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Step into summer in the best shape of your life with these reports from Harvard Medical School.
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Start your exercise and fitness program and reap the benefits of being more fit, stronger and healthier!

Warmer weather is on the way and it's not too late to get in shape for the summer. These 3 reports can help you enjoy outdoor activities in the best shape of your life:

July 2009 references and further reading

JUL 2009

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Regenerating the heart

Bergmann O, Bhardwaj RD, Bernard S, et al. Evidence for cardiomyocyte renewal in humans. Science 2009; 324:98-102.

Murry CE, Lee RT. Development biology. Turnover after the fallout. Science 2009; 324:47-8.

Redefining myocardial infarction

Thygesen K, Alpert JS, White HD. Universal definition of myocardial infarction. Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2007; 50:2173-95.

Dual pacemaker gets the heart in sync

Cleland JG, Calvert MJ, Verboven Y, Freemantle N. Effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy on long-term quality of life: an analysis from the CArdiac Resynchronisation-Heart Failure (CARE-HF) study. American Heart Journal 2009; 157:457-66.

Cleland JG, Daubert JC, Erdmann E, et al. The effect of cardiac resynchronization on morbidity and mortality in heart failure. The New England Journal of Medicine 2005; 352:1539-49.

Heart infection can pose a medical mystery

Cooper LT, Jr. Myocarditis. The New England Journal of Medicine 2009; 360:1526-38.

Baughman KL, Wynne J. Myocarditis. In: Zipes DP, Libby P, Bonow RO, Braunwald E, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders, 2006:1697-1717.

Karchmer AW. Infective endocarditis. In: Zipes DP, Libby P, Bonow RO, Braunwald E, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders, 2006:1633-1658.

LeWinter MM, Kabbani S. Pericardial diseases. In: Zipes DP, Libby P, Bonow RO, Braunwald E, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders, 2006:1757-1780.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Endocarditis.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Pericarditis.

A single pill for prevention?

Yusuf S, Pais P, Afzal R, et al. Effects of a polypill (Polycap) on risk factors in middle-aged individuals without cardiovascular disease (TIPS): a phase II, double-blind, randomised trial. The Lancet 2009; 373:1341-51.

US Food and Drug Administration. Exforge HCT. Approved April 30, 2009.

Wald NJ, Law MR. A strategy to reduce cardiovascular disease by more than 80%. BMJ 2003; 326:1419.

Aspirin gets a backup against atrial fibrillation

Connolly SJ, Pogue J, Hart RG, et al. Effect of clopidogrel added to aspirin in patients with atrial fibrillation. The New England Journal of Medicine 2009; 360:2066-78.

Summer: a good season for cholesterol

Tung P, Wiviott SD, Cannon CP, Murphy SA, McCabe CH, Gibson CM. Seasonal variation in lipids in patients following acute coronary syndrome on fixed doses of Pravastatin (40 mg) or Atorvastatin (80 mg) (from the Pravastatin or Atorvastatin Evaluation and Infection Therapy-Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction 22 [PROVE IT-TIMI 22] Study). American Journal of Cardiology 2009; 103:1056-60.

Black tea and blood pressure

Grassi D, Mulder TPJ, Draijer R, Desideri G, Molhuizen HOF, Ferri C. Black tea consumption dose-dependently improves flow-mediated dilation in healthy males. Journal of Hypertension 2009; 27:774-781.

Tea and heart disease. Harvard Heart Letter, August 2002.

The biggest loser

Hinderliter A, et al. DASH diet with weight management can improve blood pressure, markers of CV risk. American College of Cardiology annual meeting 2009.

Traffic, anger strain the heart

Peters A, von Klot S, Mittleman MA, Meisinger C, Wichmann HE. Times spent in traffic and the onset of myocardial infarction. American Heart Association 49th Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention and Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism conference, March 2009.

On the horizon

  • Can a device replace warfarin? Holmes DR, et al. Novel device cuts stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation. American College of Cardiology annual meeting 2009.

  • Lasers for stroke. Zivin JA, Albers GW, Bornstein N, et al. Effectiveness and safety of transcranial laser therapy for acute ischemic stroke. Stroke 2009; 40:1359-64.

  • Disappearing heart stents. Serruys PW, Ormiston JA, Onuma Y, et al. A bioabsorbable everolimus-eluting coronary stent system (ABSORB): 2-year outcomes and results from multiple imaging methods. The Lancet 2009; 373:897-910.

Is peanut butter healthy?

Kris-Etherton PM, Hu FB, Ros E, Sabate J. The role of tree nuts and peanuts in the prevention of coronary heart disease: multiple potential mechanisms. Journal of Nutrition 2008; 138:1746S-1751S.