Myocardial Infarction News and Research

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Mask-wearing during COVID-19 may have reduced heart attack risk triggered by air pollution

Researchers at Kumamoto University have discovered that behavioral changes during the COVID-19 pandemic-particularly widespread mask-wearing-may have reduced the risk of certain types of heart attacks triggered by air pollution.

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

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

Novel DAMP markers advance myocardial contusion detection

Researchers are exploring a new generation of biochemical markers that may help clinicians detect myocardial contusion. A frequently overlooked form of heart injury caused by blunt chest trauma, earlier and more accurately.

12 Feb 2026

Semaglutide lowers cardiovascular events even without major weight loss, researchers report

Semaglutide reduced major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with overweight or obesity and established cardiovascular disease regardless of baseline adiposity. Cardiovascular benefit was largely independent of overall weight loss, with waist circumference reduction explaining only part of the effect.

11 Feb 2026

Eating fewer foods of concern may protect the heart beyond pills

A prospective cohort study in adults with hypertension and or hypercholesterolemia found that lower intake of ultra processed foods or foods flagged by front of pack nutrition warnings was associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk. These associations persisted regardless of cardioprotective medication use, suggesting dietary quality contributes independently to cardiovascular prevention.

10 Feb 2026

AI stethoscope doubles detection of serious valve disease in primary care study

A prospective primary care study found that an AI-enabled digital stethoscope substantially improved sensitivity for detecting clinically significant valvular heart disease compared with standard auscultation. The technology identified more previously undiagnosed moderate-to-severe disease but showed reduced specificity, highlighting a trade-off between earlier detection and potential false positives.

8 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

Most commercially insured patients live with chronic conditions

The majority (57.5 percent) of commercially insured patients had at least one chronic condition in 2024. The average allowed amount for a patient with no chronic conditions was $1,590, while the average allowed amount for a patient with one chronic condition was nearly double ($3,039).

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

Study reveals heart, brain, neuroimmune connections driving damage after heart attacks

Arteries become clogged. Blood flow is restricted and oxygen is cut off. The result is a heart attack, the world's leading cause of death.

27 Jan 2026

Why the age you start smoking matters as much as how much you smoke

Starting smoking at a younger age is associated with substantially higher risks of myocardial infarction, stroke, and death, even after accounting for cumulative smoking exposure. Early initiation also amplifies the cardiovascular harm of heavier smoking, indicating increased vulnerability when smoking begins in adolescence.

25 Jan 2026

Scientists discover a non-classical platelet mechanism linked to severe infections

Platelets are small, anucleate blood cells that play an essential role in hemostasis. Their primary task is to recognize vascular injury, become activated, and aggregate via their surface receptor integrin αIIbβ3. This leads to the formation of a stable platelet plug that seals the wound and stops bleeding. When this process becomes dysregulated, however, it can result in vessel-occluding clots - so-called thromboses - which may cause myocardial infarction or stroke.

23 Jan 2026

TGM2 as a novel biomarker for acute myocardial infarction and prognosis in acute coronary syndrome

Announcing a new article publication for Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications journal. Transglutaminase 2 (TGM2) has been implicated in various health conditions, yet its role in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains poorly characterized in clinical settings.

21 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

A single immune protein may help explain why kidney and heart disease often develop together

This review synthesizes clinical, genetic, and mechanistic evidence showing that suPAR and related uPAR fragments are strongly associated with kidney, cardiovascular, and metabolic disease risk. It highlights suPAR as a stable biomarker of innate immune activation with potential pathogenic roles, while underscoring major gaps in assay standardization and therapeutic validation.

6 Jan 2026

Common blood signals explain why chronic diseases cluster as we age

This population-based study shows that shared and pattern-specific blood biomarkers reflect biological vulnerability underlying multimorbidity and the pace at which chronic diseases accumulate in older adults. Metabolic and systemic stress markers such as GDF15, HbA1c, cystatin C, and insulin consistently tracked higher disease burden and faster accumulation, with findings replicated across cohorts.

5 Jan 2026

Splicing regulator U2AF1 promotes angiogenesis in cardiac injury

A study published in Engineering shows that a protein called U2 small nuclear RNA auxiliary factor 1 (U2AF1), released by immune cells known as macrophages, helps grow new blood vessels in the heart after a myocardial infarction (MI) by altering how the gene Yap1 is spliced.

22 Dec 2025

Circadian control of neutrophils limits heart damage after myocardial infarction

Neutrophils cause time-of-day–dependent collateral tissue damage after sterile injury through an intrinsic circadian program. Activating a CXCL12–CXCR4 checkpoint repositions neutrophils, limiting inflammatory injury without impairing antimicrobial defense.

15 Dec 2025

E-cigarette use is linked to higher heart attack risk, especially in former smokers

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined whether electronic cigarette use is associated with myocardial infarction and stroke, synthesizing evidence from 12 observational studies. The analysis found higher odds of myocardial infarction among e-cigarette users, particularly former smokers, while no significant associations were observed among exclusive never-smokers.

14 Dec 2025