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.

Study shows how temperature extremes can contribute to heart failure hospitalizations

Heart failure hospitalization risk increases after short-term exposure to cold spells, lower ambient temperatures and higher ambient temperatures, according to a study published in JACC, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology, and simultaneously presented at ESC Congress 2026.

28 Aug 2026

Blood-brain barrier-crossing blood pressure drugs linked to lower dementia risk

In a large Australian cohort of adults with hypertension, use of blood-brain barrier-crossing antihypertensive medications was associated with a lower risk of dementia and mortality than use of non-crossing drugs. The association was strongest for beta-blockers and angiotensin II receptor blockers, although the observational design means the findings cannot establish causality.

27 Aug 2026

The US switch in shingles vaccines revealed an unexpected heart health pattern

In a natural experiment involving 72,920 propensity-matched US adults aged 60 years and older, recombinant shingles vaccination was associated with a 9% lower cardiovascular disease burden over seven years compared with the live attenuated vaccine. Lower burdens of ischemic heart disease and heart failure were seen in both sexes, while ischemic stroke was significantly lower only among men, supporting further clinical trials and mechanistic studies

27 Aug 2026

Review explores complex links between obesity and cardiovascular diseases

Announcing a new article publication for Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications journal. Obesity, given its strong association with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), is a major global public health issue attracting increasing attention.

27 Aug 2026

Study reveals how SGLT2 inhibitors improve failing heart function

Researchers have discovered that SGLT2 inhibitors, a class of drugs originally developed to treat diabetes and now widely used for heart failure, work by activating a key enzyme that helps heart cells produce and use energy more efficiently.

27 Aug 2026

Missing doses of antihypertensive medication erase life-saving cardiovascular benefits

The true impact of missing doses of blood pressure-lowering medication will be demonstrated in a presentation at ESC Congress 2026.

27 Aug 2026

Overuse of short-acting bronchodilator linked to increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and death

Overuse of reliever inhalers is associated with higher risks of developing and dying from cardiovascular disease, including heart failure, heart attack and ischemic stroke, in asthma and COPD patients, according to a study published today in ERJ Open Research.

27 Aug 2026

Former ESC president judged guilty of severe misconduct over drug ties

A British cardiologist and former president of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) has been judged by the ESC to have committed severe misconduct after a Danish TV documentary reported that he had been involved in drawing up guidelines for the use of the heart drug ivabradine (Corlanor, Procoralan) while profiting from lucrative contracts with the drug's maker.

27 Aug 2026

What decades of wine research can, and cannot, tell us about health

A narrative review found that moderate wine intake has repeatedly been associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, with proposed mechanisms involving ethanol and grape-derived polyphenols, but the evidence remains largely observational and cannot establish causation. The authors argue that drinking pattern, beverage type, age, cancer risk, and risk-modeling choices all influence how the J-shaped association should be interpreted and how alcohol guidelines are developed.

25 Aug 2026

Could a daily vinegar drink help with constipation? A small trial offers a clue

A randomized, double-blind trial found that adults with mild constipation who drank a vinegar beverage daily for four weeks had more frequent bowel movements than those receiving placebo. Exploratory findings also suggested earlier improvements in bowel habits, although the small feasibility-based trial requires confirmation in larger and more diverse populations.

24 Aug 2026

New study makes progress in understanding the mechanisms behind severity of HFpEF

Approximately 3 million people in the United States are living with a condition called heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, or HFpEF.

24 Aug 2026

Study highlights strengths and barriers of remote heart failure care

Interviews with patients hospitalized for heart failure, caregivers, providers, and organizational leaders highlighted several strengths of Mighty Heart (a major clinical trial examining the effectiveness of in home and telehealth-enabled visits from paramedics) that may support its adoption and implementation across health systems, a Columbia Nursing-led study finds.

21 Aug 2026

Digital program reduces anxiety and depression in adults with chronic medical conditions

A digital program combining guided movement, breathing and meditation exercises, and coping-skills training reduced anxiety and depression symptoms in adults with chronic medical conditions, according to a new study published August 20th in the open access journal PLOS Medicine by Puneeta Tandon of the University of Alberta, Canada, and colleagues.

20 Aug 2026

Study: Nearly 8 out of 10 young adults have cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome

A new scientific study found that nearly 8 out of 10 young adult participants, average age 23 years, had cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome (CKM syndrome), according to new independent research published today in Circulation: Population Health and Outcomes, a peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Heart Association.

20 Aug 2026

Review reveals how nicotine damages blood vessels and heart health

A review published today in Nature Reviews Cardiology provides the most detailed picture yet of how nicotine damages the cardiovascular system – tracing the biological chain of events from the moment nicotine binds to receptors in blood vessel walls through to the atherosclerotic plaque rupture that triggers heart attacks and strokes.

19 Aug 2026

$Pomegranate-derived compound shows promise against preserved ejection fraction heart failure$

Pomegranate-derived compound shows promise against preserved ejection fraction heart failure

A compound produced in the body after eating pomegranates improves heart function by up to 80% in a type of heart failure with limited treatment options.

19 Aug 2026

What 3,600 adults with diabetes revealed about lifestyle and heart health

In 3,612 British adults with type 2 diabetes, greater adherence to the Mediterranean Lifestyle Index was associated with lower risks of major adverse cardiovascular events, cardiovascular death, and all-cause mortality over more than a decade of follow-up. Dietary patterns, physical activity, rest, and social habits all contributed to the observed associations, although the observational study cannot establish causality.

19 Aug 2026

Immune signaling pathway protects newborn heart cells from injury

Researchers at the University Hospital of Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn have identified a previously unknown signaling pathway in the immune system that helps newborn heart cells survive and regenerate after injury.

17 Aug 2026

Inhaled cannabis reduces premature heartbeats in habitual users

Habitual cannabis users experienced about 9% fewer premature heartbeats on days they inhaled cannabis compared with days they abstained, a counterintuitive finding that adds to the complex and evolving understanding of how cannabis affects the heart, new UC San Francisco-led research found.

12 Aug 2026

The coffee advice given to atrial fibrillation patients may deserve a rethink

The DECAF randomized trial found that adults with persistent atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter assigned to drink at least one cup of caffeinated coffee daily had a 39% lower hazard of recurrent clinically detected AF or flutter than those assigned to avoid coffee and caffeine. The findings challenge longstanding advice to routinely restrict caffeinated coffee in people with AF, while further research is needed to determine whether coffee itself provides a protective effect.

12 Aug 2026