Cancer Drug Ups Risk of Clots in Veins Nov 20, 2008
TUESDAY, Nov. 18 (HealthDay News) -- The widely used cancer drug Avastin appears to be associated with a greater risk of developing blood clots in the veins of patients with a variety of cancers ... Committee members said the drug's ability to slow tumor progression did not outweigh the damage done by side effects such as blood clots and cardiovascular problems ... "They were able to expand the sample size, and it looks like a significant increase in venous blood clots," said Dr. Alok Khorana,... (MEDLINEplus)
Genentech disputes new Avastin research data Nov 19, 2008
(11-18) 17:43 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- Genentech's blockbuster cancer drug Avastin is linked to a significantly increased risk of blood clots in the veins, said a team of university researchers whose conclusions were quickly challenged by the big biotechnology company ... The risk of the worrisome blood clots was 33 percent higher among those on Avastin compared with control group subjects in 15 clinical trials analyzed together, Dr. Shenhong Wu and his colleagues reported late Tuesday in the... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Sideline return possible Nov 18, 2008
The most common risks for a patient who has undergone hip replacement, are blood clots, infection and dislocation of the prosthesis, Davis said. According to medical documents Davis recommended at Orthoinfo. (Daily Collegian, PA)
Eating Healthy On A Budget Nov 18, 2008
CANNED FISH (TUNA, SALMON, SARDINES) All great sources of omega-3 fatty acids shown to reduce risk of heart disease, blood clots, arthritis, cancer, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Plus can help with weigh loss- provide satiety and support a healthy metabolism. (CBS News -- Early Show)
A New Way To Remove Unwanted Heparin From Blood Nov 18, 2008
25, 2006) Treatment of blood clots in the deep veins of the legs or the lungs with an older, less expensive form of the anticoagulant medication heparin can be just as safe and effective as similar treatment ... 6, 1997) For treating heart attacks, the blood thinner hirulog is better than heparin when added to a "clot-buster" to dissolve blood clots and reopen clogged arteries, according to a report in. (Science Daily)
Your Health Check - VENOUS DISEASE: Part III Nov 18, 2008
Today we will talk about blood clots in the veins and why they are important, and we will mention spider veins and treatment options. The term thrombophlebitis means infection or inflammation of the veins associated with clot formation. (Canton Daily Ledger, IL)
My girls won't have the cancer jab Nov 18, 2008
Two of the most worrying reactions have been blood clots what might that be doing if you are one of the older girls on the pill. and 38 reports of an autoimmune disorder called Guillain-Barr syndrome that can cause paralysis. (Independent)
Simple new method detects contaminants in life-saving drug Nov 18, 2008
---The blood-thinning drug heparin is highly effective when used to prevent and treat blood clots in veins, arteries and lungs, but earlier this year its reputation as a lifesaver was sullied when contaminated heparin products caused serious allergic reactions that led to a large number of deaths. Now, University of Michigan researchers have demonstrated a simple, inexpensive method for detecting contaminants in heparin, a development that could prevent such tragedies in the future. (EurekAlert!)
Spearfish hospital, insurance fight hurts customers Nov 18, 2008
When your daughter is spitting up blood clots at 4 o clock in the morning. I don t think any reasonable person would drive to Sturgis or Rapid City. (Rapid City Journal, SD)
Readers write in about the pill, cleaning heating ducts Nov 17, 2008
Blood clots pose danger for smokers on the pill ... An often-overlooked risk factor, Kaunitz says, is weight: Studies show that obese women over 35 who take so-called combination pills increase their risk for dangerous blood clots ... Blood clots are a risk for all pill users, but the benefits of pill use including the avoidance of pregnancy, a major cause of blood clots outweigh the risks for younger or thinner women, he says. (USA Today -- News)
Heparin's Deadly Side Effects Nov 17, 2008
CZ-SPL makes a key ingredient, what in the pharmaceutical business is called an active pharmaceutical ingredient, or API, for a drug called heparin, a blood thinner that is widely used by kidney-dialysis and postsurgical patients to prevent blood clots. The team found little unusual and gave the facility a clean bill of health. (Time.com)
Heartworm Disease in Pets Nov 15, 2008
In addition to this a condition called thrombosis develops, which is characterized by blood clots and worms lodged in the arteries. Classes of Heartworm in Dogs (Merck and Co., Inc, 2008). (Suite101.com)
Understanding von Willebrand's Dise... Nov 14, 2008
The von Willebrand factor protein plays a crucial role in forming blood clots. It acts like glue, allowing the platelets to stick to each other and to the damaged vessel wall, eventually making a plug that stops the leakage of blood. (Suite101.com)
New Type of Stent Shows Promise Nov 13, 2008
But these also had limitations, namely late-stent thrombosis, or stent-related blood clots. "The drug-eluting stents are doing exactly what they were designed to do, which is inhibit the excessive tissue growth after the injury from the balloon angioplasty or bare metal stent platelet, and they are doing it well," Dehmer said. (MEDLINEplus)
Coated Stents Best for Heart Patients with Diabetes Nov 13, 2008
A second study, from French researchers, presented at the meeting detailed a way to give individually tailored doses of Plavix (clopidogrel) to patients who had undergone PCI that still reduced the risk of blood clots. Plavix is a notoriously tricky drug to deliver, as individual responses vary tremendously. (MEDLINEplus)
Taking Heart Medicine Beyond Heart Drugs Nov 13, 2008
Just about the last big class in development are drugs to prevent the blood clots that cause heart attacks and strokes. But these are risky, because so far they also increase bleeding. (Forbes -- Business)
Dual treatment for stroke leads to improved recovery rates, reduced mortality Nov 13, 2008
12, 2008) It appears that stroke patients who receive both intravenous thrombolysis a minimally invasive treatment that dissolves abnormal blood clots and endovascular interventions such as drugs and implanting medical devices are much more likely to recover and have lower chances of dying, according to new research by the Zeenat Qureshi Stroke Research Center at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Between 2003 and 2006, 33 consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke which... (EurekAlert!)
Ronan family hopes for leads on horse Nov 12, 2008
It all changed dramatically in 2002, when an independent study testing the safety of hormone replacement therapy reported that women taking the Premarin-type drug were prone to higher rates of heart attacks, blood clots, breast cancer and dementia. Demand dropped through the floor, and Wyeth began producing a lower-dose version of the medication. (Missoulian, MT)
Preventing anemia is important to kidney disease patients' quality of life Nov 12, 2008
Recent studies have shown an increased risk of death, blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks in patients with chronic kidney failure when erythropoiesis-stimulating agents are given at higher than recommended doses ... Other studies have found a link between the recommended doses of these drugs and an increased risk of death in patients with cancer and an increased risk of blood clots in patients following orthopedic surgery. (EurekAlert!)
Flu Shots May Cut Risk Of Blood Clots Forming In Veins Nov 11, 2008
10, 2008) Flu shots may reduce the risk of blood clots forming in veins by 26 percent, according to research presented at the American Heart Association s Scientific Sessions 2008 ... 8, 2007) Treatment with chemotherapy and bevacizumab, an anticancer drug, is associated with a greater risk of blood clots in patients' arteries compared with treatment with chemotherapy only, according to a. (Science Daily)
Education May Delay Alzheimer's Effects Nov 11, 2008
28, 2006) Spontaneous blood clots or debris from arterial disease in the brain (known as cerebral emboli) may hold the key to preventing or treating dementia, say researchers from the University of Manchester. . (Science Daily)
Cranberries, Coumadin don't mix Nov 11, 2008
Too much medicine can lead to bleeding, while too little may permit blood clots to form. Coumadin interacts with many foods. (Athens Banner-Herald)
Infection slows Patriots quarterback Brady's rehab Nov 11, 2008
Doctors fear nothing more than the development of infections and blood clots. If not caught quickly and treated properly, such complications can threaten a patient's life, never mind the success of a surgery. (Boston Globe -- Sports)
Flu Shots Lower Risk of Blood Clots Nov 11, 2008
Study found getting one reduced chances by 26. Sunday, November 9, 2008. (MEDLINEplus)
J&J's High-Wire Heart Drug Nov 11, 2008
There are two different ways the blood clots. Cell fragments called platelets clump together; Plavix and prasugrel block these. (Forbes -- Business)
Statins cut risk of stroke, heart attack in study Nov 10, 2008
So years ago Ridker invented a blood test to identify some of these people by detecting C-reactive protein, or CRP, a measurement of inflammation in arteries that suggests patients are prone to catastrophic blood clots. Because Brigham holds patents on the high-sensitivity CRP test, both the hospital and Ridker stand to profit handsomely from royalties if it becomes as common as a cholesterol screening. (Boston Globe)
Breakthrough study finds simple blood test may detect heart disease Nov 10, 2008
Statin medications such as rosuvastatin lower cholesterol by inhibiting an enzyme important to cholesterol synthesis, but are also known to prevent blood clots and curb inflammation. (). (Globe and Mail -- Business)
Flu Shots Reduce Blood Clots in Veins Nov 10, 2008
Flu shots may reduce the risk of blood clots forming in veins by 26 percent, according to research presented at the American Heart Associations Scientific Sessions 2008. Our study suggests for the first time that vaccination against influenza may reduce the risk of venous thrombotic embolism (VTE), said Joseph Emmerich, M.D., Ph. (Newsmax)
Can an Artificial Heart Replace the Real Thing? Nov 9, 2008
The prosthesis also uses new composite bio-tech materials, which are made from animal tissue and chemically treated to eliminate the risk of blood clots, Carpentier says, a problem that has plagued earlier alternatives. Most earlier mechanical hearts such as the seminal Jarvik 7 and other ventricular assist devices were not designed to replace diseased hearts entirely, but to assist impaired function and bridge heart patients to transplant. (Time.com)
Patients being moved to the new, improved -- smaller -- County-USC Nov 8, 2008
The new facility will have seven CT scanners -- devices that take pictures of the body's insides to look for internal bleeding, blood clots and cancer -- up from three at the old hospital. The new machines scan the chest, abdomen and pelvis in less than three minutes; the old machines take 30 minutes. (Los Angeles Times)
Innovative Deep Vein Thrombosis Treatment Yields Priceless Payoff Nov 7, 2008
With support from Kaplan's investment, Possis pioneered technology to save the lives and limbs of patients suffering from circulation-blocking blood clots. They manufactured medical machinery to quickly, safely and effectively remove deep vein thrombosis (DVT) the medical name for blood clots in the veins ... "You have to be aggressive in treating these larger blood clots in legs in order to have optimal outcomes," Wittenberg said. (PR Newswire)
Dad, 42, Dies After Routine Ankle Surgery Nov 7, 2008
His family claims post-operative instructions to administer a dose of medication to prevent deep vein thrombosis and blood clots were not carried out before he was discharged from the hospital. Less than a month later, Melchior collapsed on the floor of his home where he lost consciousness. (Fox News)
Attempted murder charges filed in January child abuse case Nov 7, 2008
According to an internet journal posting the progress of his condition, Logan underwent brain surgery after arriving at Children s Hospital to remove blood clots. Affidavit Information. (Alva Review Courier, OK)
Namibia: Mines, NGOs Clash Over Uranium Report Nov 6, 2008
"I once slipped and injured my foot, which then got swollen, the skin turned yellowish and water came out.I asked the medical doctors to take out the blood clots in my foot but they refused and later on my leg became swollen and this condition also befell my other leg and my lower body.I am in pain and cannot sit, walk or stand for a long time," Ndeshikeva said and showed the audience his swollen legs. According to Roessing it has not had the time to consider the report in detail. (allAfrica.com)
The Incredible Shrinking Scanner: MRI-like Machine Becomes Portable Nov 5, 2008
They have envisioned, for example, paramedics using a helmetlike MRI scanner to pinpoint blood clots in the brain of a stroke victim while still inside a speeding ambulance. And they have imagined a handheld NMR spectroscope that could discern the chemical makeup of pigments, thus permitting art experts to distinguish old-master paintings hanging in museums and galleries from modern fakes. (Scientific American)
Optimal Dose Of Vitamin E Maximizes Benefits, Minimizes Risk Nov 5, 2008
4, 2008) Vitamin E has been heralded for its ability to reduce the risk of blood clots, heart attack, and sudden death. Yet in some people, vitamin E causes bleeding. (Science Daily)
Women and Cigarette Smoking Nov 3, 2008
Women who smoke and take birth control have an increased risk for strokes, heart attacks, and blood clots. Female smokers have an alarmingly younger age for a first heart attack compared to men who smoke: women who smoke have a first heart attack (on the average) at about age 66, compared to women who don't smoke (81. (Suite101.com)
Nature study demonstrates that bacterial clotting depends on clustering Nov 3, 2008
Bacteria shown to cause blood clots ... It also has been known that bacteria can activate factors that precede coagulation, but it had not previously been known that bacteria can pass the coagulation threshold and cause blood clots to form. (EurekAlert!)
Statins for clots? Nov 2, 2008
STATINS, the class of drugs commonly used for lowering cholesterol, are now showing promise at preventing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or blood clots. New research presented at CHEST 2008, the 74th annual international scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), suggests that the use of statins may be associated with a significant reduction in the occurrence of venous thromboembolism (VTE), a condition that includes DVT and pulmonary embolism, in patients with solid... (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Leeds couple driven mad by three leaks in three weeks Nov 1, 2008
Platelets, conceived by Brinker Technology for use in the oil and gas industry, are based on the medical concept of sticky platelets found in the human bloodstream and are key in the formation of blood clots that stem bleeding. They have been given British Standard approval and deemed safe enough to come into contact with drinking water. (Yorkshire Evening Post)
Friend or foe? How the body's clot-busting system speeds up atherosclerosis Oct 31, 2008
Naturally produced in the body, urokinase plasminogen activator and plasminogen interact to break up blood clots and recruit clean-up cells to clear away debris related to inflammation ... However, despite the efficacy of urokinase and plasmin in clearing blood clots, evidence has shown that humans with a high baseline level of blood plasmin are at increased risk for heart attacks and for fast-developing forms of atherosclerosis ... These associations between plasmin, urokinase and increased... (EurekAlert!)
Statins Show Promise For Blood Clot Prevention Oct 30, 2008
29, 2008) Statins, the class of drugs commonly used for lowering cholesterol, are now showing promise at preventing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or blood clots, an affliction that occurs in nearly 2 million Americans each year. See also. (Science Daily)
Clean bill of health: Kevin Feeley survived cancer, but the bills are piling up Oct 30, 2008
In March, he returned to the hospital with a pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lungs). "He was just getting sicker and sicker," Amanda said. (Ames Daily Tribune, IA)
DNA Research Taking Guesswork Out Of Finding The 'Therapeutic Window' Oct 29, 2008
That would allow doctors to prescribe the correct dosage of Warfarin and decrease the risk of adverse drug reactions: Too low a dose can increase the risk of dangerous blood clots, while too large can cause life-threatening bleeding. What may be equally noteworthy about Krynetskiy s and Patel s research is that more than half the participants are either African American or Hispanic, two groups underrepresented in clinical trials. (Science Daily)
Common Heart Drugs May Hamper Blood Thinner Oct 29, 2008
Studying 200 people who were taking Plavix after artery-opening procedures and stent placement, the University of Vienna researchers found a higher level of activity of platelets -- the blood cells that can clump together to form blood clots -- in those also taking calcium channel blockers. "Moreover, intake of calcium channel blockers was associated with adverse clinical outcome," the researchers wrote. (MEDLINEplus)
Osteoporosis Meds Linked to Heart Problem Oct 29, 2008
A review of available research concludes that these medications may increase the risk of atrial fibrillation -- an erratic heart rhythm that can lead to blood clots that may cause heart attacks or strokes. "In addition to possible gastrointestinal side effects, bisphosphonates can have possible cardiac side effects. For serious cases of atrial fibrillation, there was a significant increase in risk -- about 68 percent," said review lead author Dr. Jennifer Miranda, an internal medicine resident... (MEDLINEplus)
Statins Lower Risk of Clots in Cancer Patients Oct 29, 2008
MONDAY, Oct. 27 (HealthDay News) -- A class of drugs widely used to lower cholesterol may have a future in preventing blood clots in patients with breast, lung, colon and other solid-organ cancers. Research from scientists at the Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia found that cancer patients taking statins had a lower incidence of clots than did patients not taking the medications. (MEDLINEplus)
Earlier HIV Treatment May Be Better, Study Finds Oct 29, 2008
A study released earlier this month showed that patients infected with HIV who take breaks from HAART are more likely to die of heart attacks, strokes and other deadly blood clots. An estimated 33 million people globally are infected with the AIDS virus. (MEDLINEplus)
Artificial Heart Gives New Hope to Patients Oct 29, 2008
But none of these seem to have succeeded in resolving most complex long-term problems, such as infections and above all, the blood clots ... "The risks of blood clots are limited with this new artificial heart because of the use of biosynthetic tissues," Coulombier explained ... "Also, the smooth shape of the internal ventricles allows a complete and rapid wash of these ventricles in order to avoid having stagnant blood in some areas of the heart and thus the formation of blood clots,"... (ABC News)
Statins Lower PSA Levels Oct 29, 2008
Studies have suggested a number of other benefits including protecting against Alzheimer's disease, dying from pneumonia or developing dangerous blood clots. Research has been less clear about statins and cancer. (Newsmax)
Now, an artificial heart that beats Oct 29, 2008
In particular, he used his expertise as a world authority in artificial heart valves to overcome the problem of blood clots -- the main stumbling block in other attempts to build an artificial heart. He did this by using specially sterilised "bioprosthetic" pig cartilage and by replicating the exact same blood flow -- or hemodynamics -- of the human heart that reduce blood clot risks. (India Times, India -- Health/Science)
Statins May Reduce Pneumonia Deaths Oct 28, 2008
Cholesterol-fighting drugs known as statins reduced the risk of dying from pneumonia or developing dangerous blood clots in the legs, adding to a growing list of benefits from the popular drugs, two research groups said on Monday ... Separately, researchers at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia found that statins may help prevent the development of deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, in which blood clots form usually in the lower leg or thigh. (Newsmax)
Brady received treatments on infected knee; long-term prognosis still unclear Oct 25, 2008
Along with blood clots, septic joints are the complication orthopedic surgeons fear the most. While infections can occur under the best circumstances, that has not lessened the second-guessing of Brady's decision to undergo surgery outside Boston and away from team doctors. (Boston Globe)
Gardasil Passes a 2-Year Safety Check Oct 25, 2008
This Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) project finds no "signal" linking Gardasil to eight safety problems, including blood clots, allergic reactions, stroke, seizure, or Guillain-Barre syndrome. An independent academic group, the Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment Network (CISA), finds no link between Gardasil and disorders of the central () or peripheral (or Guillain-Barre syndrome) nervous systems. (WebMD)
Heart Failure Patients Have Higher Risk Of Fractures Oct 25, 2008
Hip fracture severely reduces mobility and increases the risk of lung infections and blood clots, Ezekowitz said. To make this worse, some patients with heart failure aren t candidates for surgical intervention because of the underlying heart disease. (Science Daily)
HPV Vaccine -- So Far, So Good Oct 24, 2008
The CDC is hearing several reports, all reinforcing the vaccine's safety: no blood clots, allergic reactions, strokes, seizures, or nerve swelling. A few cases of severe allergic reactions were reported in Australia. (KDKA)
CDC panel recommends vaccination for smokers Oct 24, 2008
A review of more than 375,000 doses administered over two years did not find increased risk for blood clots, seizures, Guillain-Barre syndrome or other serious medical problems, according to the CDC's Allen. The vaccine, which the CDC recommends for females between the ages of 11 and 26, protects against four types of human papillomavirus, which causes cervical cancer and is spread through sexual contact. (Los Angeles Times)
Amgen Profits Surge on Reduced Expenses Oct 23, 2008
The Food and Drug Administration has repeatedly updated warning labels on Aranesp and another Amgen drug, Epogen, to warn of risks of blood clots and tumor growth. The drugs are used to treat the blood disorder anemia when it is caused by chemotherapy and kidney failure. (ABC News -- Wire)
US: Female immigrants must get cancer vaccine Oct 23, 2008
The 6 percent that were deemed serious included 20 deaths as well blood clots and several cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, an autoimmune disease that can lead to paralysis. There is no evidence that Gardasil caused the deaths or led to Guillain-Barre, the FDA says. (Houston Chronicle)
Rising drug costs put lives at risk Oct 22, 2008
The biggest drops were in medicines to prevent ulcers, osteoporosis, asthma and dangerous blood clots. This would inevitably affect people's health, requiring extra doctor visits and hospital admissions, Dr Hynd said. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Heart Failure Raises Risk of Fractures Oct 22, 2008
The higher incidence of hip fractures is especially worrying, he said, since, "they can be seriously debilitating for older folks, increasing the risk of blood clots to the legs and development of pneumonia.". "First, we need appropriate treatment of osteoporosis for patients with heart failure," Ezekowitz said. (MEDLINEplus)
Heart Failure Boosts Bone Fracture Risk Oct 21, 2008
Fractures, especially those affecting the hip bones, can be fatal by increasing the risk of serious lung infections and major blood clots. Thirty percent of patients who suffer a hip fracture die within one year. (CBS News)
AIDS virus may cause clots Oct 21, 2008
HIV may cause dangerous blood clots ... WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The AIDS virus, HIV, may cause blood clots and other problems with blood vessels that can kill patients prematurely even if they are relatively healthy, researchers reported on Monday. (Reuters India)
Police arrest man suspected of shooting Jaguars' Collier Oct 20, 2008
A bullet severed his spinal cord, causing the paralysis, and his left leg had to be amputated because of blood clots. The 26-year-old was on a ventilator for two weeks and endured infections, bouts of pneumonia and renal failure. (USA Today -- Sports)
Gold standard Oct 19, 2008
These drugs, which are usually given by intravenous drip, activate an enzyme which breaks down blood clots restoring blood-flow. A national service framework for coronary heart disease launched in 2000 set a target that all eligible patients should receive thrombolysis within an hour of calling the health service. (BBC News -- UK)
