Heart structural gene causes sudden cardiac death in animal model ♦ Drugging the microbiome may treat heart disease ♦ Hypertension-related visits to emergency rooms on rise in US

Heart structural gene causes sudden cardiac death in animal model The presence or absence of the CAP2 gene causes sudden cardiac death in mice. In particular, the absence of the gene interrupts the animal's ability to send electrical signals to the heart to tell it to contract, a condition called cardiac conduction disease. Since humans have the same CAP2 gene, what we learn from the mice could advance our understanding of heart disease.

Drugging the microbiome may treat heart disease A first-of-a-kind drug that interferes with the metabolic activity of gut microbes could one day treat heart disease in humans, according to a mouse study. Dietary supplementation with a compound that is naturally abundant in red wine and olive oil prevented gut microbes from turning unhealthy foods into metabolic byproducts that clog arteries

Hypertension-related visits to emergency rooms on rise in US The number and percentage of patients treated at emergency departments for hypertension are on the rise across the United States.

Chances of good outcome after stroke reduced by delays in restoring blood flow Delays in restoring blood flow after a stroke were associated with decreased benefits of intra-arterial clot-busting treatment and reduced chances for a good outcome.

Cardiovascular Research: New test predicts sudden cardiac death ♦ One in five people will develop heart failure ♦ Thermometer-like device could help diagnose heart attacks

New test predicts sudden cardiac death in hemodialysis patients A new test has been developed to predict sudden cardiac death in hemodialysis patients in whom such forecasts were previously impossible. The novel method uses a combination of nuclear medicine, C-reactive protein and electrocardiogram.

One in five people will develop heart failure One person in five is expected to develop heart failure in developed countries, a disease with no cure but which is largely preventable.

Chest strap heart rate monitor Scientists have developed a novel chest strap device for the long-term monitoring of patients with heart and circulatory problems. What is special about the new system is that it records an electrocardiogram (ECG) of the wearer. It is also self-moistening, which is essential for reliable signal monitoring

Thermometer-like device could help diagnose heart attacks Diagnosing a heart attack can require multiple tests using expensive equipment. But not everyone has access to such techniques, especially in remote or low-income areas. Now scientists have developed a simple, thermometer-like device that could help doctors diagnose heart attacks with minimal materials and cost.

Cardiovascular Research: Polygamy increases risk of heart disease by more than 4-fold ♦ Left ventricular assist devices lead to declines in health ♦ COPD increases the risk of cardiac death

Polygamy increases risk of heart disease by more than 4-fold Polygamy increases the risk of heart disease by more than 4-fold, reveals new research. The risk and severity of heart disease increased with the number of wives

Low health literacy linked to heart failure deaths after hospitalization Acute heart failure patients are more likely to die within two years of hospitalization if they have trouble understanding and using health information. Living with heart failure can be complex, so patients need to let their healthcare providers know if they don't understand their instruction

Left ventricular assist devices may lead to declines in health, cognitive thinking in some heart failure patients Left ventricular assist devices are life-prolonging devices for patients with advanced heart failure but they also may leave some patients in poor health with declines in brain function.

Gene therapy clips out heart failure causing gene mutations Cardiomyopathies are diseases of weakened heart muscle, which can lead to heart enlargement and heart failure. The conditions are often genetically inherited. Gene therapy can clip out genetic material linked to heart failure and replace it with the normal gene in human cardiac cells,

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease increases the risk of sudden cardiac death People suffering from the common lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), have an increased risk of sudden cardiac death.