CardiovascularInfo Center

Stroke Drug May Help Dialysis Patients
A drug used to treat blood clots to prevent strokes has been shown to reduce incidences of catherter malfunction and infection in dialysis, according to a new study.
Life-Saving Surgery Now Less Deadly
Risk of stroke following bypass surgery is lower than ever, according to a new study.
Men Have Bigger Hearts than Women
Heart enlargement caused by narrowed aortic valves regresses faster in women than in men following aortic valve replacement surgery, according to a new study.
Kids Need Z's
Insufficient and disorganized sleep puts kids at higher risk of developing obesity and other health conditions, which may be able to be mitigated by "catch up" sleep on weekends and holidays.
Blood Pressure Breakthrough?
Financial reward incentives for general practitioners in the United Kingdom who successfully treat a number of patients with high blood pressure have not proven effective. Researchers found that nationally set targets for treating patients with hypertension (consistent blood pressure measuring 140 mmHg over 90 mmHg or higher) did not make a discernible difference in care improvements. About half of the UK population over age 50 has hypertension (that number correlates to about two out of three patients of the same age in the United States), which is one of the most treatable -- yet unde...
Location, Location, Location
Patients who experienced ischemic stroke (IS) who were admitted to hospitals with designated stroke centers were less likely to die than those who were not, according to new research. The study found that ischemic stroke patients fared better and had less chance of dying at 30 days follow up if admitted to one of the nearly 700 acute care hospitals in the U.S. that are designated by the Joint Commission as stroke centers, based on recommendations from a team of physicians and researchers comprising the Brain Attack Coalition (BAC). Researchers from Duke Clinical Research Institute i...
Every Breath Counts in the Fight Against Heart Disease
Exposure to air pollution has been shown to contribute to cardiovascular disease risk, but use of high efficiency particle air (HEPA) filters might lower that risk, according to new research.
When the Status Quo Won't Cut It
Although it's the most prescribed blood-pressure medicine on the market, hydrochlorothiazide, a diuretic (or "water pill"), is much less effective than common hypertensive treatments.
Women Under Pressure
New research indicates middle-aged women could reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering their systolic blood pressure (the pressure when the heart contracts).
Costs of Cardiovascular Disease Enough to Make Your Heart Race
Costs associated with treating heart disease and heart conditions increased more than 200 percent in Canada from 1996 to 2006, and are expected to triple in the U.S. by 2030.