Titin is a “titanically large” protein—the largest in the human body—which enables elastic movements of our muscles, including the heart. Mutations in the titin gene (TTN) that impair this function are the most frequent cause of a heart muscle disease known as dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), which is characterized by a weak pump function. However, it […]
Researchers from the University of Notre Dame and the University of Florida have developed a sensor that could diagnose a heart attack in less than 30 minutes, according to a study published in Lab on a Chip. Currently, it takes health care professionals hours to diagnose a heart attack. Initial results from an echocardiogram can […]
Chewing gum after heart surgery may kickstart the digestive tract, helping patients feel better and potentially be discharged sooner than those who don’t use this generally safe and simple intervention, according to research presented today at the 18th Annual Perioperative and Critical Care Conference from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. “Prior to our study, there […]
Hemodynamic guided management may reduce heart failure hospitalizations in patients with earlier stage heart failure, according to late breaking research presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2021 and published in The Lancet. The observed reduction did not reach statistical significance in the overall analysis, but was statistically significant when limited to […]
An early phase trial of a drug currently used to treat lung fibrosis has shown it may also help patients who suffer from a common form of heart failure. Trialed by University of Manchester and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust doctors and scientists, in conjunction with Liverpool Clinical Trials Centre, pirfenidone could offer a much-needed […]
Weight loss is given insufficient priority in the management of heart patients despite the benefits, according to a study published today in European Heart Journal—Quality of Care and Clinical Outcomes. The study of more than 10,000 patients found that less than 20% had a healthy body mass index (BMI) at the time of hospitalisation for […]
Mike Lane’s heart journey began as a newborn – when his skin turned blue. He was 2 days old when a cardiologist realized the reason. He was born with several congenital heart defects, including a missing ventricular septum, a narrowing of the pulmonary artery called stenosis, and a faulty pulmonary artery valve. In the coming […]
A new project using artificial intelligence technology could spell a medical breakthrough for people suffering from, or at risk of, coronary artery disease, the single leading cause of death in Australia. Professor Girish Dwivedi. Image Credit: The University of Western Australia The approach being developed by researchers at The University of Western Australia could allow […]
For the 60 million people around the world suffering from heart failure, a heart transplant is most often not an option. While implantable pumps called left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are a promising new treatment option for this life-threatening condition, they have a high rate of associated complications. In fact, 4 out of 5 patients […]
Countries like the UK, Israel, and the USA are now in the thick of successful vaccine campaigns against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the vaccine rollout continues, there have been thousands of anecdotal reports of receivers suffering symptoms of mild fatigue, achiness, and fever in […]
