Heart(y) News, December 18

Some heart(y) updates for you on the weekend before Christmas…

Artificial heart patient who received dual transplant celebrates 1st Christmas at home with 2-year-old son & fiancée
Because a successful dual heart and kidney transplant earlier this year, 46-year old Chuck Besen can finally celebrate Christmas at home with 2-year son Dylan and his fiancée Jennifer Hokanson. Last Christmas, he was still Total Artificial Heart while waiting for a matching donor heart and kidney.

“Today, I just thank God I’m alive. The Total Artificial Heart not only saved my life, but allowed me to get strong enough to undergo my dual transplant”

FDA advisory panel votes in favor of broadened rosuvastatin indication
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee voted earlier this week for the expansion of rosuvastatin indication. Rosuvastatin (Crestor) to patients with normal LDL-cholesterol levels but nevertheless are at low to moderate risk for cardiovascular disease based on elevated levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). The favourable decision was mainly based on results of the JUPITER study which showed that rosuvastatin can reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality by 44%. Crestor manufactured by AstraZeneca.

Scientific Panel Evaluates Soy Formula Safety
An independent panel consisting of 14 scientists met last December 16 to evaluate the most current research evidence on soy infant formula to determine whether exposure is a risk to human development. Soy has always been thought to have cardiovascular benefits. However, it contains high levels of isoflavones such as genistein, daidzein, and glycitein. These isoflavones are naturally occurring phytoestrogens that mimic the action of the female hormone estrogen. There have been reports of these phytoestrogens adversely affecting development. The panel is convened by the Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR) of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP).

Medicines Company recalls specific lots of CCB Cleviprex
The Medicines Company has announced a voluntary recall of specific lots of its calcium-channel blocker Cleviprex earlier this week. Cleviprex (clevidipine butyrate) is an injectable emulsion indicated for blood-pressure lowering in patients in whom oral medications are not feasible or desirable.

Free iPhone Application teaches Hands-On CPR
A new application for hand-held devices such as iPhone can help bystanders apply the life-saving procedure of CPR. The Hands-Only CPR App can downloaded for free at iTunes Similar applications will soon be also available for Blackberry, Palm Pre, and Android (Google) platforms.

Photo credit: stock.xchng