Research helps explain why perception of pleasure decreases with chronic cocaine use
... desire to escalate cocaine intake by blocking the elevation of brain reward thresholds produced by chronic cocaine use. Serge H. Ahmed, Paul J. Kenny, and colleagues from the University of Bordeaux, France and The Scripps Research Institute in LaJolla, California published the study in the July 2002 issue of...Enzyme level linked to death after angioplasty
.... "Our data show pretty clearly that if the CK-MB elevation is less than five times the upper limits of normal... The investigators compared patients who had CK-MB elevation after a catheter procedure and who died within four months to other groups of patients with and with...Study results offer new hope for people with manic depression
... associated with an incidence of EPS and prolactin elevation no different to placebo across the full dosage range, a neutral effect on weight in long-term treatment, and no clinically important effects on QT interval. To date, over 4 million people have been treated with Seroquel worldwide. AstraZeneca is a m...Still mulling over last night's argument? It could affect your heart
...hronic stress is considered an important factor in elevation of blood pressure, which is considered a major cause of heart disease. While many researchers have looked at the role played by relentless chronic stress, such as a demanding job or unstable home life, relatively few studies have focused on the linge...Elevated leptin in teens linked with dangerous artery changes
... be able to examine the effect of long-term leptin elevation and vascular function, says Singhal. "Our study suggests a way in which obesity decreases the elasticity of blood vessels, thus increasing the risk of heart disease," he says. "Preventing even moderate fatness in childhood may have a long-term bene...Polishing the crystal ball: risk prediction methods need update
...d on the type of heart attack they had ST segment elevation (STEMI) or non-ST segment elevation (NSTEMI), according to their electrocardiographic presentation. The researchers selected two of the...Quick, cheap blood test predicts chance of surviving heart attack
...ST-elevation heart attack, 220 with non-ST segment elevation heart attack, and 185 with unstable angina. After 51 months, with follow-up ranging from 1972 months, 86 patients (14 percent) had died. Median N-BNP levels were significantly lower in long-term survivors than in patients dying (442 vs. 1306 pmol/L...New buzz on coffee: It's not the caffeine that raises blood pressure
...ardiovascular system." The lack of blood pressure elevation in coffee drinkers suggests the effects may be mediated through increased tolerance, the researcher notes. However, sympathetic nerve activation occurred in both groups when caffeine was administered intravenously, and habitual drinkers' MSA increas...In Health Affairs interview, Breaux outlines plan to cover uninsured
...ently have it." Breaux also says he believes the elevation of Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) to Senate majority leader increases the chances of passage of competitive Medicare modernization he and Frist have sponsored. "A funny thing happened on the way to the elections," Breaux says. "The elections came and went...Other highlights in the August 6 issue of JNCI
...bers of circulating T lymphocytes, with pronounced elevation in the numbers of CD4+ T lymphocytes and CD56+ effector T lymphocytes. These changes were independent of patient demographic and treatment characteristics. The increased numbers of circulating T cells correlated with elevations in the level of serum ...UCLA study examines origins of fatigue in breast cancer survivors
...bers of circulating T lymphocytes, with pronounced elevation in the numbers of CD4+ T lymphocytes and CD56+ effector T lymphocytes. These changes were independent of patient demographic and treatment characteristics. The increased numbers of circulating T cells correlated with elevations in the level of serum ...Wild blueberries may help protect arteries, reduce risks from cardiovascular disease
.... "Increasing vascular resistance may lead to an elevation of blood pressure which may in turn damage the del...n maintaining arterial relaxation and thus prevent elevation of blood pressure that damages the endothelium and contributes to cardiovascular disease," says Klim...Drug proven to benefit heart attack victims vastly underused
...ata on treatments for patients with non-ST-segment elevation MI and unstable angina (collectively known as non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes NSTE ACS). While similar studies have been conducted on patients suffering...Newer formulation of heparin improves outcomes for suspected heart attack patients
...00 patients with unstable angina or non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction from the CRUSADE national qu...als on treatments for patients with non-ST-segment elevation MI and unstable angina (collectively known as NSTE ACS) and provides regular feedback to hospitals w...A blood test may reveal systemic factors that relate to periodontal disease, especially in men
...ious studies indicating a relationship between CRP elevation and periodontitis." In a study from the August JOP, CRP values were compared before and after treatment. Researchers found that the CRP values significantly decreased after periodontal treatment. "Since the treatment of periodontitis in this stud...Home blood pressure monitoring helps patients manage hypertensive drug treatments
...fy patients with white-coat hypertension [abnormal elevation of blood pressure only in the physician's office]. Our findings support a step-wise strategy for the evaluation of BP in which self-measurement and ambulatory monitoring are complementary to conventional office measurement."...Combination therapy does not appear to benefit cardiac patients before heart catheter procedure
... dissolve blood clots) in patients with ST-segment elevation acute MI. Specifically designed randomized trials have also shown that patients with acute MI presenting at hospitals without catheterization facilities benefit more from PCI performed after transfer to centers with catheterization laboratories than...Community hospitals do not transfer high-risk heart patients for aggressive therapy
... presenting with unstable angina or non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (UA/NSTEMI) were quickly tra...later. While patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction are at higher risk of dying within 30 days of their hospital stay, patients wi...Aggressive heart therapies still underused, despite blood chemical status
...ortality regardless of the CK-MB status, but CK-MB elevation in the absence of elevated troponin did not predic...ients with unstable angina (UA) and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). These patients typically arrive at emergency rooms with chest pain, ...Blood pressure may predict recurrent cardiovascular events in women
...inding that CVD risk increases with borderline SBP elevation is consistent with previous findings in primary prevention, as well as recommendations from the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC 7) that call for initiating antihyperte...