FYI from the NHLBI Index
September 2003: Vol. 4, Issue 2 In the News
Fiscal Year 2004 Appropriations Bills
On June 10, 2003, the House of Representatives passed its version of the
Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act, 2004 (H.R. 2660). It includes $2,867,995,000 for
the NHLBI, as requested in the President’s budget. This is a 2.66 percent increase
over the $2,793,733,000 that the NHLBI received in fiscal year 2003. The Senate
version (S. 1356), which the Senate appropriations committee
approved on June 26, includes $2,897,595,000 for the NHLBI.
Senators and Representatives Raise Awareness of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
On July 16, the House of Representatives passed H. Con. Res. 6 to show their support of
the goals and ideals of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month. The resolution
was then forwarded to the Senate, which referred it to the Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions (HELP) Committee. A similar resolution (S. Con. Res. 59),
introduced by Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), also has been assigned to the Senate HELP Committee.
The NIH Teaches Congressmen and Constituents How Research Improves Public Health
At the invitation of Representatives David Obey (D-WI) and
James Oberstar (D-MN), NIH leaders participated in community health forums
at Rice Lake and Superior, Wisconsin, where they discussed NIH activities and steps people
can take to improve their health. Approximately 200 people attended each event, held August
1. After NIH Director Dr. Elias Zerhouni opened the events with a presentation titled
"The Benefits of NIH Research: Reaping What We Sow, Applying What We Know," attendees
learned about diagnostic tools and treatments that may develop from results of recent
genetic studies. Treatments for people who have osteoporosis and osteoarthritis and new
methods for diagnosing and preventing these two increasingly prevalent conditions were
highlights. Dr. Alving led breakout discussions titled
"What You Do About Your Blood Pressure Could Save Your Life,"
and other NIH participants led sessions about diabetes prevention,
the link between obesity and cancer, and research on ways to delay and
prevent Alzheimer disease.
Recent Advances from the NHLBI
Donated Blood Now Tested for West Nile Virus Thanks to NHLBI Resources
Only 1 in 150-200 people infected with West Nile virus (WNV) develops a severe
reaction. Most who are infected do not develop symptoms, which creates a public
health problem because the virus can spread if a transfusion recipient is given
blood from an infected donor. Last year, when health officials realized that
WNV can spread via blood products, the NHLBI and Gen-Probe Corporation launched
an intensive effort to develop a method to protect the blood supply. Nine months
later, the Food and Drug Administration gave permission for the resulting test
to be used to screen blood donated at various centers. By July 4, the test
was being used for at least 75 percent of the U.S. blood supply.
Study Defines Risks and Benefits of Lung Surgery to Treat Severe Emphysema
Because of a study supported by the NHLBI and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services,
surgeons can better predict which patients who have emphysema are likely to benefit from
bilateral lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS). LVRS was first used in the 1950s to treat
patients who had emphysema. Although some patients seemed to benefit from the procedure, high
mortality and morbidity discouraged its widespread use. In the early 1990s, surgeons began
using LVRS again; early reported successes led to rapidly increasing use of the procedure
despite uncertainty about its safety and effectiveness. The National Emphysema Treatment Trial
(NETT) clarified the short-term and long-term benefits and risks of LVRS. It also demonstrated
that patients whose emphysema was predominantly in the upper lobes of the lung and whose exercise
capacity was low were most likely to benefit from LVRS, and conversely, that patients who did not
have upper lobe distribution of emphysema and who had greater exercise capacity were poor candiates
for LVRS.
Please send us your feedback, comments, and questions by using the appropriate link on the page, Contact the NHLBI.
Note to users of screen readers and other assistive technologies: please report your problems here.
PDF Version | Contents | Feature
Articles | In the News | Events and Meetings | Research and Resources
All Issues | FYI Index | NHLBI Express
|