Cardiovascular Research: Study suggests potential connection between low blood sugar and cardiovascular problems ♦ New path to treat stroke

Drug-device combination opens potential new path to treat stroke Scientists developing novel nanotherapeutics for clearing obstructed blood vessels have teamed up stroke researchers to develop a new, highly effective drug-device combination for treating life-threatening blood clots in patients with stroke

Taking cholesterol medication before aneurysm repair improves outcomes Rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm is one of the most dramatic medical emergencies a person can face. It usually strikes without warning, killing approximately 50 percent of those who experience it before they reach a hospital. Of those who do get to a health facility alive, only about 50 percent survive. Now, researchers have found that patients who took cholesterol-lowering medications before endovascular surgery experienced fewer complications and better outcomes

Endovascular intervention compared to standard treatment for stroke In a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke, an endovascular intervention (such as use of a very small catheter to remove a blood clot) compared to standard medical care (administration of a clot dissolving agent) was associated with improved functional outcomes and higher rates of functional independence at 90 days, but no significant difference in symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain) or all-cause mortality.

Study suggests potential connection between low blood sugar and cardiovascular problems Studies have shown an association between strict control of blood sugar and increased mortality. They have also suggested that a consequence of this control is low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which may have adverse effects on the heart. researchers examined the effects of hypoglycemia on cardiovascular autonomic control. They found that in their experimental model of hypoglycemia, there was a clear change in the body's responses to cardiovascular stress

Health Research: Prolonged TV viewing linked to eight leading causes of death in US ♦ Acid reflex medications may increase kidney disease risk

Prolonged TV viewing linked to eight leading causes of death in US On average, 80 percent of American adults watch 3.5 hours of television per day and multiple observational studies have demonstrated a link between TV viewing and poorer health. Investigators reported an association between increasing hours of television viewing and increasing risk of death.

Surgical patients should stay on cholesterol medications to reduce risk of death Patients who stop taking cholesterol medications before surgery are following outdated recommendations, and significantly increasing their risk of death if they don’t resume taking the medications within two days after surgery.

Restoring testosterone rather than replacing it helps safeguard a man's fertility  Restoring testosterone production in men may be as effective as replacing it, without compromising their fertility. Two phase III clinical trials show that a drug that restores the body's natural production of testosterone has no negative effect on a man's sperm count .

Acid reflux medications may increase kidney disease risk Certain medications commonly used to treat heartburn and acid reflux may have damaging effects on the kidneys, according to two new studies. The drugs, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), are among the top 10 class of prescribed medications .

Green office environments linked with higher cognitive function scores People who work in well-ventilated offices with below-average levels of indoor pollutants and carbon dioxide have significantly higher cognitive functioning scores -- in crucial areas such as responding to a crisis or developing strategy -- than those who work in offices with typical levels