Atherosclerosis News and Research

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Atherosclerosis is the progressive buildup of plaque - the fatty deposits and other cells - in the inner walls of the arteries. The condition is a consequence of elevated cholesterol and for many it's a silent disease, with no visible signs or symptoms. The disease can begin in early adulthood and continues to progress for the rest of a person's life. Despite the serious nature of atherosclerosis, many people do not understand how it develops and progresses.

Scientists show gut bacteria can reach the brain in mice and reveal a potential vagus nerve pathway

Researchers found that very small numbers of gut bacteria can translocate to the brain in mice, particularly when gut barrier permeability increases due to a Paigen diet. Evidence suggests the vagus nerve may serve as a partial route for this gut-to-brain microbial movement.

15 Mar 2026

Updated guideline emphasizes earlier treatment for high cholesterol

The American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Heart Association and nine other leading medical associations, today issued an updated guideline for the management of dyslipidemia-abnormal levels of one or more types of lipids or lipoproteins in the blood, including cholesterol and triglycerides.

13 Mar 2026

New RNA therapy enhances the heart's ability to repair itself after injury

After a heart attack, cardiologists can reopen blocked vessels and restore blood flow, but the muscle cells that died will never be replaced.

13 Mar 2026

Swapping red meat for plant-based meat rapidly lowers a key heart risk metabolite, trial finds

A randomized crossover trial found that replacing red meat patties with processed plant-based meat alternatives for six days significantly lowered circulating trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a gut-derived metabolite linked to cardiovascular risk. The plant-based phase also produced modest reductions in cholesterol markers but slightly increased weight and NT-proBNP, possibly due to higher sodium intake.

12 Mar 2026

Specific gut bacteria may signal long-term risk of heart and metabolic disease

Researchers analyzed gut microbiome profiles from 4,792 adults in the HELIUS cohort and tracked cardiometabolic outcomes over time to determine whether specific microbes predict disease risk. Certain microbes were linked to higher or lower cardiovascular risk, while plant-derived microbial metabolites suggested potential diet–microbiome interactions influencing heart health.

9 Mar 2026

BCAT2 enzyme identified as a target for diabetic foot recovery

Diabetic macrovascular complications are the main cause of death and disability in diabetes patients, of which vascular calcification is one of the key pathological mechanisms. Calcification in atherosclerotic plaque can cause stiffness and decreased compliance of the vascular wall, and induce atherosclerotic plaque rupture, which increases the risk of acute cardiovascular events.

6 Mar 2026

Canadian wildfire pollution associated with increased stroke severity

Short-term surges in air pollution in New Jersey from the 2023 Canadian wildfires were associated with a higher stroke rate and more serious strokes, according to a preliminary study released March 3, 2026, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 78th Annual Meeting taking place April 18-22, 2026, in Chicago and online.

3 Mar 2026

Poor oral health in childhood linked to higher incidence of cardiovascular disease in adulthood

A tooth cavity and bleeding gums is a common scenario among Danish children – and one that researchers now connect to health problems long after the last baby tooth has left the mouth.

2 Mar 2026

Rethinking cardiovascular risk assessment in women

Less artery-clogging plaque in women's arteries did not appear to protect them from heart disease compared to men, according to a study published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging, an American Heart Association journal.

23 Feb 2026

New insights on spontaneous coronary artery dissection in young patients

New insights into spontaneous coronary artery dissection – a devastating cause of heart attacks in young, healthy patients – were presented today at the EAPCI Summit 2026.

20 Feb 2026

Developmental ANGPTL4 deficiency protects mice from colitis and tumors

A novel study using a mouse model has found that the absence of the angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) protein during development triggers a long-lasting reprogramming of the immune system that protects against intestinal inflammation.

18 Feb 2026

New AI-based approach detects fatty deposits inside coronary arteries using OCT images

Researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence-based approach for detecting fatty deposits inside coronary arteries using optical coherence tomography (OCT) images.

17 Feb 2026

Do cocoa flavanols influence heart and fatty liver risk factors?

A recent Nutrients review examined whether cocoa-rich dark chocolate influences cardiovascular and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease risk factors through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and endothelial effects. Evidence suggests modest improvements in biomarkers, but most data come from short-term studies, so definitive clinical benefits remain unproven.

16 Feb 2026

Study explores how reversible RNA editing could transform future cardiovascular medicine

This mini-review synthesises evidence showing that adenosine-to-inosine RNA editing plays an important regulatory role in cardiovascular development, cellular homeostasis, and disease biology. It highlights emerging links between dysregulated RNA editing and cardiovascular conditions while outlining biomarker potential and reversible RNA-editing therapeutic strategies that remain under investigation.

15 Feb 2026

Osteoprotegerin links bone metabolism to cardiovascular disease

Announcing a new article publication for Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications journal. Osteoprotegerin (OPG), a glycoprotein in the tumor necrosis factor superfamily, regulates bone metabolism by suppressing the formation and activation of osteoclasts.

13 Feb 2026

Early heart disease risk factors identified in South Asian adults in the U.S.

South Asian adults in the U. S. were more likely to have risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) by age 45 when compared to white, Black, Chinese or Hispanic adults in the same age group, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

11 Feb 2026

South Asian adults in the U.S. have higher prevalence of risk factors for heart disease

South Asian adults in the U.S. report doing many of the right things for heart health, yet they show significantly higher rates of prediabetes, diabetes and hypertension than white and Chinese adults, and higher than or roughly similar rates to Black and Hispanic patients, according to a new study led by Northwestern Medicine.

11 Feb 2026

Review links betel nut addiction to cancer, heart disease, and metabolic risks

This review examines the epidemiology, health risks, neurobiological mechanisms, and emerging treatments related to betel nut addiction worldwide. It highlights strong links with oral cancer, cardiometabolic disease, and addiction pathways while noting limited established therapies and the need for coordinated public health strategies.

11 Feb 2026

Influenza viruses can directly impair heart function

Mount Sinai researchers have identified a cellular mechanism linking infections from influenza A viruses (IAVs) to cardiovascular disease, providing critical insights on how influenza can damage the heart and increase the risk of a heart attack or other major cardiovascular event.

9 Feb 2026

IRF7 reshapes the behavior of vascular smooth muscle cells during atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis underlies most heart attacks and strokes and is now recognized as a chronic inflammatory disease rather than a simple disorder of cholesterol deposition.

9 Feb 2026