The Unmet Medical Need
Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in developed nations. Each year over one million Americans suffer a heart attack; for many individuals this is the first sign of heart disease and is fatal. The cause of most heart attacks is rupture of a plaque in the coronary arteries followed by formation of a clot that blocks the flow of blood to heart muscle. Unfortunately current diagnostic methods, including cardiac catheterization, are not able to prospectively identify the plaques that are vulnerable to rupture. Although prospective evidence is not currently available, these "vulnerable" plaques are suspected to be lipid rich, subsequently leading to thrombosis and a heart attack.
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INFRAREDX BLOG
Please click on one of our blog titles to add comments and view discussion:- 08.31.2010Can Stem Cells help individuals with heart conditions?Recent studies have found the giving people with chronic heart failure injections of their own bone-marrow stem cells appears to improve their heart function and lead to a longer life. The benefits of the stem cell treatment were apparent within three months and persisted for the five years the patients were followed, says researcher Bodo-Eckehard Strauer,... Read More...
- 08.13.2010Resting Pulse Rate Can Predict Heart Attack RiskA woman’s resting pulse rate is a good predictor of her heart attack risk regardless of other risk factors, such as smoking and alcohol consumption, researchers say. A team of scientists analyzed records of 129,135 postmenopausal women who had no history of heart problems. Their pulse rates were measured at the start of the study. The... Read More...