Tag Archives: heart
Intense light boosts the circadian function of cardiac vessels which protects from heart attacks
Humans are daily exposed to intense light in the form of sunlight which is crucial for the circadian rhythms in our bodies to properly function. This is important as circadian rhythms regulate all physiological processes in the
The minimally invasive and percutaneous ways: A tale of two approaches for heart valve implantation
Over the decades, advances in medicine have led to large increases in life-expectancy, a fact most are grateful for. However, accompanying this boost in longevity we also find a rise in what are known as “aging-related diseases”,
Prevention of congenital heart anomalies: the secret kept by embryonic stem cells
CITED2 is a transcriptional modulator involved in the regulation of the expression of many other genes in vertebrates. At very early stages of embryo development, CITED2 is particularly important for heart formation, a process also termed cardiogenesis.
Nickel free, built-in nanotubular drug eluting stents
Coronary Artery Disease is a common cause of heart failure. Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is caused by the accumulation of lipids and fats within an injured arteries’ walls and restricts the blood flow to the heart muscle
Trends in heart failure diagnosis for women and men in urban and rural settings in Ontario
Heart failure remains a significant cause of death and disability for women and men. It is estimated that 1 in 5 individuals will be diagnosed with heart failure in their lifetime, with an average survival of approximately
Sex differences in heart failure outcomes in Ontario, Canada
Heart failure is a leading cause of death in women and men around the world. Despite recent advances in the management of heart failure, much still need to be learned how outcomes might differ by sex. Indeed,
Heart medication and metabolism: What physicians should reflect on to keep them in harmony
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally and have been for a long time. This spotlight has ensured that doctors treating patients with heart problems have a wide variety of medications to work with. Most
Rethinking drugs’ development in acute heart failure?
Acute heart failure (AHF) affects 1-2% of adults in developed countries. It strikes mainly people above the age 60, peeking in those older than 85 (prevalence ~ 17.4%). AHF is a life threatening medical event, with gradual
Can the heart get cancer? Quite rare, but yes
To many, the heart seems as an unusual location for cancer. In fact, most tumors that affect the heart are metastatic in origin (start in other organs and disseminate to the heart). Primary cardiac tumors (tumors that
The silent effects of heart surgery: voice and swallowing
Heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide. Heart surgeries saves thousands of lives a year but can be lengthy and complex. During surgery, many patients require prolonged periods of intubation and coronary bypass (mechanical support
Body composition and left ventricular hypertrophy in athletes: the role of body cell mass
Cardiac adaptation to intense physical training is determined by many factors including age, lifestyle, body size, training load, ethnicity and sex. Females show a lower cardiac mass than males, the main causes are a lower blood volume
Statins: Good for the heart, but do they impact the brain?
High cholesterol, termed hyperlipidemia, is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Therefore, keeping cholesterol levels low through diet and exercise has proven benefits for reducing heart disease risk. For adults who cannot meet their cholesterol targets through
Surgical strategies to preserve the right heart function during tetralogy of Fallot repair
Tetralogy of Fallot is a congenital heart defect which consists of 4 components: the aorta overriding both ventricles of the heart, a hole between both ventricles, narrowing of the right ventricle outlet and thickening of the right
Keyhole heart valve surgery after previous heart transplantation
Advances in heart transplant techniques and medication that control rejection and infections resulted in improved survival and quality of life. These improved long term outcomes are unfortunately paralleled by a variety of associated coronary-, mitral- and tricuspid
Early sepsis does not stimulate reactive oxygen species production and does not reduce cardiac function despite an increased inflammation status
Sepsis is due to bacterial infection. If it is sustained for several days, it can trigger severe abnormalities of cardiac function which leads to death in 50% of cases. This probably occurs through activation of toll-like receptors
Antithrombotic therapy duration after coronary stenting: finding the sweet-spot with a novel clinical risk score
Coronary atherosclerosis is still the principal cause of morbidity and mortality in western countries, by inducing ischemia or infarction of the myocardium. Percutaneous treatment of atherosclerotic lesions is nowadays the most common form of treatment of such
Why are skeletal muscles not depleted of energy during intense exercise?
ATP is a universal carrier of energy in a form easily accessible for different reactions in the cell. Its hydrolysis to ADP and Pi (inorganic phosphate) drives processes that cannot occur spontaneously and require energy, for instance
A personalised operation to stabilise aortic root aneurysms
Personalised External Aortic Root Support (or PEARS) is the name given to a very specific operation. By taking the exact measurement of the individual person’s aorta from a CT or MRI scan, a replica of their own
Silk patches to repair hearts
The heart is a very sensitive organ. Once it’s “broken”, it doesn’t quite function the same way again. Biologically speaking, a common way of getting your heart broken is when you suffer a heart attack. When the
Depression severity is related to the development of heart disease in previously cardiac health subjects
Depression is a disabling, high-prevalence psychiatric condition. It is well established that depression is linked with physiological changes that can contribute to an unfavorable outcome in cardiac patients. As depressed patients exhibit impairments in the autonomic nervous
