Study of smoking and genetics illuminates complexities of blood pressure
Analyzing the genetics and smoking habits of more than half a million people has shed new light on the complexities of controlling blood pressure, according to a study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The research, published Feb. 15 in The American Journal of Human Genetics, stems from an […]
Winter 2018 WashU Alumni Newsletter (pdf) (Links to an external site)
Taking Cancer Survival to Heart – With a new director hired and a dedicated training pathwayestablished, the Cardiovascular Division is gearing up to expand its cardiooncologyprogram in a big way. This year, the Division will jumpstart a robust clinical trials program and will increase both staff and locations for subspecialty cardiooncology clinics.
Deadly heart rhythm halted by noninvasive radiation therapy
Radiation therapy often is used to treat cancer patients. Now, doctors at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have shown that radiation therapy — aimed directly at the heart — can be used to treat patients with a life-threatening heart rhythm. They treated five patients who had irregular heart rhythms, called ventricular tachycardia, […]
Aggressive testing provides no benefit to patients in ER with chest pain
Patients who go to the emergency room (ER) with chest pain often receive unnecessary tests to evaluate whether they are having a heart attack, a practice that provides no clinical benefit and adds hundreds of dollars in health-care costs, according to a new study from researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. […]
Drug trial shows promise for deadly neurological disorder
Results of a small clinical trial show promise for treating a rare neurodegenerative condition that typically kills those afflicted before they reach age 20. The disease, called Niemann-Pick type C (NPC), causes cholesterol to build up in neurons, leading to a gradual loss of brain function. In the drug trial, researchers have shown that treatment […]
Summer 2017 WashU Alumni Newsletter (pdf) (Links to an external site)
Honoring the Past, Creating the Future – Cardiovascular Division Celebrates 70 Years – The Cardiovascular Division is on an upward trajectory. Over the past five years, the Division has made growth of the clinical and research programs a top strategic priority. The result is theaddition of a number of talented clinical and research faculty, the […]
Type of sugar may treat atherosclerosis, mouse study shows
Researchers have long sought ways to harness the body’s immune system to treat disease, especially cancer. Now, scientists have found that the immune system may be triggered to treat atherosclerosis and possibly other metabolic conditions, including fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes. Studying mice, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis […]