Posts Tagged 'heart'

At-home dialysis helps quality of life

The East Montgomery County Observer tells the story of a 27-year-old man with kidney failure, whose quality of life was greatly improved when he began using a portable, in-home dialysis system.

He previously had to make a long drive and arrive at a dialysis center at 5 a.m. in order to finish the 4-hour treatment, then make it to work on time. Doctors told him that routine would be necessary three ...

continue reading...

Ultrasound can help prevent heart deaths in dialysis patients

A report in U.S. News and World Report says ultrasound can detect fluid in the lungs of dialysis patients, which may help prevent fatal heart problems.

Researchers have concluded that fluid in the lungs is a better predictor of the risk of dying or having a heart attack than other symptoms of heart failure.

Patients undergoing kidney dialysis are at risk of heart failure. In some cases, the dialysis itself may be ...

continue reading...

Advice on lowering blood pressure

An article on Money Talks News outlines ways to lower your blood pressure without medications.

One in three Americans suffer from high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, which the article describes as a “silent killer.” Although it can cause heart attacks and stroke, the condition can also damage your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and other body parts in people who may have it for years and not know it.

The article ...

continue reading...

FDA investigates dialysis company Fresenius

Fox News reports that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning to Fresenius Medical Care, a German company that manufactures kidney dialysis equipment and operates dialysis centers.

The agency’s warning letter alleges that Fresenius failed to adequately test artificial kidneys — called “dialyzers” – manufactured in Utah, to make sure they adequately meet design specifications.

The FDA stopped short of issuing a recall in this case. But the ...

continue reading...

Heart drug digoxin linked to early death

A new study finds that the popular heart drug digoxin may cause patients to die sooner, CBS News reports.

The report cites a study recently published online in the European Heart Journal, showing that patients with atrial fibrillation — a condition where the heart’s upper chambers flutter erratically — died in significant numbers while taking digoxin.

Researchers examined data from 4,060 atrial fibrillation patients who took the drug before or during the ...

continue reading...

Coalition demands more rigorous FDA screening

A coalition of patient, consumer, and public health groups urged the federal Food and Drug Administration to require more rigorous testing before a medical device used for addressing complications from aneurysm treatments can be sold.

“This decision by FDA sets a bad precedent for approving new devices,” said Lisa McGiffert, Director of Consumers Union’s Safe Patient Project. “Medical devices intended to save lives should require the FDA’s most rigorous safety testing. Bypassing such testing up front can put hundreds of thousands ...

continue reading...
Page 3 of 3 123