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While African-Americans are not any more likely to suffer heart attacks than whites are, they're nearly twice as likely to develop heart failure, apparently because of their propensity to develop high blood pressure and diabetes, according to a study in the October 27 issue of the journal Archives of Internal medicine.

Thermedical, a privately held company currently developing a proprietary ablation therapy for the treatment of cancer, announced today that it has received a $3.6 million Competing Phase 2 Renewal Grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

#7710: IRREGULAR HEARTBEAT MAY develop AFTER LUNG TRANSPLANTATION patients receiving donated lungs may develop arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation. Researchers from Baylor College of medicine in Texas reviewed the charts of all lung transplant recipients in 2006 and 2007. Of the 75 patients who underwent lung transplant, 38 percent developed arrhythmias within 30 days of transplantation.

Ablation Frontiers, Inc., announced today that two important abstracts which evaluated its innovative Atrial Fibrillation (AF) cardiac ablation system were presented at the 5th Annual Heart Rhythm Congress. The studies, conducted independently, were led by Dr. Steve Murray of James Cook University hospital in Middlesborough, UK, as well as Dr. Simon James and Dr. John Bourke of the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. The Heart Rhythm U.K.

An animal study published in the British Journal of Nutrition this month suggests that eating dried plums slows the development of atherosclerosis. An inflammatory disease, better known as "hardening of the arteries," it is the condition that leads to cardiovascular disease and stroke, and is the leading cause of death in our society. Although there are numerous studies of the effects of fruit and vegetables on serum cholesterol, few exist on the reduction of atherosclerosis.

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:GILD) today announced results of a two-year (104-week), open-label, uncontrolled, extension study (ARIES-E) of Letairis® in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) (WHO Group 1). Data from this study were presented today at CHEST 2008, the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians, taking place in Philadelphia, October 25-30.

Patients treated for their prolonged seizures with the sedative propofol may be at high risk for complications and even death. New research presented at CHEST 2008, the 74th annual international scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), shows that the use of propofol as an antiepileptic agent in patients with refractory status epilepticus (RSE), prolonged seizures that do not respond to initial treatment, was associated with significant mortality and morbidity.

Title: Statins Reduced Death Risk From PneumoniaCategory: health newscreated: 10/29/2008 2:00:00 amlast Editorial review: 10/29/2008

Title: Cialis May Help Ease Pulmonary HypertensionCategory: health newscreated: 10/29/2008 2:00:00 amlast Editorial review: 10/29/2008

Title: Rheumatoid Arthritis May Harm GumsCategory: health newscreated: 10/29/2008 2:00:00 amlast Editorial review: 10/29/2008