Cardiology

Despite the global implementation of clinical algorithms designed to predict atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease based on traditional risk factors, the burden of this condition continues to rise. This is shown in a study by ACS researcher Nick Nurmohamed, in close collaboration with Mount Sinai.

Heart failure (HF) is a growing global health concern, affecting more than 64 million people worldwide. It develops when the heart can no longer pump enough blood to meet the body’s demands, often due to long-term damage from other cardiovascular conditions.

Scientists at The University of Texas at Arlington have identified a new enzyme that can be “turned off” to help the body maintain healthy cholesterol levels—a significant development that could lead to new treatments for diseases that affect millions of Americans.

Empagliflozin has kidney protective effects and reduces heart failure outcomes across baseline kidney function among patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI), according to a study published online June 13 in Nature Cardiovascular Research.

A newly developed cardiac PET imaging technique offers a simpler way to detect significant coronary artery disease—eliminating the need for complex scanning protocols. This innovative approach, which maintains high diagnostic accuracy, has the potential to make advanced heart imaging more accessible and feasible, particularly during exercise stress testing.

Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed a medical robotic system to relieve a life-threatening tension pneumothorax in the chest cavity. The researchers are presenting the robotic solution at the automatica robotics trade fair. In the future, it will be capable of telemedical operations during evacuation flights. It was developed as part of the iMEDCAP project.

Women who experience complications during pregnancy face a higher risk of stroke in the following decades, according to research published in the European Heart Journal.

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have successfully performed preclinical laboratory testing of a replacement heart valve intended for toddlers and young children with congenital cardiac defects, a key step toward obtaining approval for human use. The results of their study were published recently in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

A novel integrated molecular imaging approach enables precise localization and quantification of heart damage, as well as accurate identification of disease subtypes. The dual PET/MR and PET/CMR technique also provides direct evidence supporting surgery as a cardio-protective intervention in these patients, offering a comprehensive strategy for managing primary aldosteronism.

Exposure to high levels of the body’s primary stress hormone—cortisol—in preterm fetuses can disrupt normal heart development, potentially increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease in later life.