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Heart Test Spots Sudden Death Risk in Young Athletes

Posted 27 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, April 27 – Electrocardiograph (EKG) screening of young athletes can help identify those at risk for sudden cardiac death, according to a new study. Researchers screened nearly more than 1,300 young athletes and conducted EKGs on 586 of them based on medical history, family history, a physical exam or prior EKG. Six athletes were found to have a heart disorder known to cause sudden cardiac death. The study looked at how sensitive and specific the EKGs were as tests. Sensitivity refers to how confidently a doctor can rule out a problem and that it isn't a "false negative." Specificity refers to how sure a doctor can be that a positive test result is accurate. For medical history alone, the sensitivity and specificity to detect heart disorders linked to sudden cardiac death were 33 percent and 69 percent. For physical exam, the figures were 16 percent and 91 percent. For EKG, ... Read more

New Techniques May Improve Infant Heart Surgery

Posted 25 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, April 25 – Two new monitoring techniques may provide early warnings about possible brain damage in children as they undergo surgery for heart defects, researchers report. Autoregulation monitoring is a noninvasive technique that can determine when blood flow to the brain may be low. The other method, a blood test, uses a small sample of blood to detect brain-tissue injury during surgery. Doctors previously had no way to detect brain injuries as they occurred during heart surgery. Details of the research are to be presented Wednesday during an American Heart Association press briefing. Brain injury occurs in 30 percent to 70 percent of infants and children who have surgery to repair congenital heart defects, which are heart abnormalities present at birth. For each 1,000 live births in the United States, about eight babies will have some type of heart defect, according to a ... Read more

EKG Heart Test May Predict Risk in Older Adults

Posted 10 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, April 10 – Minor changes in the results of a commonly used heart test – an electrocardiogram, or EKG – translate into a 35 percent increased risk of heart events, such as heart attacks, hospitalizations for chest pain or the need for heart surgery, in people over 70, according to new research. For people with major abnormalities in their EKG, the risk of having a heart event is even higher, compared to people with normal tests. "We analyzed data from the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study. More than 3,000 patients had an electrocardiogram done at baseline, but we only included the people who didn't have a previous history of coronary heart disease or cardiovascular disease, so no heart attacks or strokes," said lead study author Dr. Reto Auer, a research fellow in the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco. "We found ... Read more

Omega-3 Supplements No Help Against Repeat Heart Trouble: Review

Posted 9 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, April 9 – Taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements won't protect against repeat heart attacks, strokes or other cardiovascular problems, a new analysis indicates. "I was not surprised at these findings because I assumed that there was no benefit of omega-3 supplements," said lead researcher Dr. Seung-Kwon Myung, chief of the carcinogenesis branch of the National Cancer Center, Republic of Korea. The study is published online April 9 in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Instead of taking supplements, people trying to prevent heart disease or repeat problems should eat oily fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel, which are all rich in omega-3 fatty acids, Myung said. "It is effective against cardiovascular disease to eat fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, not supplements," he said. Many studies have demonstrated that eating fatty fish two or more times a week is linked with a lower ... Read more

Adrenaline Therapy for Cardiac Arrest Linked to Worse Outcomes

Posted 20 Mar 2012 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, March 20 – The decades-old practice of treating cardiac arrest patients with epinephrine – adrenaline – might do more harm than good in the long run, suggests a new analysis of hundreds of thousands of cases. Japanese researchers found that cardiac arrest patients given epinephrine were more likely to survive one month, compared with those who didn't get the treatment. But when the investigators adjusted their figures statistically so they wouldn't be thrown off by various factors, the patients who got epinephrine actually became less likely to survive a month. And among those given epinephrine who did survive, only one-quarter of them were in good shape neurologically a month later, the study authors noted. On the other hand, the patients who received the drug were more likely to have their pulses restored before they got to the hospital, according to the report published ... Read more

Too Few Doctors Screen Young Athletes for Hidden Heart Trouble

Posted 14 Nov 2011 by Drugs.com

SUNDAY, Nov. 13 – Tragic stories appear in the media about seemingly healthy young athletes dying on the playing field due to an undetected heart problem. In response, the American Heart Association (AHA) issued guidelines aimed at helping doctors and coaches detect these problems early on and prevent such senseless deaths. But new research suggests that only a small percentage of physicians are heeding the guidelines. In the study, presented Sunday at the AHA's annual meeting in Orlando, Fla., less than half of physicians and only 6 percent of high school athletic directors in Washington state were aware of the life-saving guidelines – potentially leaving many young athletes at risk. "There is a striking lack of compliance with these guidelines," said study lead author Dr. Nicolas Madsen, a pediatric cardiology fellow at Seattle Children's Hospital and the University of Washington ... Read more

Related support groups: Cardiovascular Conditions and Disorders

New Guidelines Issued for Genetic Heart Disease

Posted 8 Nov 2011 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, Nov. 8 – Most people with a genetic heart disease called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) can live a normal length of time, according to the first science-based guideline for diagnosing and treating the condition. About 600,000 Americans have HCM, which affects about one in 500 people worldwide. HCM, the most common type of genetic cardiac disease, alters the way the heart functions and can cause erratic heart beats, obstructed blood flow, and sudden cardiac death. However, many people with HCM experience no problems, according to the guideline from the American College of Cardiology Foundation and the American Heart Association (ACCF/AHA). "HCM is widely misperceived as a fatal condition, but a diagnosis of HCM is not a diagnosis of sudden cardiac death. We now have effective treatments to help most patients manage the condition, although it remains the most common cause of ... Read more

Related support groups: Cardiovascular Conditions and Disorders

Blood Type May Affect Survival After Heart Bypass

Posted 17 Oct 2011 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Oct. 17 – How well you fare after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery may depend on your blood type, a new study finds. Patients with AB blood type are 20 percent less likely to die after heart bypass surgery than those with A, B or O blood types, Duke University Medical Center researchers found. Nearly half the population has type O blood and may be at greater risk for bleeding and blood transfusions after surgery, the researchers said. The findings from more than 15,000 patients were scheduled for presentation Monday at the American Society of Anesthesiologists' meeting in Chicago. The reason for the differences in risk could be two proteins in the blood responsible for clotting, the von Willebrand factor (vWF) and Factor VIII (FVIII). The gene that passes on group O is associated with lower levels of these clotting proteins, explained lead author Dr. Ian J. Welsby ... Read more

Related support groups: Cardiovascular Conditions and Disorders

Sudden Cardiac Arrest More Common in Poorer Neighborhoods

Posted 14 Sep 2011 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14 – Residents of lower income neighborhoods are more likely to experience sudden cardiac arrest, a new study finds. Sudden cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack. In sudden cardiac arrest, the heart stops beating and circulation of blood and oxygen to the brain and vital organs ceases, often leading to death within moments. In the study, researchers from the United States and Canada analyzed 9,235 cases of sudden cardiac arrest in four U.S. cities (Dallas, Pittsburgh, Portland and Seattle-King County, Wash.) and three in Canada (Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver). The cardiac arrests occurred either at home or in nursing homes or assisted-living facilities. In six of seven cities, the incidence of sudden cardiac arrest was higher in poorer neighborhoods than in more affluent ones. This was especially true for those under age 65. People in the lowest 25 percent of ... Read more

Related support groups: Cardiovascular Conditions and Disorders

Heart Devices Like Pacemakers Linked to Infections

Posted 12 Sep 2011 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Sept. 12 – Implantable electronic devices such as pacemakers and certain defibrillators can help treat heart conditions and save lives, but these benefits may have to be weighed against potentially life-threatening and costly complications, a new study suggests. Researchers from the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minn., found that people who develop an infection related to a cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) are at greater risk for death. Infection related to one of these devices also results in higher health-care costs, including the price for hospital admissions, intensive care and pharmacy services. In conducting the study, the researchers analyzed information on more than 200,000 patients who received a new cardiovascular implantable electronic device or had an old one replaced or fixed between January and December 2007. The study, published ... Read more

Related support groups: Cardiovascular Conditions and Disorders

Most Heart Attack Patients Who Need Angioplasty Quickly Get It: Study

Posted 22 Aug 2011 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Aug. 22 – More than 90 percent of U.S. heart attack patients who required emergency angioplasty to open blocked coronary arteries received the treatment within the recommended time in 2010, a new study finds. Just five years earlier, the rate was 44 percent. Angioplasty – in which a thin, balloon-tipped catheter is inserted into the blocked blood vessel to restore blood flow – needs to be performed as quickly as possible on these patients, preferably within 90 minutes of hospital arrival, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). In this study, researchers analyzed data on more than 300,000 heart attack patients who underwent emergency angioplasty between January of 2005 and October of 2010. In 2010, 91 percent of the patients were treated within 90 minutes of arrival at the hospital, compared with 44 percent in 2005. Seventy percent of patients were treated within ... Read more

Coordinated Cooling Effort After Cardiac Arrest Can Improve Outcomes

Posted 11 Jul 2011 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, July 11 – Cooling cardiac arrest patients can reduce the risk of lasting neurological damage, but this lifesaving treatment remains largely underutilized, a new study says. Many local hospitals don't have the proper systems in place, and the cooling treatment must start within hours of a cardiac arrest to be effective, according to the report in the July 11 online issue of Circulation, but rapid transfer to an appropriate facility can save lives and stave off lasting neurological damage. About 300,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of hospitals in the United States each year, and most are fatal, according to the American Heart Association. Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart's electrical system short- circuits, and the heart suddenly stops pumping. What happens immediately after the arrest can make a big difference in outcomes. CPR must be performed and a defibrillator should ... Read more

Related support groups: Cardiovascular Conditions and Disorders

Study Finds Most Urgent Angioplasties Warranted

Posted 5 Jul 2011 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, July 5 – New research shows that most urgent angioplasty procedures performed in the United States are warranted, but the same can't be said for those done on a non-emergency basis. Reviewing data on more than a half million angioplasty procedures, researchers deemed the artery-opening procedure appropriate when performed for "acute indications," such as heart attacks or unstable angina (crushing chest pain) with certain high-risk features such as progressive pain with no known cause. By contrast, stable angina occurs only with activity such as a stress test and is not considered an appropriate indication for angioplasty. "We found that the appropriateness of angioplasty depended upon whether the patient presented as acute or non-acute," said study author Dr. Paul S. Chan, of Saint Luke's Mid-America Heart and Vascular Institute in Kansas City, Mo. "In elective, non-acute ... Read more

Related support groups: Cardiovascular Conditions and Disorders

More Than 200,000 Suffer Cardiac Arrest in Hospitals Annually

Posted 1 Jul 2011 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, July 1 – More than 200,000 people are treated for cardiac arrest in U.S. hospitals every year, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine warned that rate may be on the rise. The study, reported online June 24 in Critical Care Medicine, found that 21 percent of patients who suffer in-hospital cardiac arrest survive. That's much better than the less than 10 percent who typically survive cardiac arrest in other settings. Yet the study's authors said more could be done to improve survival, including preventing cardiac arrest through more effective patient monitoring; administering CPR and defibrillation to restart the heart more quickly; and better adherence to resuscitation guidelines. In cardiac arrest, the heart stops beating and the circulation of blood and oxygen to the brain and vital organs ceases. Death typically ... Read more

Related support groups: Cardiovascular Conditions and Disorders

Smoking During Pregnancy May Predispose Kids to Heart Trouble

Posted 22 Jun 2011 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, June 22 – Children born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy have lower levels of "good" HDL cholesterol, which may increase their risk of heart attack and stroke later in life, a new study suggests. Australian researchers looked at 405 healthy 8-year-old children and found that those whose mothers smoked during pregnancy had HDL levels of about 1.3 millimoles per liter (mmol/L), compared to a normal level of 1.5 mmol/L in children whose mothers didn't smoke. It's not known how smoking during pregnancy lowers HDL levels in children. The study was published June 21 online in the European Heart Journal. "Our results suggest that maternal smoking 'imprints' an unhealthy set of characteristics on children while they are developing in the womb, which may well predispose them to later heart attack and stroke. This imprinting seems to last for at least eight years and probably a ... Read more

Related support groups: Smoking, Cardiovascular Conditions and Disorders

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