In a national study of more than 8 million hospitalized Medicare patients, there was no increase in mortality in the first two years following duty hour reform that limited work hours for resident physicians, according to an article in the Sept. 5 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on medical education.
Whilst we all know that tall parents are more likely to have tall children, scientists have been unable to identify any common genes that make people taller than others. Now, however, scientists have identified the first gene, known as HMGA2, a common variant of which directly influences height.
Certain preparations taken to enhance athletic performance or stave off disease contain an anti-oxidant that could cause harm. According to new research at the University of Virginia Health System, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an anti-oxidant commonly used in nutritional and body-building supplements, can form a red blood cell-derived molecule that makes blood vessels think they are not getting enough oxygen.
The largest-ever study of treatments for type 2 diabetes has shown that a combination of two blood pressure lowering drugs reduced the risk of death, as well as the risks of heart and kidney disease.
Drug-coated stents were linked to a higher death rate when given to people who’ve had massive heart attacks, revealed by researchers in a study performed in Sweden.
Doctors prescribing blood thinners have had to go through a lengthy trial-and-error process to arrive at the optimal dose for their patients. But now the process can be faster and safer, thanks to research conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
The number of children achieving their 5 A DAY target has increased by 13% in 2 years according to a report out by the UK Department of Health. The Further Evaluation of The School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme, launched in the week when millions of children are about to begin a new school year, shows that the scheme is working and could contribute to a reduction of heart disease, stroke and cancer later in life.
Patients with depression appear to have an impaired ability to recover their heart rate variability following acute coronary syndromes such as heart attack, a factor that could increase their risk of coronary death, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Rasilez? (aliskiren), the first new type of high blood pressure medicine in more than a decade, is generally well-tolerated and can potentially reduce the severity of heart failure based on new data showing significant reductions in BNP, a substance secreted by the heart and whose levels are viewed as an indicator of disease severity.
People with type 2 diabetes are more prone to have some heart disease, high blood pressure or stroke. Using a combination of diuretics and ACE inhibitors to manage blood pressure in these people with type 2 diabetes can help protect against heart disease, revealed by researchers in a recent worldwide study known as ADVANCE.