cardiovascular system Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Johnson & Johnson Pays $1.7b for Innovative Israeli Heart Failure Treatment

The AHA! Team — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 16:53:45 +0000

Zachy Hennessey via Israel21c – Big pharma giant shells out $1.7 billion for Israeli company V-Wave, and expects to earn enough to purchase a gumball — in the short term, at least. Global healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J) announced on Tuesday that it will acquire Israeli startup V-Wave for up to $1.7 billion, in a strategic move by J&J to bolster its position in the fast-growing congestive heart failure market, which is projected to reach $30 billion globally by 2030. The $1.7b. deal is the 10th biggest acquisition in Israel’s history. It will see J&J pay $600 million upfront, with an additional $1.1 billion in potential milestone payments tied to regulatory approvals and commercial performance targets. The acquisition is expected to provide a modest boost to J&J’s earnings, contributing an estimated 24 cents per share in 2024 and 6 cents per share in 2025. However, the true value of the deal likely lies in the long-term growth potential of V-Wave’s innovative heart failure treatment technology. V-Wave’s flagship product, the Ventura Interatrial Shunt (IAS), is an implantable device designed to alleviate the elevated left atrial pressure that plagues patients with congestive heart failure. The minimally invasive IAS procedure aims to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events and hospitalizations for those suffering from heart failure with reduced ejection fraction – a condition where the heart muscle is unable to effectively pump blood. By creating a shunt between the left and right atriums, the device helps to relieve pressure buildup in the left atrium, potentially improving patient outcomes and quality of life. The acquisition comes at a critical time for J&J, as the company prepares to face increased competition for its blockbuster psoriasis drug Stelara, which is set to lose patent protection next year. In response, the healthcare giant has been actively pursuing mergers and acquisitions to bolster its pipeline and drive future growth. “We know V-Wave well, with our relationship dating back to our original investment in the company in 2016, and we have a deep understanding of the technology and science, as well as the company’s commitment to patients,” said Tim Schmid, Executive Vice President and Worldwide Chairman of Johnson & Johnson MedTech. Earlier this year, J&J announced the $13.1 billion acquisition of Shockwave Medical Earlier this year, J&J announced the $13.1 billion acquisition of Shockwave Medical, a move aimed at expanding its cardiovascular device portfolio. The company has also recently acquired Numab’s skin disorder drug for $1.25 billion and Proteologix for $850 million. “At V-Wave, we are dedicated to achieving our vision to help patients around the world – and we know Johnson & Johnson MedTech shares this mission,” said Dr. Neal Eigler, CEO of V-Wave. “We look forward to continuing to build a world where cardiovascular disease is prevented, treated and cured.” To read the original article click here.

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10 Great Reasons to Love the Pomegranate

AHA Publisher — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 07:00:41 +0000

Abigail Klein Leichman via Israel21c – Coaxing the edible seeds out of a pomegranate is a popular how-to topic. Some swear by the whack-with-a-wooden-spoon method; others massage out those ruby-red arils in a bowl of water to keep things neat. Any way you choose to undertake this task, it’s worth your effort. And not only because the juicy seeds add visual flair and a sweet-tart pop to a variety of dishes. The main reason it’s worth risking stained fingers and countertops: Pomegranates have almost unbelievable healing and health-protective properties. The regal-looking fruit ripens on Israeli trees just in time for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana. Farms from north to south produce around 40,000 tons of fresh pomegranates every year, about half for export. You can use it as a pretty centerpiece and serve the juicy seeds for a nutritious cocktail of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins including C, E, K and B9 (folate). Here are 10 reasons to put pomegranates on your plate. 1. Pomegranates protect your cardiovascular system Prof. Michael Aviram from Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center was the first to discover that powerful flavonoid antioxidants in pomegranates help prevent atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), the leading cause of cardiovascular disease. He also found that drinking pomegranate juice for a year reduced study participants’ systolic blood pressure by 12 percent. (If you are on blood pressure and cholesterol medications like statins, consult your doctor before drinking pomegranate juice.) 2. Pomegranates vs. diabetes Another study led by Aviram showed that pomegranate juice may be beneficial for people with diabetes because its natural sugar isn’t “free” but is firmly attached to its antioxidants and therefore does not cause blood sugar to spike. This feature may help decrease insulin resistance and lower blood sugar. This could be why pomegranates have long been used as a remedy for diabetes in the Middle East and India. 3. Pomegranates protect your brain Israeli pomegranate-sourced punicic acid is the active ingredient in GranaGard, a brain-protective food supplement invented by experimental neurologist Ruth Gabizon from Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center in Jerusalem, and Hebrew University nanotechnology expert Shlomo Magdassi. An Israeli study last year proved GranaGard significantly improved cognitive function in multiple sclerosis patients experiencing cognitive difficulties associated with the disease. While nerve cell damage is irreversible, GranaGard seems to prevent or slow neurodegeneration and reduce symptoms caused by neurodegenerative diseases or aging. 4. Pomegranates keep you looking young In Chinese medicine, pomegranate juice is a longevity treatment. The secret here is probably the fruit’s punicic acid, a rare omega-5 conjugated fatty acid that has been shown to improve skin tone and elasticity. Clinical studies suggest that by eating pomegranate, or by using skin care products that include it, pomegranate extracts protect skin from UV damage, lessen sun-induced “age spots” and reduce symptoms of inflammatory skin conditions such as acne and eczema. Israeli natural beauty company, Shavit, has a whole range of products infused with pomegranate extracts. 5. Pomegranates protect unborn babies Infection, inflammation, or a combination of both, in a mother’s womb can lead to neurological damage in her baby. Researchers from Rambam Medical Center and Technion – Israel Institute of Technology found that drinking pomegranate juice during pregnancy can reduce the risk of inflammation in the womb and inflammation-induced fetal brain injury. Once again, this effect is due to the fruit’s strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. “This is the first study of its kind aiming to understand how to use the pomegranate, which has known health benefits, to prevent a problem that, under certain conditions, passes from mother to child,” said co-author Zeev Wiener, chief of OB/GYN at Rambam. 6. Pomegranates protect your teeth A dental study in India showed that rinsing the mouth with pomegranate juice decreased colony-forming units of dental plaque microorganisms by 32 percent. This indicates that pomegranates could help prevent tooth decay and gum disease. 7. Pomegranates may keep you trim Many studies have explored the effects of pomegranate extracts in fighting obesity. According to one such study, the fat-reduction effects are related to the fruit’s anthocyanins, tannins and strong antioxidants. 8. Pomegranates ease digestive ills Pomegranate seeds are known to alleviate a range of problems in the digestive tract, including stomachaches and hemorrhoids. Pomegranate rind tea helps treat diarrhea, dysentery, mouth sores and throat irritation. Pomegranate bark tea can rid the body of intestinal parasites. And pomegranate juice may be beneficial for people with inflammatory bowel diseases. 9. Pomegranates boost sports endurance and performance Various studies indicate that drinking pomegranate juiceenhances endurance, strength performance, and post-workout recovery due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. It was found helpful in reducing muscle soreness and increasing blood flow in exercisers as well. 10. Pomegranates will get even better in the future The Israeli government’s Agricultural Research Organization-Volcani Center has been researching pomegranates for 40 years. Doron Holland, head of the Volcani Center’s Fruit Tree Sciences Unit, studies pomegranate metabolites and genetics, and uses his findings to breed (not genetically engineer) cultivars that can grow in desert conditions and produce fruit that matures earlier and has enhanced color and taste. “We are working hard on raising the nutritional value of pomegranates,” he tells ISRAEL21c. “Our work is focused on genetic control of metabolites with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant content.” While the scientists are busy working on that, here’s a pomegranate sorbet you can whip up today. To read the original article click here.

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Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess Chapter One: What Happens When We Don’t Use Our Minds Correctly

AHA Publisher — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 08:00:41 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – Sometimes it feels like we live in a world characterized by fear. People are fearful about their health, the economy, their jobs, the future, corruption, crime, and their feelings of powerlessness. The cost of this fear is toxic thoughts, toxic stress, anxiety, and depression, which in turn increase our vulnerability to disease. The end result of this fear, anxiety, and illness cycle, if we don’t manage it with our minds, is a society dependent on external factors such as painkillers, medications, wellness fads, and skyrocketing health costs to fix us. But what if there was another way? What if the answer lay inside of you? What if you held the key? Most people understand the need to live a healthy lifestyle, even if they don’t fully understand the impact of their lifestyle choices on disease processes. What many people don’t recognize is the need for proper mind-management and how it both supports and sustains a healthy lifestyle. When our thinking is toxic, it can mess up the stress response, which then starts working against us instead of for us. This, in turn, can make us more vulnerable to disease, which is why many researchers now believe that toxic stress is responsible for up to approximately 90 percent of illness, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Only 5–10 percent of disease is said to come from genetic factors alone. Why? When an individual is in a toxic thinking state, the release of stress hormones such as cortisol and homocysteine can significantly affect the immune system, cardiovascular system, and neurological system.  In fact, excessive stress hormones are so  effective at compromising the immune system that physicians therapeutically provide  recipients of organ transplants with stress  hormones to prevent their immune system from rejecting the foreign implant. Despite a more widespread understanding of the importance of healthy  lifestyle choices, and many incredible resources out there on making good lifestyle choices, many people lack the necessary  mind-management skills they need to apply this knowledge to everyday life. This  isn’t a one-off thing. Mind-management is a skill that needs to be learned; used all day long, every day; and constantly upgraded as we grow from childhood into adulthood. For every new experience, we need a new set of mind-management tools! Now, before you start panicking and thinking that it’s impossible, stop, breathe, and read on. I don’t want you to get stuck thinking it’s hopeless, that you have caused all your own problems, and that you cannot change. This will only make you feel worse about yourself, and it really isn’t the case. You can’t blame yourself for something you didn’t know—but you can empower yourself and shift into change mode when you learn how to manage your thinking. This is a skill that needs to be learned and constantly upgraded—I do this daily, and will continue to do so until I pass on from this world. Most of what I share in this book hasn’t been taught to you before because it’s an area that isn’t well understood. We’re only beginning to understand mind and consciousness, which is exciting. If we’ve come this far without good mind-management skills, imagine where we can go when we’ve learned how to control our thinking! To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Leaf click here.

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