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The "valves", constructed around biodegradable scaffolds, are made in much the same way as their natural counterparts, the researchers from Germany's University Ho

GETTING too little sleep can dramatically increase the risk of potentially fatal heart conditions in people with high blood pressure, a study has found.

Patients should not place "false hope" in promises made by untested internet miracle cures, medical experts warned.

Montreal Heart Institute Research Centre Director Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif presented yesterday results from a clinical trial demonstrating that VIA-2291, an investigational drug being developed by VIA Pharmaceuticals, Inc., significantly inhibited production of leukotrienes, proposed mediators of vascular inflammation, in patients with serious heart disease. VIA-2291 was well-tolerated with no serious adverse events attributed to the drug. The study was presented in a Special Session at the American Heart Association 2008 Scientific Sessions in New Orleans, Louisiana. read more

Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) today announced that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market its Apex PTCA(1) Dilatation Catheter. The Apex Catheter is a high-performance pre-dilatation balloon catheter developed specifically to address physicians' needs in treating the most challenging atherosclerotic lesions. It is available for distribution in both Monorail and Over-The-Wire (OTW) catheter platforms. read more

In preparation for flu season, The COSHAR Foundation today urges parents to protect their children against vaccine-preventable illnesses -- including the flu. The Foundation's efforts are part of a national immunization awareness campaign, Protecting our Future: The COSHAR Foundation Immunization Project, designed to raise awareness of the importance of timely childhood vaccination, and to ultimately increase vaccine compliance rates among under-vaccinated children. read more

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE: THG), a leading super regional property and casualty company, today introduced new Medical Diagnostic Equipment coverage, helping to give its independent agents better coverage for their customers who run or operate a medical office, clinic, image center, hospital, or nursing home. read more

The statistics are staggering when considering what an impact Alzheimer's disease has on many American lives. Already nearly five million people in this country alone have been diagnosed with the disease, and the number is expected to triple by mid-century. Fortunately for many families, research, care and treatments are moving into new horizons. Today there is more information and support, providing better understanding of the disease and those it afflicts than ever before. read more

ETHEX Corporation announced today that it has voluntarily recalled to the consumer level specific lots of five generic /non-branded products that it markets. These lots have been recalled as a precaution, due to the possibility that they may contain oversized tablets. Oversized tablets may contain more than the intended levels of the active drug ingredient, which could result in patients receiving as much as about twice the expected dosage of these drugs. read more

Researchers from Brigham and Women's hospital (BWH) and City College of new york have developed a new self- assembling hydrogel drug delivery system that is biocompatible, efficient at drug release, and easy to tailor. The findings, which are now available online at Science Direct, will be published in the November 25 issue of Biomaterials. These new structures can deliver clinically approved drugs in high concentrations without requiring carriers for the drug or generating toxic components, a problem with hydrogel systems until now. read more