Abnormal QRS Duration Linked To Increased Risk Of Sudden Cardiac Death

Abnormal QRS Duration Linked To Increased Risk Of Sudden Cardiac Death
QRS duration (QRSd) is one of several measures of heart function recorded during a routine electrocardiogram (ECG). It is a composite of waves showing the length of time it takes for an electrical signal to get all the way through the pumping chambers of the heart. Prolonged QRSd is a sign of an abnormal electrical system of the heart and is often found when the heart isn't pumping efficiently.

Hormone Therapy For Prostate Cancer Patients With Certain Heart Conditions Associated With Increased Risk Of Death

Hormone Therapy For Prostate Cancer Patients With Certain Heart Conditions Associated With Increased Risk Of Death
Men with coronary artery disease-induced congestive heart failure or heart attack who receive hormone therapy before or along with radiation therapy for treatment of prostate cancer have an associated increased risk of death, according to a study in the August 26 issue of JAMA.

Cardiac Muscle Patch Succeeds In Animals

Scientists in Israel have successfully grown heart muscle in the abdomen and then used it to patch and repair the hearts of rats after they had suffered heart attack. This is the first study to show it is possible to improve the health of a heart after it has been damaged through heart attack. Read more ...

Rotavirus Vaccine Induced Diarrhea In Child With Severe Combined Immune Deficiency

An article appearing in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI) examines the first reported case of persistent shedding of the rotavirus vaccine in a patient with severe combined immune deficiency (SCID). The authors report a case of a 9-month-old infant girl who was examined in the hospital after a history of faltering growth and chronic diarrhea. Continue reading ...

Codeine Use After Tonsillectomy Warning

A report out of The University of Western Ontario, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, warns the use of codeine to treat pain following a tonsillectomy could prove fatal for some children. Dr. Gideon Koren, who holds the Ivey Chair in Molecular Toxicology at Western, zeroed in on the danger after investigating the death of a two year old boy following a relatively easy operation to remove his tonsils. Continue reading ...

Gene Vital To Brain's Stem Cells Implicated In Deadly Brain Cancer

Researchers from Columbia University Medical Center's Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified a protein that activates brain stem cells to make new neurons " but that may be hijacked later in life to cause brain cancer in humans. The protein called Huwe1 normally functions to eliminate other unnecessary proteins and was found to act as a tumor suppressor in brain cancer. Continue reading ...

For Bone Cancer Patients, Limb-Sparing Surgery May Not Provide Better Quality Of Life Than Amputation

For Bone Cancer Patients, Limb-Sparing Surgery May Not Provide Better Quality Of Life Than Amputation
Limb-sparing surgery, which has been taking the place of amputation for bone and soft tissue sarcomas of the lower limb in recent years, may not provide much or even any additional benefit to patients according to a new review. The analysis, published in the September 15, 2009 issue of Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, indicates that patients and physicians should rethink the pros and cons of limb-sparing surgery and amputation.

In Understanding Blood Clot Mechanics, Protein Unfolding Is Key

Fibrin, the chief ingredient of blood clots, is a remarkably versatile polymer. On one hand, it forms a network of fibers -- a blood clot -- that stems the loss of blood at an injury site while remaining pliable and flexible. On the other hand, fibrin provides a scaffold for thrombi, clots that block blood vessels and cause tissue damage, leading to myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. More at...

New Therapeutic Option For Heartburn

New Therapeutic Option For Heartburn
Bayer Consumer Care New Zealand will launch the OTC Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) omeprazole in New Zealand under the Losec® brand in September. This follows the Medicine Classification Committee's recommended approval for the Rx to OTC switch of omeprazole 10 mg, which became effective by Gazette notice on 19 March 2009. Bayer New Zealand received an OTC license for omeprazole from AstraZeneca for the marketing of OTC omeprazole.

Methods For The Diagnosis Of Heart Failure Reviewed

Methods For The Diagnosis Of Heart Failure Reviewed
A blood test (BNP) should be recommended over an electrocardiogram (ECG) for the diagnosis of heart failure suggests research published by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) programme. Heart failure is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expenditure. There is however, a good evidence base for interventions to improve prognosis although the diagnosis of heart failure in primary care is often inaccurate.

Children Capable Of Lifesaving CPR

Nine-year-olds can and should learn CPR. A study of 147 schoolchildren, published in BioMed Central's open access journal Critical Care, has shown that, although the smallest may lack the requisite strength, the knowledge of how to perform basic life support is well retained by young children. Fritz Sterz, from the Medical University of Vienna, Austria, led a team of researchers who studied children who had received six hours of life support training. Continue reading ...

Regulatory Update: Mepolizumab For The Treatment Of Hypereosinophilic Syndrome (HES)

GSK announced that it has notified the European Medicines Agency of its decision to withdraw the Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) in the EU for mepolizumab for the treatment of hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES). Complete news at...