Researchers have developed a new technique to wrap chemotherapy drugs in fatty covers called liposomes, reducing heart damage and improving cardiac function. The study found that the group receiving Myocet had better diastolic and systolic function compared to conventional doxorubicin, with less fibrosis development.
New 3D printing technology could reduce the number of heart surgeries in children with congenital heart disease from up to four to one or two. Doctors can now plan and practice procedures on a detailed, beating heart model before surgery.
The campaign aims to reduce high salt intake in India, which is estimated to be around 10-12 grams per day, contributing to poor sodium to potassium balance. By adopting a healthy lifestyle and restricting salt consumption, experts hope to prevent hypertension, cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Researchers found no evidence of asymptomatic myocardial dysfunction or deterioration of systolic function in patients taking pramipexole and ropinirole. This suggests that non-ergot derived dopamine agonists may be safe for the heart, contradicting previous concerns about an increased risk of heart failure.
Research suggests that patients with erectile dysfunction who follow a Mediterranean diet have less vascular and cardiac damage, reducing their risk of heart attack and stroke. A lower Med-Diet Score correlated with worse vascular and heart function, including increased intima-media thickness and aortic stiffness.
A global study found that rheumatic heart disease is being neglected in many countries, resulting in inadequate treatment with antibiotics and oral anti-coagulants. This leads to increased maternal mortality rates, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
A new technique enables continuous ECG surveillance during marathon races, potentially saving lives. The system uses Bluetooth and mobile phone networks to transmit data in real-time, with rapid transfer times and high accuracy.
A study of 234 comatose cardiac arrest survivors found that patients with sinus bradycardia during therapeutic hypothermia had a 17% 180 day mortality rate, compared to 38% in those with no sinus bradycardia. This suggests that heart rate may be an early marker for patients who have a better chance of recovery.
According to research presented at Acute Cardiovascular Care 2014, nearly one quarter of patients in the study were depressed and nearly a quarter had received treatment for depression. Women were more likely to develop anxiety and depression after a heart attack compared to men, with current smokers also showing higher levels of anxiety.
Research finds vitamin D deficiency significantly increases poor brain function and mortality after cardiac arrest. Patients with low vitamin D levels had a sevenfold higher chance of poor neurological outcome and nearly one-third died within six months.
Leading cardiologists will debate the use of e-healthcare services to reduce heart disease in China. The congress aims to find effective ways to reach the public and make them aware of the risks involved in an unhealthy lifestyle and diet.
The ROCKET AF trial found that digoxin use was associated with a 22% increased risk of death due to any cause and a 22% increased risk of death due to cardiovascular events. In complex atrial fibrillation patients, doctors should proceed with caution when using digoxin.
A simple awareness campaign in general practice identified new cases of AF, with 129 patients receiving treatment to reduce stroke risk. The campaign used a dedicated questionnaire to detect irregular pulses and symptoms suggestive of AF.
The HARVEST study found that coffee drinking increased the risk of prediabetes in patients with hypertension, particularly those who were slow caffeine metabolisers and overweight or obese. Moderate coffee consumption also heightened this risk, whereas heavy coffee drinkers only saw an increased risk if they were slow metabolizers.
Women with mechanical heart valves are at high risk of thrombotic complications, haemorrhagic events, and late foetal loss during pregnancy. The study found that 1.4% of pregnant women with a mechanical valve died, while nearly 20% lost their baby.
The study found that clinical variables explained over 80% of non-adherence to heart failure guidelines, with health structure characteristics playing a significant role. Countries with incentivized programs and high numbers of general practitioners per population had higher adherence rates.
A new study finds that home monitoring of implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs) has a comparable cost to traditional in-office monitoring. However, significant variations in insurance reimbursement across European countries impact the adoption of this practice.
The FAME 2 trial found that FFR-guided drug-eluting stenting significantly reduced major adverse cardiac events compared to medical therapy in patients with stable coronary artery disease. The rate of death, MI, or urgent revascularisation was lower with PCI than MT.
A new study found that early administration of ticagrelor, an anti-clot medication, in the ambulance may prevent stent thrombosis in heart attack patients. The ATLANTIC study showed a significant reduction in stent thrombosis at 24 and 30 hours in the ambulance treatment arm compared to the in-hospital treatment arm.
Research in over 6,000 patients found that permanent atrial fibrillation doubles the risk of stroke compared to paroxysmal AF. The study suggests that a simple clinical assessment of the type of AF can help doctors estimate stroke risk more accurately.
A seven-year study of nearly half a million people in China found that daily fruit consumption significantly reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease, including ischemic heart disease and stroke. The more fruit eaten, the lower the CVD risk, with significant reductions also seen in blood pressure.
The RELAX-AHF trial found that serelaxin reduced the occurrence of worsening heart failure within the first 5 days of admission by 12.2% compared to 6.7% in placebo groups, resulting in a significant reduction in repeated episodes of worsening heart failure and hospitalization length.
A new diagnostic technique using Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) measurement has shown that it can help avoid stents or surgery in over one-fifth of heart attack patients. The study found that patients with FFR values above 0.80 can be safely treated medically, without the need for coronary revascularisation surgery.
The FOCUS Study found that patients taking a polypill had higher adherence rates compared to those receiving individual medications. The study identified factors contributing to non-adherence, including age, depression, and complexity of treatment.
A new study found that complete revascularisation of all significantly blocked arteries leads to better outcomes in heart attack patients compared to only unblocking the culprit artery. Patients who underwent complete revascularisation had a lower risk of major adverse cardiac events, including death, recurrent MI, and heart failure.
A European study found that experimental agent TRO40303 was ineffective in preventing tissue damage when impaired blood flow is corrected in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction. The study suggests that high-quality modern care may leave little room for improvement in STEMI treatment.
A new generation of coronary artery stent combining a biodegradable component with an ultrathin scaffold showed promising results compared to the current gold standard. The trial demonstrated non-inferiority of the experimental stent, but superiority in patients presenting heart attack.
A new study by SEPTAL-CRT found that mid-septal RV lead placement in heart failure patients undergoing CRT results in similar outcomes compared to the conventional apical position. The study showed no differences in clinical outcome or implantation success rates between the two groups.
The ANTHEM-HF study shows significant improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction and 6-minute walk test distance with both left and right vagus nerve stimulation. However, the improvement was significantly less with left-sided VNS compared to right-sided VNS.
The SYMPLICITY HTN-3 trial found renal denervation to be safe, with no significant clinical benefit for lowering blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension. The procedure resulted in similar blood pressure reductions as a sham procedure, casting doubt on its effectiveness.
The NOMI trial found that nitric oxide inhalation improved cardiac recovery, particularly in patients who had not previously received nitroglycerin. However, it did not reduce infarct size. The study suggests that further investigation is warranted for STEMI patients.
The TASTE trial found that thrombus aspiration for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) does not reduce mortality or other clinical endpoints long term. The one-year follow-up results revealed no statistically significant difference in death rates between patients who received clot aspiration and those who did not.
The BIOPACE trial found a non-significant trend in favour of biventricular pacing over right ventricular pacing, but no significant improvement in outcomes. Patients with left ventricular ejection fraction of 50% or less did not show any benefit from biventricular pacing.
A new study found that treating only the pulmonary veins with a procedure called ablation resulted in reasonable outcomes without the need to treat other areas of the heart. The study, which included 589 patients, showed that adding further ablation increased treatment time but did not reduce AF recurrence rates.
A new trial found that darapladib did not reduce the risk of major coronary events or cardiovascular death in patients with an acute coronary syndrome. The study's findings challenge the notion that inhibition of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 is a worthwhile approach for patients with coronary heart disease.
Researchers found that complete ablation of main and accessory renal arteries led to greater blood pressure reductions with renal denervation. The procedure was successful in 67% of patients, but incomplete ablation did not significantly impact results. Further investigations are needed to confirm these findings.
A meta-analysis found that antihypertensive therapy significantly reduces systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in older adults. The therapy also reduces the risk of all-cause mortality, death from cardiac causes, cardiovascular events, and stroke in this population.
A new study by the European Society of Cardiology found that the retrievable and repositionable DFM transcatheter aortic valve is effective and safe for patients with severe aortic stenosis. The device's unique features, such as retrieval and repositioning capabilities, may improve outcomes in these patients.
Despite effective oral anticoagulant use, atrial fibrillation patients experience high one-year mortality and morbidity. Statins were found to reduce mortality by one-third, while diuretics increased it by 70%. Hospital readmissions are common, often due to AF or heart failure.
A new study suggests rosuvastatin has an initially more favourable effect on glucose levels compared to atorvastatin in type 2 diabetes patients. This makes rosuvastatin a wiser choice, especially for those struggling to control their glucose levels.
The ODYSSEY COMBO II trial shows that alirocumab, a PCSK9 inhibitor, lowers LDL-C levels significantly more than ezetimibe when added to regular statin therapy. By week 24 and 52, alirocumab achieved 50.6% and 49.5% reductions in LDL-C, respectively.
A new study found that moderate wine consumption is protective against cardiovascular disease in people who exercise regularly. However, the study did not find any benefits for people with no exercise habits.
A study of 131,401 people found that tea drinkers had a lower risk profile for cardiovascular disease and significantly lowered the risk of non-CV death. The study also revealed that coffee consumption was associated with a higher CV risk profile, particularly among smokers.
A new method predicts the optimal number and location of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public places to prevent out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. The study suggests that approximately 350 AEDs are needed in Paris to achieve optimal prevention, with a focus on geographic optimization modeling.
The new pacemaker eliminates the need for battery replacement and leads, tackling two major disadvantages of traditional pacemakers. Researchers successfully tested the system in domestic pig experiments, allowing for batteryless overdrive-pacing at 130 beats per minute.
Researchers found that renal denervation significantly reduced the likelihood of recurrent atrial fibrillation in patients with moderate to severe resistant hypertension. The procedure was shown to be beneficial in reducing blood pressure, with significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure observed.
A study from the FRANCE 2 registry found that local anesthesia for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is as safe and effective as general anesthesia. Outcomes for patients were identical regardless of the type of anesthesia used, with improved post-procedural patient recovery seen with local anesthesia.
A study found that energy drinks cause heart problems, including angina, cardiac arrhythmia, and sudden death. The researchers analyzed adverse events reported to the French agency for food safety between 2009 and 2012 and found that 95 of the reported events had cardiovascular symptoms.
Patients with resistant hypertension have higher risks for cardiovascular events than those with non-resistant hypertension, with elevated risks mainly contributing to increasing stroke events. Subgroup analysis showed that resistant hypertension increased the risks of stroke in females by 35% and in elderly patients by 20%.
The ODYSSEY LONG TERM trial demonstrates alirocumab's efficacy in lowering LDL-C and reducing cardiovascular events. The study showed a significant reduction in major cardiovascular events and improved lipid profiles, suggesting a useful addition to statin therapy for high-risk patients.