A new survey suggests that the risk of having a stroke is greatly underestimated by most people in the UK.Strokes are caused by bleeds or clots in the brain and research has shown that up to 40% of strokes could be prevented by lifestyle change
Better management of asthma in the community is not only possible, but has the potential to reduce the impact of the disease on people's lives, according to a report by the Australian Centre for
Children who suffer from a rare disease called progeria, which accelerates aging and often kills patients when they are in their teens, may possibly be helped by drugs being developed to treat cancer.Researchers in the U.S. have found that a gr
The screening is essential for diabetics in order to prevent amputation, heart attack and stroke, because one-third have PAD, but most do not present classic symptoms.Legs For Life is the
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease, marked with joint pain and erosion. The course of RA can vary considerably, from mild to crippling, and is difficult to predict. On the strength of patient case histories and clinical trials,
According to a British professor dyslexia, an illness which afflicts millions of people is over diagnosed, and a "construct" with no scientific basis which had gained worldwide currency.Julian Elliott, professor of education at
The number of hospitalizations for heart failure is about the same as for acute myocardial infarction. Our knowledge over acute heart failure patients treated at hospitals for heart failure is based on surveys. In Europe the information is still scarce
Chronic heart failure (CHF) is common, deadly, disabling, costly but fortunately - treatable. During the last ten to 15 years, treatment of CHF has been dramatically improved by pharmacological therapy and devices. Treatment also has become more compli
Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a frequent syndrome with an increasing prevalence. It is a frequent cause of impeding symptoms, has a negative prognosis and absorbs about two percent of the budgets of health-care systems in the industrialized nations.
Increased levels of physical activity are known today to be one of the most powerful protective factors against cardiovascular disease and its progression. There are a wide variety of epidemiologic and interventional studies demonstrating that
"The American Diabetes Association is committed to finding a cure for diabetes, as well as to finding better treatment options for individuals with diabetes until a cure is available," said Lynn B. Nicholas, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer, American Diabetes Association. "Stem cell research holds much promise in the search for better treatment and for a cure for the more than 18 million Americans with diabetes. By expanding the number of stem cell lines that are eligible for federally funded research while also implementing strong ethical guidelines to improve federal oversight, H.R.810 not only provides hope to patients with type 1 diabetes but also for all Americans with diabetes who are in need of significantly improved treatment options. We urge Members of Congress to vote in favor of this legislation."
Although the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the country's leading research institution, the work it can carry out in the area of stem cell research is severely limited due to current federal policy. Federal regulations that President Bush announced in 2001 have restricted the number of human embryonic stem cell lines available for federally-funded research, and attempted usage of those lines has demonstrated that the number of adequate lines is even smaller than expected. A significant expansion in the number of available lines is necessary in order to fully reap the medical rewards of stem cell research.
Stem cell research allows scientists to better explore how to control and direct stem cells so they can grow into other cells, such as insulin-producing beta cells found in the pancreas. Creating new beta cells could mean a cure for type 1 diabetes as they would serve as a replenishable source of cells for islet cell transplantation. They could also provide a powerful tool for controlling type 2 diabetes.
While embryonic stem cell research has only taken place in the last decade, researchers have made several advances to demonstrate its potential for scientific progress, and they now understand pieces of the framework for how this research could benefit diabetes. Already, many of the genes involved in pancreatic development have been identified, and recent discoveries have allowed scientists to overcome the difficult task of getting stem cells to produce the necessary proteins -- in the correct sequence -- that will allow them to become insulin-producing islet cells.
"The current state of science around human embryonic stem cell research is at the very early stages in this country, in large part because of the current restrictions on federal funding," said Alan D. Cherrington, PHD, Chairman of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and President of the American Diabetes Association. "Because of the benefit that stem cell research promises to hold for millions of Americans, the American Diabetes Association believes that such research should be allowed to accelerate and progress within the strict ethical guidelines put forward by H.R. 810."
Diabetes is one of this nation's most prevalent, debilitating, deadly and costly diseases. While 18.2 million Americans live with diabetes today, estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that one in three Americans born in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime. In 2002, one in 10 healthcare dollars went towards diabetes care. The cost of diabetes in America in 2002 was at least $132 billion.
http://www.diabetes.org/