Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Discontinuing heart failure medications increases risk of heart-related death

Patients who have been treated for heart failure and experience an improvement of their pump function, are still at higher risk of heart-related death or hospitalization if they stop taking heart failure medications.

17 Mar 2025

Congenital heart defects may be linked to increased cancer risk in babies and mothers

Being born with a heart defect may be associated with an increased cancer risk for babies and their moms, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation.

17 Mar 2025

Extreme heat linked to increased cardiovascular disease burden in Australia

Hot weather is responsible for an average of almost 50,000 years of healthy life lost to cardiovascular disease every year among people in Australia, according to research published in the European Heart Journal today (Monday).

17 Mar 2025

Better heart health slows brain aging and lowers dementia risk, study finds

A JAMA Network Open study finds that better cardiovascular health (CVH) in older adults is linked to lower levels of neurodegenerative biomarkers, particularly neurofilament light chain (NfL). These benefits are consistent across races and especially impactful for individuals carrying Alzheimer's-related genetic risks.

16 Mar 2025

Polluted soil and water are fueling a global heart disease epidemic

A new study in Atherosclerosis shows that soil and water pollution, including microplastics and toxic chemicals, significantly raise cardiovascular disease risks. The research highlights how emerging contaminants and poor environmental practices drive global health threats.

16 Mar 2025

COVID-19 cut millions of healthy life years across Europe, study shows

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a staggering 16.8 million person-years of life lost across 18 European countries, with nearly 60% of those years expected to be lived without disability. The research highlights both direct COVID-19 deaths and indirect impacts like healthcare disruptions and rising non-COVID mortality.

16 Mar 2025

Want to quit smoking? New study shows brain stimulation and exercise can help

A new study finds that combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with aerobic exercise significantly reduces cigarette cravings and smoking-related brain activity in chronic smokers. The combination also boosts motivation to quit, offering a promising path for future smoking cessation therapies.

16 Mar 2025

Open-source AI tool competes with leading proprietary models in medical diagnosis

Artificial intelligence can transform medicine in a myriad of ways, including its promise to act as a trusted diagnostic aide to busy clinicians.

14 Mar 2025

New scientific clue could unlock key cellular pathway leading to neurodegenerative diseases

In Nature Neuroscience, UConn School of Medicine researchers have revealed a new scientific clue that could unlock the key cellular pathway leading to devastating neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease, and the progressive damage to the brain's frontal and temporal lobes in frontotemporal degeneration (FTD) and the associated disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

14 Mar 2025

Quick CPR initiation crucial to improve survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in people experiencing a heart attack is a time-dependent medical emergency requiring immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

14 Mar 2025

Malnutrition in heart failure patients associated with diminished GDMT prescription rates

Announcing a new article publication for Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications journal. This study was aimed at identifying crucial gaps in guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) application among malnourished patients at Beijing Anzhen Hospital.

14 Mar 2025

Social advantage reduces risk of age-related diseases and slows aging

People with favorable socioeconomic conditions, such as high incomes or education levels, face a reduced risk of age-related diseases and show fewer signs of biological aging than peers of the same age, finds a new study led by University College London (UCL) researchers.

14 Mar 2025

Study explores impact of severe tricuspid regurgitation in AFMR patients

Atrial functional mitral regurgitation (AFMR) is a common type of MR linked to high rates of heart failure, highlighting the need to understand its prognostic factors.

14 Mar 2025

Study shows impact of statins and aspirin on muscle health in smokers

For current and former smokers, statins may reduce the amount of chest muscle loss, while aspirin may contribute to increased chest muscle loss, according to a new study.

13 Mar 2025

Scientists reveal how Epstein-Barr virus reactivation triggers MIS-C in children

Scientists reveal that reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), driven by TGFβ-induced immune suppression, is a key driver of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) following COVID-19. Blocking TGFβ may offer a potential new treatment for this life-threatening condition.

13 Mar 2025

How gut health shapes heart disease risk — and what you can do about it

A new review highlights how gut microbiome imbalances contribute to cardiovascular disease by altering short-chain fatty acids, TMAO, and inflammatory pathways. The study emphasizes the potential of prebiotics, probiotics, and dietary changes to restore gut health and reduce heart disease risk.

13 Mar 2025

RSV hospitalization rates rise with age and chronic conditions in older adults

Among older adults in Spain, hospitalization rates from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection increases progressively with age and is more likely among people with other health issues and who live in nursing homes, according to a study published in Eurosurveillance.

13 Mar 2025

Finnish study reveals complex link between physical activity and longevity

Physical activity is seen as a way to extend the human lifespan, but Finnish twin studies found the benefits of physical activity for longevity may not be as straightforward as has been previously thought.

13 Mar 2025

Night shifts and sleep debt linked to higher infection risk in nurses

Researchers determine how sleep duration, sleep debt, and shift work impact the risk of infections among Norwegian nurses.

13 Mar 2025

Food insecurity linked to increased risk of developing heart disease in midlife

Struggling to afford food today could mean heart problems tomorrow. Young adults experiencing food insecurity have a 41% greater risk of developing heart disease in midlife, even after accounting for demographic and socioeconomic factors, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study.

12 Mar 2025