Health News

Contraceptive Side Effects
Certain birth control pills are more likely to cause serious blood clots than others. The newer forms of progesterone combined with hormonal contraceptives carry a higher risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) than older forms of the pill.
Blood Type Vs. Heart Surgery Risk
Patients with a certain blood type may have a naturally lower risk of dying after heart surgery. Two added blood proteins mean that patients with AB blood are 20 percent are more likely to survive.
Soy Protein Reduces Clogged Artery Progression
There may be a window shortly after menopause in which women can slow the development of clogged arteries through a method as simple as taking soy protein supplements.
Stents Help the Medicine Go Down
Patients who have previously suffered from a blood vessel blockage and received a medication-coated stent to prop the artery open may have a lower risk of developing another blockage or having a heart attack.
Shorten Up Medications After Stenting
For patients with coronary disease, taking medication to prevent blood clots for up to two years provides no additional benefit in avoiding adverse heart events as compared to taking it for six months.
A New Generation of Heart Stents
Treatments are improving for heart attack patients with obstructed blood vessels. Newer technologies are both safer and more effective.
Preventing Strokes in Arrhythmia Patients
Atrial fibrillation, a common heart arrhythmia, is generally treated with a standard drug warfarin. However, a study suggests a new drug might provide the same treatment, but with a lower risk of stroke and embolism.
Vein Condition May Lead to Deadly Blood Clot
It's not uncommon for individuals to get small blood clots in veins just beneath the skin that easily heal without treatment. However, it may put those patients at a higher risk of developing a deadly blood clot.
Online Tool Identifies Blood Clot Risk
Most individuals have no idea whether they are at risk for a serious blood clot. A new online tool featuring simple questions patients can answer may help identify those in need of preventative treatment.
Limited Stent Use Successful
Some patients with coronary blockage benefit from medicine-coated stents to prop the artery open. A new study confirms stents are safe with limited use.