A study shows that high fitness levels modify the impact that body mass index has on the metabolic syndrome score in children and could reduce the risk for obesity-related comorbidities. Medscape Medical News
Public-health measures to increase folic-acid intake in Canada were followed by a decrease in the prevalence of severe congenital heart disease at birth, supporting the hypothesis that folic acid has a preventive effect on this outcome, researchers say. Heartwire
Results of the ACT II study suggest that the investigational antiarrhythmic may help almost half of all patients who develop atrial fibrillation or flutter after CABG or valve surgery. Heartwire
Think hypertension is just a "nuisance" condition? This month details the various manifestations of its enormous impact on the overall health status of developed societies. Medscape Cardiology
In type 2 diabetic patients with good glycemic control, additional reduction of postprandial hyperglycemia with nateglinide prevents the progression of atherosclerosis, according to a study conducted in Japan and published in the November issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology. Reuters Health Information
Metabolic syndrome is highly prevalent among acute myocardial infarction patients aged 45 years and younger, according to a report in the October 1st issue of the American Journal of Cardiology. Reuters Health Information
The obesity paradox -- an unexpected decrease in morbidity and mortality with increasing BMI, which has been described in patients with heart failure and those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention -- exists in patients with hypertension and coronary artery disease (CAD) as well, new study findings show. Reuters Health Information
Pretransplant seropositivity for Toxoplasma gondii is associated with worse outcomes after heart transplant, according to a report in the November 13th issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Reuters Health Information
ST-segment elevation that persists after coronary revascularization is associated with left ventricular (LV) aneurysm formation in more than one-quarter of cases, according to a new study appearing online in the journal Heart. Reuters Health Information
The current published reports on the relationship between inflammation and AF and the potential therapeutic options available to modulate the inflammatory milieu in AF are analyzed. Journal of the American College of Cardiology
