiratory stress test can quickly detect significant coronary artery disease in a noninvasive setting

"Newly published data shows using a Respiratory Modulation Response (RMR) is a novel, non-invasive measure to quickly and accurately detect the presence of significant coronary artery disease (sCAD). Patients in the study with sCAD had a lower RMR compared to patients without, regardless of their risk factors or clinical history of angina, previous myocardial infarction (MI), or angioplasty. These data, published in the current issue of Euro Intervention Journal, demonstrate that RMR was lower in patients with significant CAD compared to those with non-significant CAD (P<0.0011), regardless of their risk factors or clinical history of angina, previous MI, or angioplasty"

First Abu Dhabi Cardiac & Vascular Disease Conference

Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), managed by Cleveland Clinic organizes the first annual cardiac and vascular disease conference on 11 and 12 March 2010 at the Beach Rotana Hotel, Abu Dhabi. SKMC is owned and operated by SEHA, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, which is responsible for the curative activities of all the public hospitals and clinics in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The two-day conference is targeted to Internists, General Practitioners, Cardiologists and Neurologists and more than 300 physicians are expected to attend

Antacids taken with heart drugs increase risk of another attack (Canada)

"A drug combination prescribed to thousands of heart attack survivors increases the risk of a repeat heart attack, Canadian researchers are warning. In a major study spanning nearly six years, Toronto researchers who followed more than 13,000 patients found those given the blood thinner Plavix in combination with certain acid suppressants are 40 per cent more likely to have another heart attack in the first three months after leaving hospital. 'There are so many people at potential risk here it’s difficult to understate the importance of the findings,' says Dr. David Juurlink, head of the division of clinical pharmacology and toxicology at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and lead author of the study released Wednesday by the Canadian Medical Association Journal"

International Multidisciplinary Forum on Palliative Care

The International Multidisciplinary Forum on Palliative Care conference will be held on November 11-14, in Budapest, Hungary. Palliative care is an important part of the treatment of every patient with a life threatening illness. It is provided from the moment of diagnosis throughout the trajectory of the illness in order to improve symptom control and quality of life of the patients and their families. If you are a family medicine physician, oncologist, geriatrician, neurologist, nephrologist, pediatrician, a pain and palliative physician, nurse, social worker, psychologist, physical therapist, chaplain or any other paramedical professional, interested in improving your palliative care skills and knowledge - do not miss this event

Obese children show signs of heart disease

Obese children as young as three years old show signs of future heart disease, say US researchers. A study of 16,000 children and teenagers showed the most obese had signs of an inflammatory marker which can predict future heart disease. In all, 40% of obese three-to-five-year olds had raised levels of C-reactive protein compared with 17% of healthy weight children, Pediatrics reported. But more work is needed to prove the link with heart disease in later life. The study, carried out by a team at the University of North Carolina (UNC), looked at children aged one to 17. Overall, nearly 70% were a healthy weight, 15% were overweight, 11% were obese and 3.5% were very obese. In the older age groups, the proportion of those in the very obese category with high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) increased even further. By age 15-17, 83% of the very obese had increased CRP compared with 18% of the healthy weight children - BBC