Angioplasty

(Newser) - A Texas appellate court threw out a $32 million verdict against Merck today, citing a lack of evidence that Vioxx contributed to a man’s fatal heart attack. Lionel Garza was taking the painkiller when he died in 2001 at age 71, but was also a smoker with high blood pressure and high cholesterol, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Garza case was decided by verdict in 2006, and was excluded from a recent $4.85 billion settlement for 27,000 Vioxx cases. More »

(Newser) - Beta blockers routinely given to patients before surgery do far more harm than good, with patients 35% more likely to die within a month than those given a dummy pill, according to a study reported in the Lancet.   While the blood pressure drugs did cut the number of heart complications, the risk of stroke doubled, researchers discovered. More »

(Newser) - Heavy users of marijuana have elevated levels of a protein that can raise the risk of heart disease, stroke and heart attacks, according to US government researchers.  The drug apparently causes the liver to overproduce the protein, raising serious health issues for long-term smokers, researchers warned. The survey studied people who smoked 78 to 350 joints a week, Reuters reports. More »

(Newser) - Migraine headaches have been linked to more serious health problems by a number of new studies, the Boston Globe reports. People who suffer from migraines, especially those involving visual disturbances, have higher risk of heart attacks and strokes. Doctors aren't sure why, but are increasingly treating migraines as warning signs rather than mere inconveniences. More »

(Newser) - If you’re overweight or obese, exercise alone doesn't appear to reduce risk of heart disease, according to a study that pokes a hole in the “fit but fat” theory. The study followed nearly 39,000 women over 11 years, and found even active overweight women were 54% more likely to develop heart disease. For the obese, that figure ballooned to 87%, the AP reports. More »

(Newser) - Two new studies have linked the popular prescription drugs Fosamax and Avandia to serious side effects, Reuters reports. Fosamax, prescribed for osteoporosis, has been tied to a type of abnormal heartbeat that can cause dizziness and fatigue. Another study links Avandia, used to treat diabetes, to a double or even triple risk of broken limbs after long-term use. More »

(Newser) - The Food and Drug Administration repeatedly approved experiments using artificial blood despite data showing the products to be dangerous, the Washington Post reports. Investigators from the National Institutes of Health found heart attack risk tripled and death increased by 30% for subjects in 16 studies testing five kinds of artificial blood, which, it is hoped, will ultimately provide alternative transfusions. More »

(Newser) - Children with ADHD should have their hearts checked for abnormalities before starting treatment with Ritalin or other stimulants, the American Heart Association warns. Serious heart problems have occurred in only a small fraction of the millions of children being treated for ADHD, but the group's experts say it's enough for concern, Reuters reports. More »