Heart Failure News and Research

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Heart failure (HF) is a condition in which a problem with the structure or function of the heart impairs its ability to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the body's needs. It should not be confused with cardiac arrest or myocardial infarction.

Optical tissue monitoring predicts dialysis-related fluid instability

For the millions of people living with end‑stage kidney disease, hemodialysis is more than a medical procedure, it is a thrice‑weekly lifeline that keeps the body's chemistry in balance.

7 Feb 2026

Moderate exercise lowers atrial fibrillation recurrence after ablation

New research from CU Anschutz scientists suggests that staying physically active after heart rhythm treatment may significantly reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) returning, offering patients a simple, low-cost way to support long-term heart health.

7 Feb 2026

AI-enabled stethoscope doubles detection of valvular heart disease

New research shows that the use of an AI-enabled digital stethoscope more than doubled the identification of moderate to severe valvular heart disease during routine clinical examinations, compared to a traditional stethoscope.

5 Feb 2026

Cardiologists highlight overlooked heart risks across women’s lives

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women in the United States, yet awareness of cardiovascular risk—particularly among younger women and women of color—has stalled, even as rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol continue to rise.

3 Feb 2026

Why cardiologist evaluation matters after non-cardiac surgery

Interdisciplinary collaboration with cardiologists in non-cardiac surgery enhances patient outcomes, reducing cardiac event risks and improving survival rates.

3 Feb 2026

Diabetes drug use linked to fewer gout treatments

Natalie McCormick, PhD, of the Rheumatology and Allergy Clinical Epidemiology Research (RACER) Center within the Division of Rheumatology in the Mass General Brigham Department of Medicine, is the lead author of a paper published in Diabetes Care, "Gout-Related Medication Use After Initiating Sodium–Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors in Patients With Gout and Type 2 Diabetes: Population-Based Target Trial Emulation Studies."

2 Feb 2026

Men develop premature heart disease earlier than women

The study uncovers critical insights into sex-based heart disease risks, highlighting young adulthood as key for effective cardiovascular health interventions.

2 Feb 2026

Cardiology consults post-surgery may reduce heart risks and mortality rates

An estimated 4.2 million people die within 30 days of surgery worldwide each year. A new study, published in the European Heart Journal today (Thursday), suggests that deaths and serious heart disease might be prevented if some patients see a specialist heart doctor as part of their post-surgery care.

30 Jan 2026

Cardiac MRI breakthrough could be a game changer for assessing advanced heart failure

Doctors may soon be able to tell just how sick a heart failure patient really is by using a routine MRI scan, thanks to new research from the University of East Anglia.

28 Jan 2026

Mapping the early onset of coronary heart disease in men

Men begin developing coronary heart disease - which can lead to heart attacks - years earlier than women, with differences emerging as early as the mid-30s, according to a large, long-term study led by Northwestern Medicine.

28 Jan 2026

Men still develop heart disease 10 years earlier than women

Historical data indicate that men develop coronary heart disease (CHD) 10 years before women. A recent study in the Journal of the American Heart Association indicates that this sex gap still remains.

28 Jan 2026

Immune system dysfunction may fuel progressive heart failure after heart attacks

When the heart's muscle is weakened or injured due to a heart attack, it can make it hard for the heart to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.

27 Jan 2026

Gene therapy targeting connexin 43 shows promise across inherited heart diseases

University of California San Diego-led team has discovered that restoring a key cardiac protein called connexin‑43 in a mouse model can dramatically improve heart function and extend survival in several inherited forms of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM)

26 Jan 2026

Nearly half of adults now live with heart disease as obesity and diabetes surge

The 2026 American Heart Association Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics report shows that nearly half of adults are living with cardiovascular disease, with cardiometabolic risk factors projected to rise substantially by 2050. Despite progress in smoking reduction and cholesterol control, worsening obesity, diabetes, hypertension, sleep health, and persistent inequities threaten future cardiovascular health.

22 Jan 2026

Medicare Advantage skews hospital readmission penalties

For more than a decade, hospitals have worked to help older adults avoid repeated inpatient stays, incentivized by a federal program that cuts Medicare reimbursements if hospitals have higher-than-expected rates of readmissions for people with certain conditions.

22 Jan 2026

Pregnancy-related stroke linked to long-term risk of cardiovascular events

Having an ischemic stroke during pregnancy or three months after pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events like heart attack or second stroke, heart disease and depression later in life.

21 Jan 2026

More urban trees associated with fewer heart disease cases

A multi-institutional study led by the University of California, Davis, finds that living in urban areas with a higher percentage of visible trees is associated with a 4% decrease in cardiovascular disease.

21 Jan 2026

Tracing the decline in American heart disease mortality

Following a five-year upward trend likely impacted by the COVID pandemic, the number of heart disease and stroke deaths has declined, yet, heart disease and stroke still kill more people in the U.S. each year than any other cause, according to data reported in the 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: A Report of U.S. and Global Data From the American Heart Association.

21 Jan 2026

Scientists discover why patients with chronic kidney disease die of heart problems

Scientists have discovered an answer to the longstanding mystery of why more than half of patients with chronic kidney disease ultimately die of cardiovascular problems: Their kidneys produce a substance that poisons the heart.

20 Jan 2026

High-dose flu shots lower hospitalization risk in older adults

High-dose influenza vaccines may lower serious hospitalization rates in older adults, particularly those with diabetes, according to a recent Danish trial.

20 Jan 2026