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New Internet Survey Reveals That Almost 8 Out Of 10 UK Doctors Feel Alzheimer's Disease Is Undertreated
The IMPACT (Important Perspectives on Alzheimer"s Care & Treatment) study explored the views of 1800 people - physicians (GPs and specialists),1 Alzheimer"s carers,1 payors1 and the general public1 in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK
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Depression May Increase Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease In People With Memory Problems
People with memory problems who are depressed are more likely to develop Alzheimer"s disease compared to people who are not depressed, according to a study published in the June 16, 2009, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. However, the research also shows that the popular Alzheimer"s drug donepezil may delay the progression to Alzheimer"s disease for depressed people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or memory problems.
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FDA Classifies Previously Announced Medtronic Physician Advisory On Small Subset Of Kappa And Sigma Pacemakers As Class I Recall
Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified Medtronic"s previously announced physician advisory about a small subset of Kappa® and Sigma® series pacemakers, identified at increased susceptibility for separation of bonded interconnect wires from the electronic circuit, as a Class I recall. Notification to U.S. FDA, physicians and patients began May 18, 2009. As of the date of this news release, more than 95 percent of physicians following affected devices in the United States have confirmed receipt of the notification. The FDA"s classification of Medtronic"s Important Patient Safety Information does not alter the patient management recommendations already provided in the May 2009 letter, and physicians need not take any new action.
Oncology

Heparin Use Prior To Endoscopic Vein Harvest Improves Graft Patency In Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Patients

MAQUET Cardiovascular LLC announced that data presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery show that administration of a heparin bolus with doses as low as 2500U prior to endoscopic vein harvest (EVH) was associated with improved acute saphenous vein (SV) graft patency in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB). Pre-heparinization was also linked to a significant reduction in the incidence and volume of residual clot strands within the vein. In EVH, a small incision is made in the leg, through which an endoscope is passed and the vein harvested for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procedures. This method reduces patient discomfort and scarring. EVH also significantly reduces wound complications and hastens recovery time compared to traditional techniques that involve a long incision to expose the entire length of the vein. "In our experience, the impact of pre-heparinization on surgical bleeding is minimal, making it a promising strategy that may improve patient outcomes with minimally invasive vein harvesting," said lead investigator Robert Poston, M.D., Chief, Division of Cardiac Surgery, Boston University. The prospective study examined acute patency rates in 460 patients that underwent OPCAB using veins acquired through EVH, comparing patients receiving no heparin prior to harvest (n=306) to those who received one of three doses of heparin prior to the procedure (n=181). A subset of the most recent 110 patients underwent catheter-based infrared imaging (OCT) of the full tract of harvested SV in order to measure residual clot within the vein. Overall, vein graft patency was 98.9 percent in patients treated with heparin compared to 95.2 percent in the controls (pAbout MAQUET Cardiovascular MAQUET Cardiovascular LLC is a division of MAQUET Medical Systems, part of the publicly listed Swedish group of companies GETINGE AB. MAQUET Cardiovascular was recently formed by combining MAQUET Cardiopulmonary with Boston Scientific"s Vascular Surgery and Cardiac Surgery divisions, which includes the products and services of Guidant Cardiac Surgery and the VASOVIEW endoscopic vessel harvesting system. The creation of this new organization enables MAQUET to offer a comprehensive array of patient care solutions for less-invasive endoscopic vessel harvesting, off- and on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery and vascular grafts. MAQUET has 170 years of healthcare experience, and is committed to becoming "The Gold Standard" for therapeutic medical equipment across the globe. As a market leader, MAQUET offers innovative medical solutions from three divisions: Surgical Workplaces, Critical Care and Cardiovascular. MAQUET Cardiovascular LLC


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