Articles tagged with Heart
Researchers found that even low levels of air pollution can cause significant changes in the structure of the heart, similar to those seen in early stages of heart failure. The study, which included over 4,000 participants, linked higher exposures to pollutants like PM2.5 and NO2 to larger ventricles and more pronounced remodelling.
A new study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology reveals that cardiac magnetic resonance imaging can detect early indicators of silent heart problems in patients with newly diagnosed lupus. The study found structural and functional changes in the hearts of patients with lupus, which were related to the disease stage.
Researchers found that a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may help protect failing hearts in children and young adults with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Preliminary studies suggest that supplementing BDNF signaling could be a new way to treat heart complications in this disease.
Researchers discovered 44 chromosomal regions linked to abnormal heart rhythms, including atrial fibrillation and heart block. The study's findings could lead to better treatments and a greater understanding of the heart's electrical activity.
The Cleveland Clinic has been awarded a $2.8 million grant to evaluate disparities in survival among heart failure patients before and after heart transplantation. The research will create tools to optimize outcomes, including identifying risk factors and developing dynamic models to predict patient conditions.
A Department of Justice investigation into implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) placement in Medicare patients resulted in decreased use of the devices, especially at hospitals that reached settlements. The study found a significant decline in ICDs placed outside established criteria for reimbursement.
Using catheter-based ablation instead of medications alone reduces the risks of death and stroke in AFib patients, according to a new study from UC Davis physicians. The study found that outcomes for patients treated with ablation were similar to those not treated with it within 30 days, but showed benefits beyond 30 days.
A new study published in Journal of the American Heart Association found that young adults who frequently binge drink are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The research revealed that young men who reported repeated binge drinking had higher systolic blood pressure and cholesterol levels than non-binge drinker...
A new approach called prehabilitation, combining exercise training, education, and social support, may reduce postoperative complications and hospital length of stay in vulnerable older adults. Two Canadian randomized controlled trials are underway to evaluate the effectiveness of this intervention.
Researchers have developed a technique to determine the significance of gene variants of uncertain significance in patients with suspected heart conditions. By using advanced genetic-editing tools and stem cell technology, they were able to confirm that a patient had a mild case of long QT syndrome and rule out another condition.
A randomized, controlled trial found that administration of nitric oxide gas during and for 24 hours following heart surgery decreased the risk of acute and chronic kidney problems. Nitric oxide reduced the risk of acute kidney injury by 50% and chronic kidney disease by 21%.
Research comparing keyhole, robotic, and conventional mitral valve repair surgeries found that keyhole surgery had higher success rates and fewer complications, including lower rates of subsequent heart flutter and blood transfusions. Robotic surgery required more blood transfusions but still provided excellent outcomes.
Research suggests that moderate doses of alcohol activate the ALDH2 enzyme, which helps protect heart cells from damage. The study found that hearts exposed to ethanol before ischemia-reperfusion injury showed reduced cell death compared to control groups.
The American Heart Association awards Cleveland Clinic a $3.7 million grant for atrial fibrillation research, focusing on preventing disease progression and developing personalized therapies. The team will study the relationships between genes, aging, and metabolism to find new treatments.
Dr. Jennifer C. Sullivan has been awarded the inaugural John Laragh Research Award and Mid-Career Award for Research Excellence for her research on gender differences in hypertension. She is a prominent investigator in cardiovascular and renal sciences, with multiple NIH funding awards.
The PCORI-AHA DECIDE Center will develop and test decision aids to help people with atrial fibrillation make choices with their doctors. The center aims to strengthen the relationship between clinician and patient and empower patients to make informed treatment decisions.
A recent study found that men with erectile dysfunction are twice as likely to experience heart attacks, cardiac arrests, and strokes. The research suggests that ED is an important indicator of cardiovascular risk among middle-aged men.
After pulmonary valve replacement, patients with severe right ventricular volume overload due to pulmonary regurgitation often present with decreased RV function. However, the study found that preoperative LV systolic dysfunction is the only independent predictor of postoperative improvement in LV systolic function.
Ebstein anomaly presents a wide spectrum of presentation, with outcomes varying by age at diagnosis. Surgical management is crucial, with poorer outcomes in neonates and excellent outcomes in adults.
With improved surgical and medical management, more children with CHD survive to adulthood, leading to an increasing number of adult heart transplants. Approximately 300,000 adults with CHD have severe cases, making early recognition and referral crucial for successful transplantation.
A recent study found that feeling lonely is a stronger predictor of poor outcomes than living alone in patients with cardiovascular disease. The study revealed that loneliness was associated with doubled mortality risk in women and nearly doubled risk in men, as well as increased symptoms of anxiety and depression.
A 25-year-old prison inmate was left with a permanent disability after using synthetic cannabis, despite having no traditional cardiovascular risk factors. The case highlights the potential dangers of synthetic cannabis use and the need for greater awareness among young users.
Research published in The Journal of Physiology shows adult offspring born to older mothers are more susceptible to heart risks. Older motherhood is linked to increased risk of complications during pregnancy and potential health issues for children later in life.
A team of researchers identified the perinexus, a tiny pocket between cardiac cells that can disrupt heartbeat, in humans for the first time. The structure's expansion may contribute to atrial fibrillation by disrupting electrical communication between cells.
A recent study by Vanderbilt University Medical Center found that quitting smoking significantly reduces lung cancer risk, with a 39% drop in just five years. Even 25 years after quitting, former heavy smokers' risk remains threefold higher than non-smokers.
New research reveals that high altitudes reduce heart function by decreasing blood volume and increasing lung pressure. The study's findings will improve our understanding of how the human body adapts to high-altitude environments, making exploration and tourism safer and facilitating exercise performance at high altitude.
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have discovered a potential new way to treat fluid buildup in heart failure by shutting off the spigot causing it. The procedure improved symptoms in five acute heart failure patients and showed significant reductions in pressures inside the heart and increases in cardiac output.
Under the new guideline, an estimated 31 million more US adults will have high blood pressure, requiring antihypertensive treatment. The revised definition of high blood pressure, above 130/80 mm Hg, may lead to increased treatment recommendations.
Research published in The Journal of Physiology found that exercising 4-5 days a week slows down the ageing of the heart and blood vessels. Lifelong casual exercise (2-3 times a week) resulted in more youthful middle sized arteries, while frequent exercise (4-5 times a week) kept larger central arteries youthful.
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London and University College London have identified 30 new gene locations that determine how the heart responds to exercise and recovers from it. This discovery could lead to the development of targeted therapies for abnormal heart rhythms and improved heart health.
Researchers discovered that elevated stress response protein levels are associated with reduced kidney damage after heart surgery. High MIF levels before surgery may help identify patients at risk for acute kidney injury.
A Kaiser Permanente study found that patients with intermittently recurring atrial fibrillation who experience longer periods of abnormal heart rhythms are three times more likely to have strokes or blood clots. Continuous heart monitoring may help physicians identify high-risk patients and tailor treatments.
A new preclinical study finds that early BPA exposure may slow heart rates, cause irregular rhythms and calcium instabilities in developing hearts. The research highlights the need for alternative biomaterials to improve patient safety outcomes.
A new combined risk score model integrates CHA2DS2-VASc and Intermountain Risk Scores to derive and validate a new stroke prediction score, nearly doubling ability to predict stroke risk. The integrated IMRS-VASc model assigns people more accurately to the risk group that relates to their actual prognosis.
Research from Intermountain Medical Center reveals that carotid artery disease and atrial fibrillation significantly increase a patient's chances of developing dementia due to restricted blood flow to the brain. The study stresses the need for physicians to monitor and screen patients for both diseases, especially those with risk factors.
Researchers have identified protein clumping in the hearts of mice and people with heart failure, suggesting a potential link between the two conditions. The team used non-invasive PET scans to visualize the clumps, which could lead to advances in monitoring disease progression and testing new therapies.
Researchers have created a bioengineered heart valve that emulates native heart valves and functions well after transplantation into sheep. The tissue-engineered heart valve demonstrated improved valve mechanics and tissue structure, and remodeled itself in a similar fashion to native heart valves over time.
Researchers found that immune cells in the bloodstream can worsen heart disease when they migrate to the heart. Blocking their migration improved symptoms in mouse models of heart disease, offering a novel therapeutic approach for non-ischemic cardiomyopathy.
A study published in the American Heart Association's Circulation Journal found that following five healthy habits can significantly improve longevity for both men and women. The research analyzed data from thousands of adults and estimated that maintaining these habits could add over a decade to life expectancy, with women seeing an i...
A new study developed a novel risk tool to predict 30-day readmission rates in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The tool calculates a score based on several variables, including chronic kidney disease, anemia, and discharge disposition, with a c-statistic of 0.63.
A significant update to the PROGRESS-CTO International Registry reveals successful outcomes of Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Intervention (CTO PCI) for over 3,000 patients. The study found high success rates with acceptable complications, supporting its use in experienced centers.
A new study has found that patients who undergo TAVR procedure and stay in the hospital for more than 72 hours may be at risk of negative short and long-term outcomes. The study identified independent predictors of both early and delayed discharge, with delayed discharge associated with worse one-year outcomes.
Researchers found mice with induced heart failure fared better after being treated with antibiotics for five weeks, which sterilized the gut. This suggests that modulating the microbiota could modulate T cell activation and changes in the heart that lead to heart failure.
Researchers discovered the Hippo pathway is essential for normal heart and blood vessel development. The study used single cell transcriptomics to analyze thousands of cells from developing heart tissue, revealing new insights into cellular and molecular processes leading to an adult heart.
Research published in the journal Heart found that eating several servings of nuts per week may lower the risk of atrial fibrillation and heart failure. The study, which tracked over 61,000 Swedish adults for 17 years, found a strong association between nut consumption and reduced risk of these cardiovascular conditions.
A new study published in The Lancet found that regular drinking above the recommended UK guidelines for alcohol could take years off one's life. Drinking more than 5 drinks per week was linked to a higher risk of stroke, fatal aneurysm, heart failure, and death.
A recent study found significant sex and racial gaps in cardiac rehabilitation referral at hospital discharge, with females and minority groups receiving lower rates. By increasing referrals, long-term mortality could be reduced by up to 40% for women and 25-38% for African-American, Hispanic, and Asian patients
The new MR Multitasking technique allows for faster and more comfortable cardiac MRI tests by continuously acquiring image data, separating motion from other changes into multiple time dimensions. This method was found to be accurate in testing healthy volunteers and cardiac patients, completing tests in as little as 90 seconds.
A recent study by Donna Shelley et al found that small urban primary care practices consistently meet or exceed Million Hearts goals for cardiovascular disease care. However, these practices struggle to achieve clinical targets for patients with multiple risk factors, highlighting the need for support in managing complex cases.
A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that Medicaid expansion in Michigan did not negatively impact patient outcomes for coronary artery disease procedures. The research used data from 7,558 CABG procedures and 45,183 PCI procedures performed at various hospitals across the state.
A new study found that optimistic Latinos are more likely to meet the criteria for ideal cardiovascular health, with each unit increase in optimism associated with a 3% higher odds. Optimism levels differed by ancestry, with Latinos of Cuban and Central American heritage being the most optimistic.
Researchers have identified a new therapeutic target, OMA1, which protects cardiomyocytes from death and deterioration in heart function when the heart is under stress. Inhibition of OMA1 prevents heart failure in models of chronic tachycardia, hypertension, and myocardial ischemia with cardiac hypertrophy.
A study found that depression is associated with an increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder. Participants who scored highest on a clinical screening test for depression had a 30% higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation than those with normal test scores.
A smartwatch coupled with a machine learning algorithm detected atrial fibrillation (AF) with high accuracy in patients undergoing treatment for AF. The study used data from 9,750 participants and found promising results for the use of commercially available smartwatches to detect AF.
Atrial fibrillation affects millions worldwide, increasing risk of stroke and heart failure. A new study finds Apixaban and VKAs safe for treatment during catheter ablation procedures, with a significant improvement in cognitive function. The results will reassure clinicians that continuous Apixaban is an effective alternative to VKAs.
A study published in Circulation Journal identified four microRNA molecules in the bloodstream that could predict the onset of atrial fibrillation. The researchers found that these microRNAs were significantly upregulated in the serum of patients with AF and diseased mice, suggesting their potential use as biomarkers for disease.
Researchers found that generic clopidogrel was as effective as Plavix in reducing mortality and hospitalization rates among heart attack and chest pain patients. The switch to a generic version resulted in significant cost savings for the Canadian health system.
A randomized controlled trial found that patients with myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery experienced a 28% lower risk of major vascular complications when treated with dabigatran. The study showed significant benefits in reducing the risk of death, heart attack, and stroke.
Researchers found that stress from open-heart surgery reduces vitamin D levels in patients. However, aggressive supplementation with vitamin D3 before and after surgery can completely eliminate the drop in vitamin D levels. This study highlights the importance of maintaining optimal vitamin D levels to prevent cardiovascular problems.
A study found that patients with a high-risk PFO who received a medical device to close the hole in their heart after a stroke fared better than those who received medications alone. The trial suggested that closure can help prevent subsequent strokes and related problems, particularly in those with a high-risk PFO.