Heart News and Research

RSS

Switching to pod-based e-cigarette could improve the odds of quitting smoking

Cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, even as rates of cigarette smoking have fallen to an all-time low of approximately 10% in 2024.

19 May 2026

New wristband algorithm detects sudden cardiac arrest with high accuracy

A smart-technology wearable wristband device may be able to automatically detect cardiac arrest, which could lead to faster medical assistance and increased survival odds when cardiac arrest occurs outside of a hospital, according to new research published today in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, a peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Heart Association.

19 May 2026

New skin patch could replace bulky polygraphs and sleep monitors

A novel wireless chest patch enables continuous monitoring of stress signals, enhancing psychophysiological assessment in clinical and real-world settings.

19 May 2026

Pregnancy-related disorders may shape offspring heart health into adulthood

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy may lead to lasting cardiovascular issues in offspring, highlighting the need for improved maternal health strategies.

19 May 2026

Study supports flexible blood transfusion options in emergency trauma care

Giving whole blood or the component parts of blood are equally effective options for paramedics and emergency medical technicians to use in treating patients with severe, traumatic bleeding before arriving at the hospital, according to a large, nationwide trial directed by University of Pittsburgh and UPMC clinicians and scientists.

19 May 2026

New report highlights widening cardiovascular health inequalities across Europe

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains one of Europe's biggest health challenges, according to new data from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Atlas of Cardiology, published in the European Heart Journal.

19 May 2026

New EMS initiative aims to strengthen lifesaving emergency communication networks

When someone experiences cardiac arrest, a heart attack or a stroke, reliable communication between dispatch, EMS crews and receiving hospitals can mean the difference between life and death.

19 May 2026

Researchers use living human cells on a chip to study memory loss

A University of Bath-led project has secured £500,000 to develop a first-of-its-kind 'organ-on-chip' device that replicates connections between the brain, gut and pancreas.

19 May 2026

Azithromycin fails to improve severe wheezing in preschool children

A study led by researchers at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson showed that giving the antibiotic azithromycin did not help preschool children seen in the hospital emergency room with bouts of severe wheezing.

18 May 2026

Global consortium renames polycystic ovary syndrome to reflect science

First, it was named after two men. Then, it was named for a false premise. Now, after more than a century, one of the most common hormone disorders affecting women worldwide has a name that reflects the science.

18 May 2026

Global collaboration can improve diagnosis and care for children with Kawasaki disease

International collaboration in research, diagnosis and care is critical to reducing the risk of serious heart conditions for children with Kawasaki disease worldwide, according to a new science advisory published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

18 May 2026

Body weight and genes directly alter gut microbiota composition

Your body weight and genes influence the types of bacteria you have in your gut. In turn, this appears to affect the risk of developing conditions such as coeliac disease and haemorrhoids.

18 May 2026

Silent heart attacks may speed cognitive decline

Research shows hidden heart attacks accelerate cognitive decline, highlighting the need for better identification of cardiovascular risks to brain health.

18 May 2026

New study identifies dopamine's role in reversing Alzheimer's

Imagine if patients with Alzheimer's could have their memories restored. Such a future may seem like a pipe dream, but a new study by researchers at Tohoku University, in collaboration with the University of California, Irvine, has identified dopamine dysfunction as a previously unrecognized mechanism underlying memory impairment, unlocking a potential therapeutic means of reversing cognitive decline.

18 May 2026

Maternal occupations linked to increased autism diagnosis odds

Findings indicate that certain maternal jobs are associated with increased autism odds in children, highlighting the importance of prenatal occupational health.

15 May 2026

Perimenopause nearly doubles women’s odds of poor heart health

Perimenopause is linked to worsening cardiovascular health, with significant declines in lipid and glucose scores, emphasizing the need for early assessment.

15 May 2026

Can supplements slow Parkinson’s disease? Review reveals where the evidence stands

Dietary supplements are widely used by people with Parkinson’s disease, but this review finds that none have yet been proven to slow disease progression. Biotics, nicotinamide riboside, and omega-3 fatty acids combined with vitamin E show the most promise, but larger, longer, and better-designed trials are needed.

14 May 2026

The Goldilocks sleep zone: study links too little and too much sleep to biological aging

The Nature study introduces “Sleep Chart,” a framework linking self-reported sleep duration with 23 biological aging clocks derived from MRI, plasma proteomics, and metabolomics. Across UK Biobank participants, the lowest biological age gaps generally appeared between 6.4 and 7.8 hours of sleep, while shorter and longer sleep were associated with higher disease and mortality risk.

14 May 2026

Study traces adult heart disease risk back to the womb

A child's future heart health may be partially shaped before they are born, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study that found pregnancy complications are linked to poorer cardiovascular health in offspring more than 20 years later.

14 May 2026

New research maps the biological toll of drinking

A new review published in the journal Addiction confirms drinking causes substantial harm to health. Some of those harms may be reversible if the person reduces or stops drinking.

14 May 2026