A two-step procedure that uses nanoparticles to first scrub plaque out of arteries and then inserts stem cells to promote healing of those arteries may one day help individuals with atherosclerosis, new research suggests. “One of the problems of removing plaque [with current methods such as angioplasty] is that there is damage to the underlying wall,” explained Dr. Edward A. Fisher, director of the Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular... 

According to a new large-scale study, people who suffer a heart attack and undergo angioplasty and other procedures to open blocked arteries are receiving these treatments more quickly and more safely than ever before.  Read More →

Patients who have a heart attack and undergo procedures to open blocked arteries are getting proven treatments in U.S. hospitals faster and more safely than ever before, according to the results of a large-scale study. Data on more than 131,000 heart attack patients treated at about 250 hospitals from January 2007 through June 2009 also showed that the patients themselves have become more aware of the signs of heart attack and are showing up at... 

Boosting consumption of omega-3 fatty acids doesn’t seem to lower the risk of heart disease in women with type 1 diabetes, according to a new study. Omega-3 fatty acids, found primarily in fish, help prevent the buildup of cholesterol in the arteries, but little is known about whether omega-3 helps protect people with type 1 diabetes, who are at increased risk for heart disease.  Read More →

Title: Calcium, Vitamin D Supplements OK for Arteries Category: Health News Created: 6/15/2010 4:10:00 PM Last Editorial Review: 6/16/2010  Read More →

This is a true story that I personally witnessed. A 60-some year old man heard that nattokinase “thinned the blood.” So he had been taking it for the past 6 months. One week before he came to see me, he abruptly became quite breathless. He was unable to walk more than 20 feet or bend over to tie his shoes due to the breathlessness. He came to see me in the office. I was alarmed by how breathless he was without signs of heart failure... 

Japanese researchers have found that smokers’ arteries stiffen at about double the speed of those of nonsmokers.  Read More →

Scientists say adding a computed tomography test to measure calcium in coronary arteries improves doctors’ ability to predict a person’s risk of developing heart disease.  Read More →

Title: Calcium in Arteries May Predict Heart Risk Category: Health News Created: 4/28/2010 9:30:00 AM Last Editorial Review: 4/28/2010 9:30:07 AM  Read More →

From the Associated Press : Heart attack survivors are again being enrolled in a controversial federal study of an alternative treatment while the government investigates whether they were told enough about possible health risks. The $30 million study, with 1,500 participants so far, is one of the largest alternative medicine experiments ever launched. It tests high doses of vitamin and mineral supplements and chelation, a treatment used for lead...