(October 21, 2010 - Insidermedicine)

From Germany - Research published in PLoS Genetics identifies a gene connected to severe heart disease. Studying over 5500 individuals, researchers found a protein gene HSPB7 that was associated with an almost 50% increased risk for dilated cardiomyopathy.

From Texas - New guidelines for preventing recurrent stroke are published in the journal Stroke. The guidelines, released by the American Heart Association, emphasize the importance of treating metabolic syndrome and undergoing angioplasty in order to prevent stroke survivors from suffering another event.

And finally, from France - Dialysis patients survive longer when they have social support, according to a report published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. Examining data on over 32,000 dialysis patients, researchers found that those with little support from family or friends were more likely to suffer poor quality of life, disobey doctor's orders, and die during the study period.