Sister to Sister

An experimental drug from Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer reduces the risk of stroke by more than half compared with aspirin, with no significant rise in major bleeding, researchers said on Tuesday.
Bristol-Myers Squibb - Stroke - Pfizer - Aspirin - Health

As medical procedures go, cooling therapy is simple: Chill the patient about six degrees Fahrenheit — using cold intravenous saline, cooling blankets or ice packs — and wait 24 hours; then re-warm the patient slowly. But it's having lifesaving effects.

Myocardial infarction - Fahrenheit - Intravenous therapy - Health - Heart disease

Patients with chronic heart failure given injections of their own bone marrow stem cells have better heart function and live longer, German researchers said Sunday.
Stem cell - Heart failure - Bone marrow - Health - Biotechnology

Eating more heart-healthy omega-3 fats provided no additional benefit in a study of heart attack survivors who were already getting good care, Dutch researchers report.
Omega-3 fatty acid - Heart disease - Health - Conditions and Diseases - Cardiovascular Disorders

Gene testing is shaping up to be a marketing battleground for new blood thinners like AstraZeneca's Brilinta, underscoring the power and limitations of genetics as a tool to predict medical outcomes.
AstraZeneca - Genetics - Health - Food and Drug Administration - United States

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday it will examine the potential heart risks of Novartis AG's Parkinson's drug Stalevo, a combination of two treatments for the debilitating brain disease.
Parkinson's disease - Stalevo - Food and Drug Administration - Health - Conditions and Diseases

* Technique uses Philips experimental CT
Health - Medicine - Imaging - Computer Tomography Scanning - Technology

Federal health regulators are pushing to withdraw a blood pressure drug that has been on the market for 14 years in spite of the manufacturer's failure to submit evidence that it actually helps patients.


Blood pressure - Food and Drug Administration - Medicine - Health - Medical Specialties

Enjoy the heat this summer. Cold weather brings more than a chill to your bones, a new study suggests. It could also raise your risk of having a heart attack.
Myocardial infarction - Health - Heart disease - Conditions and Diseases - Weather

Some patients with congestive heart failure are not receiving recommended medicines that could keep them alive longer and out of the hospital, a trend that may be adding to the nation's health costs, U.S. researchers say.
Heart failure - Health - United States - Conditions and Diseases - Cardiovascular Disorders

Medical filters that stop blood clots from reaching the lungs can move or break and cause life-threatening problems for patients, the government and a medical journal report said Monday.


Thrombus - Health - Food and Drug Administration - Medicine - Medical Specialties

More bystanders are willing to attempt CPR if an emergency dispatcher gives them firm and direct instructions — especially if they can just press on the chest and skip the mouth-to-mouth, according to new research.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation - Health - Business - First aid - Public Health and Safety

People who are untrusting, fear rejection, or are otherwise insecure about their relationships might be at a greater risk for health problems than their more secure counterparts.
Heart disease - Health - Conditions and Diseases - Cardiovascular Disorders - Tobacco

A potato chip, lemon or licorice may not taste quite the same to a patient after undergoing heart bypass surgery, hints a small study.


Coronary artery bypass surgery - Surgery - Health - Medicine - General

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. said Monday it is recalling eight production lots of its anti-clotting drug Coumadin because the amount of the active ingredient in the drug could change.
Warfarin - Bristol-Myers Squibb - Active ingredient - Health - Drugs

Heart imaging procedures can deliver a significant amount of radiation to patients, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday, urging patients and doctors to weigh the risks against the benefits.
United States - Absorbed dose - Health - Health Physics and Radiological Health - Environmental Health

* Study finds link between fructose, high blood pressure


Blood pressure - Health - Hypertension - Business - Conditions and Diseases

Should healthy people with low cholesterol take a pill to lower their cholesterol even more in hopes of preventing heart problems? The question is dividing heart doctors and confusing patients.
Heart disease - Health - Conditions and Diseases - Nutrition and Metabolism Disorders - Cholesterol and Other Fats

There is no evidence that prescribing cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins to patients at risk of heart disease reduces their chances of premature death in the short term, scientists said on Monday.