Heart Disease

An advanced Johns Hopkins AI model called MAARS combs through underused heart MRI scans and complete medical records to spot hidden scar patterns that signal sudden cardiac death, dramatically outperforming current dice-roll clinical guidelines and promising to save lives while sparing patients unnecessary defibrillators.

Washington University researchers found that raising a molecule called ApoM helps eye cells sweep away harmful cholesterol deposits linked to age-related macular degeneration, potentially preventing vision loss, and the same trick might aid failing hearts too.

USC researchers have uncovered a hidden driver behind the early and severe onset of Alzheimer's in people with Down syndrome: iron overload in the brain. Their study revealed that individuals with both conditions had twice the iron levels and far more oxidative damage than others. The culprit appears to be ferroptosis, an iron-triggered cell death mechanism, which is especially damaging in sensitive brain regions.

Scientists have discovered that people with COPD have lung cells that contain over three times as much soot-like carbon as those of smokers without the disease. These overloaded cells are larger and trigger more inflammation, suggesting that pollution and carbon buildup not just smoking may drive the disease.

Genetic research in Sweden has unveiled three new gene variants that dramatically increase the risk of venous blood clots, sometimes by up to 180%. These discoveries build on existing knowledge of Factor V Leiden and suggest that genetics plays a bigger role than previously thought, especially for clots in the legs that can lead to life-threatening pulmonary embolisms.

A new risk calculator accurately identified participants who had calcium buildup in their heart arteries and those who had a higher future heart attack risk, in an analysis of about 7,000 adults in New York City referred for heart disease screening.

People who were less active, with a daily average of more than 14 hours of sedentary behavior, were more than twice as likely to have another cardiac event, including heart attack, surgery to treat heart issues (coronary revascularization), or to be hospitalized again within a year after the first cardiac event.

Palliative care is specialized medical care focused on easing symptoms, addressing psychological and spiritual needs, and helping patients and caregivers make critical decisions aligned with their personal beliefs and values.

A new study puts the spotlight on the rising burden of ischemic heart disease across Southeast Asia, East Asia and Oceania, and calls for localized, equity-focused interventions in these regions. The researchers identified region-specific, modifiable risk factors that influence the increasing prevalence of ischemic heart disease, such as toxic air pollution in East Asia and ultra-processed dietary dependence in Oceania.

Researchers have developed a novel rat model that closely replicates the pathological features and physiological changes associated with human chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-associated cor pulmonale. This model exhibits key characteristics, including chronic lung inflammation, pulmonary hypertension, and right ventricular hypertrophy. The new study details the potential for the model to unravel the complex interactions between lung and heart pathology and improve patient outcomes.

Investigators have discovered a new pathway that may lead to a treatment for high blood pressure and aortic aneurysms. By creating a new laboratory model for studying these conditions, the team treated hypertension and aortic aneurysms by targeting a protein that they discovered to be involved in the vascular cells' response to oxidative stress.

For almost 60 years, measuring cholesterol levels in the blood has been the best way to identify individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease. In a new study, researchers have shown comprehensively that a combination of two lipoprotein markers, measured in a simple blood test, can give more accurate information about individual risk of heart disease than the current blood cholesterol test, potentially saving lives.

A small study found that fatty buildup in the blood vessels of the neck (carotid arteries) may contain 50 times or more micronanoplastics -- minuscule bits of plastic -- compared to arteries free of plaque buildup.

A preclinical study finds that a drug already FDA-approved for treating inflammatory conditions may help reduce both alcohol intake and pain sensitivity -- two issues that commonly co-occur with alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Among adults ages 18-49 (median age of 41 years) who were born with a hole in the upper chambers of their heart known as patent foramen ovale (PFO), strokes of unknown cause were more strongly associated with nontraditional risk factors, such as migraines, liver disease or cancer, rather than more typical factors such as high blood pressure.

A new study could lead to more widespread use of imaging technique to improve survival and prevent complications.

Healthy sleep includes multiple components, such as number of hours of sleep per night, how long it takes to fall asleep, daytime functioning and self-reported sleep satisfaction, and addressing these different dimensions of sleep may help to reduce cardiometabolic health and related risk factors, according to a new scientific statement.

A new study suggests that perceived stress and depression factor into the relationship between insomnia and hazardous drinking -- perhaps not a surprise. But because the relationship between insomnia and heavy drinking goes in both directions, the influence of stress or depression depends on which condition came first, the analysis found.

For the first time researchers demonstrate in an animal how heavy alcohol use leads to long-term behavioral issues by damaging brain circuits critical for decision-making.

Smaller than a grain of rice, new pacemaker is particularly suited to the small, fragile hearts of newborn babies with congenital heart defects. Tiny pacemaker is paired with a small, soft, flexible wearable patch that sits on the patient's chest. The wearable patch detects irregular heartbeats and automatically emits pulses of light. The light then flashes on and off at a rate that corresponds to the correct pacing. After the tiny pacemaker is no longer needed, it dissolves inside the body.

Linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid found in seed oils such as soybean and safflower oil, and animal products including pork and eggs, specifically enhances the growth of the hard-to-treat 'triple negative' breast cancer subtype, according to a preclinical study. The discovery could lead to new dietary and pharmaceutical strategies against breast and other cancers.

Public awareness of the link between drinking alcohol and an elevated risk of cancer has grown since last fall, with 55% of U.S. adults saying that regularly consuming alcohol increases your chances of later developing cancer, according to a new survey.

New findings indicate that while the rate of marathon runners who suffer cardiac arrests remained unchanged, their chance for survival is twice what it was in the past. Now, far fewer marathon runners who suffer cardiac arrest are dying of it.

Mammograms, with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) models, may reveal much more than cancer, according to a new study. The findings highlight how these important cancer screening tools can also be used to assess the amount of calcium buildup in the arteries within breast tissue -- an indicator of cardiovascular health.

For women in their 80s, experiencing increasing sleepiness during the day over a five-year period is associated with double the risk of developing dementia during that time, according to a new study. The study does not prove that daytime sleepiness causes dementia; it only shows an association.

Scientists have developed an approach that combines rehabilitation robotics with spinal cord stimulation to restore movement in people with spinal cord injuries. The technology enhances rehabilitation and enables activities like cycling and walking outdoors.

A novel analysis of more than 375 published studies concluded that the association between chronic pain and rates of depression and anxiety is staggering. The study found that 40% of adults with chronic pain experienced 'clinically significant depression and anxiety.' Among those most at risk, the analysis showed, were women, younger adults and people with fibromyalgia.

Some people living with chronic stress have a higher risk of stroke, according to a new study. The study looked at younger adults and found an association between stress and stroke, with no known cause, in female participants, but not male participants. This study does not prove that stress causes stroke; it only shows an association.

Shared decision-making between clinicians and athletes of all ages who have cardiovascular abnormalities and want to participate in competitive sports is essential, according to a new joint scientific statement.

One in five older adults gets an infection up to six months after heart surgery, and women are far more likely to develop one, according to recent studies. Black patients also had higher rates of overall infection compared to white patients. Researchers say estimates of postoperative infections are likely vastly underestimated.

South Asian adults in the United Kingdom may face high blood pressure-related heart risks earlier in life, while East Asian adults see risks rise in later years, according to a new study.

A revolutionary new treatment called Targeted Thermal Therapy (Tripel T) offers a safer, faster alternative to surgery for patients with high blood pressure caused by Primary Aldosteronism, a hormonal disorder.

A team of physicists has developed a groundbreaking method for detecting congestive heart failure with greater ease and precision than previously thought possible. This multidisciplinary study, involving both cardiologists and computational physicists, builds on the team's earlier breakthroughs, for example, in predicting the risk of sudden cardiac death.

Research in fruit flies has identified specific groups of cholinergic brain cells that are involved in alcohol-induced insomnia. This work could ultimately lead to targeted treatments for alcohol-related sleep loss, helping people recover from alcohol use disorder.

Propranolol, a beta blocker medication used for treating high blood pressure and preventing migraines, may lower ischemic stroke risk in women who experience migraines frequently.

People with brain bleeds had nearly 7 times higher blood levels of a specific brain protein, called glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), than those who had strokes caused by clots in a study conducted in Germany.

By integrating 30 minutes a day of progressive walking exercise into standard stroke rehabilitation (30 to 60 minutes of physical therapy five days a week) stroke patients had a measurable improved quality of life and mobility at hospital discharge compared to a control group.

People who regularly floss their teeth (one or more times per week) may lower their risk of stroke caused by a blood clot traveling from the heart and a stroke associated with an irregular heartbeat such as atrial fibrillation (AFib).

A new study has highlighted the potential of resveratrol, a natural compound found in grapes, blueberries, and raspberries, to enhance female fertility. The systematic review found that resveratrol can improve the quantity and quality of egg cells, offering hope for new, less invasive fertility treatments.

People with pockets of fat hidden inside their muscles are at a higher risk of dying or being hospitalized from a heart attack or heart failure, regardless of their body mass index, according to new research. This 'intermuscular' fat is highly prized in beef steaks for cooking. However, little is known about this type of body fat in humans, and its impact on health. This is the first study to comprehensively investigate the effects of fatty muscles on heart disease. The new finding adds evidence that existing measures, such as body mass index or waist circumference, are not adequate to evaluate the risk of heart disease accurately for all people.

Developing rice with tolerance to higher nighttime temperatures has become a focus for rice breeders because studies are showing nights are getting warmer in rice-growing regions. Vibha Srivastava, professor of plant biotechnology in the crop, soil and environmental sciences department for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, explores the topic of breeding rice and the potential for gene editing to tolerate night heat in the December issue of Current Opinion in Plant Biology with an article titled 'Beat the heat: Breeding, genomics, and gene editing for high nighttime temperature tolerance in rice.'

Large and rare duplications and deletions in a chromosome region known as 22q11.2 , which involves genes that regulate cardiac development, are linked to nonsyndromic bicuspid aortic valve disease.

Pediatric cardiologists have implanted a dual chamber leadless pacemaker in a child.

The formation of blood vessels is a complex process involving the interplay of proteins and mechanic forces. In two studies, a research team has uncovered new mechanisms in blood vessel formation. The team demonstrated how cells interact during vascular lumen formation and the critical role of dynamic forces in this process. These new insights into blood vessel formation may provide potential approaches in the treatment of vascular diseases.

In a single IV injection, a gene therapy targeting cBIN1 can reverse the effects of heart failure and restore heart function in a large animal model. The therapy increases the amount of blood the heart can pump and dramatically improves survival.

Studying the cells of people and genetically engineered mice, scientists say they have uncovered a potential reason why patients with Loeys-Dietz syndrome, an inherited connective tissue disorder, are especially prone to developing aneurysms at the root of the aorta.

With the help of an AI tool, computed tomography (CT) scans taken originally to look for tumors or bleeding or infections, also revealed calcium buildup in arteries, a sign of worsening cardiovascular disease.

Researchers uncovered a population of cells that may provide protection from brain injury following cardiac arrest, leading them to examine a drug that can activate these cells to improve neurological outcomes.

A critical review of cell-based and cell product-based therapies for the treatment of heart failure details 20 years of completed and ongoing clinical trials. While none has yet gained medical approval, pathways to new treatments for heart failure can take decades, as seen for two other, now accepted therapies.

A cancer therapy that prompts the body's immune defenses against viruses and bacteria to attack tumors can make patients more vulnerable to heart attack and stroke. A possible explanation for this side effect is that the treatment interferes with immune regulation in the heart's largest blood vessels, a new study suggests.

A recent trial finds an injection given during some asthma and COPD attacks is more effective than the current treatment of steroid tablets, reducing the need for further treatment by 30%.

Incidence of stroke and ischemic heart disease are declining around the world, except for in a handful of regions, according to a new study. Researchers find that in East and West Sub-Saharan Africa, East and Central Asia and Oceania, ischemic heart disease is increasing, which may be attributed to eight factors that include diet, high BMI, household air pollution and more.

Recycled pacemakers can function as well as new devices, according to a new study. These used and reconditioned devices have the potential to increase access to pacemaker therapy in low- and middle-income countries, where many patients cannot afford the treatment.

A new study shows that a form of vitamin B3 can reduce lung inflammation in COPD patients. The researchers hope it will pave the way for new treatment options.

Researchers have led a clinical trial of a drug that mimics the effects of alcohol in more than 100 patients with laryngeal dystonia, a neurological condition that causes involuntary muscle spasms in the larynx and can have debilitating impacts on a person's voice. The trial was inspired by patient reports that their symptoms improved after consuming alcoholic beverages.

Salk scientists have tracked the flow of trans fats using mouse models to describe the molecular mechanisms that cause trans fats to promote atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), explaining how industrially produced trans-unsaturated fatty acids in our food significantly promote ASCVD and encouraging lawmakers to impose regulations on the use of these fats in food. This new insight into the flow of fats through the body points to new therapeutic targets for mitigating diseases like ASCVD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, obesity, diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, and neurodegeneration.

While exercise is generally beneficial for a person's overall health, physical activities may increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular disease events in certain susceptible individuals. However, cardiologists say that the benefits outweigh the risks. Findings from new data reviews detail the risks associated with various types of sport and leisure activities.

Alcohol-related deaths in the U.S. nearly doubled from 1999 to 2020. The sharpest spike occurred among 25- to 34-year-olds (nearly fourfold), while individuals aged 55 to 64 had the highest rates. Men consistently had higher rates but women saw the largest proportional rise, with deaths increasing 2.5 times. Asian and Pacific Islander communities experienced the steepest ethnic increase, while the Midwest saw the greatest regional rise (2.5 times), followed by the Northeast, West, and South.

People with conditions or habits such as high blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation, or smoking, not only have a higher risk of stroke, they may also have more severe strokes than people without these risk factors.

A new scientific statement highlights new clinical data related to diagnosis, risk classification and treatment, emphasizing the need for tailored management strategies.