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Angioplasty improves symptoms in chronic total coronary occlusion patients

In what is believed to be the first randomized placebo-controlled trial of its kind, patients with a chronic total blockage of a coronary artery who received a nonsurgical procedure to reopen the artery showed statistically significant reductions in chest pain and improvements in quality of life compared with patients who received a placebo procedure.

29 Mar 2026

Intensive LDL cholesterol-lowering shows major benefits for heart disease patients

Using cholesterol-lowering medications more intensively to achieve a more aggressive target for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduced the rate of major cardiovascular events by one-third among patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

28 Mar 2026

Evolocumab reduces cardiac events in high-risk diabetic patients

The cholesterol-lowering therapy evolocumab reduced the risk of major adverse cardiac events by nearly one-third among patients who had no known significant atherosclerosis and had diabetes, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.

28 Mar 2026

Home-delivered DASH diet improves blood pressure and cholesterol outcomes

Black adults with high blood pressure who received dietitian counseling and home deliveries of groceries aligned with the DASH diet—meaning high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, nuts, seeds, legumes and lean proteins—had an average overall reduction in systolic blood pressure of 7 mm Hg at three months overall and a 5 mm Hg reduction compared with participants who received only basic dietary guidance and a grocery stipend, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

28 Mar 2026

Investigational drug lowers angiotensinogen but shows unclear blood pressure benefits

The investigational drug tonlamarsen—which is designed to lower blood pressure by reducing the production of angiotensinogen, a protein that turns into the hormone that regulates blood pressure—caused a significant and sustained drop in angiotensinogen but its impact on blood pressure was less clear, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.

28 Mar 2026

Catheter-based approach improves prognosis in pulmonary embolism patients

Patients who had low doses of clot-buster drugs delivered directly to the site of a pulmonary embolism (PE) via a catheter using ultrasound to enhance their effect had significantly better outcomes than those who received standard systemic anticoagulants, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

28 Mar 2026

Temporary heart pump before PCI shows no significant benefit

The first randomized trial to test whether adding a small, temporary pump to allow the heart to rest and intentionally delaying percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), also known as coronary angioplasty, for 30 minutes to reduce heart damage compared with standard immediate PCI in patients with heart attacks at risk for a large amount of heart damage found no significant difference between the two groups, the study's primary endpoint. The research was presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

28 Mar 2026

Left atrial appendage closure matches anticoagulants in AFib patients

For patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AFib) who had no contraindications to taking oral anticoagulants, the use of a device to close off the left atrial appendage in the heart—a small pouch where blood can pool and form dangerous clots—was comparable to standard medication therapy in reducing the combined rate of all-cause stroke, cardiovascular death and systemic embolism at three years.

28 Mar 2026

Machine learning model can predict 28-day mortality in sepsis patients

Sepsis is one of the most common and lethal syndromes encountered in intensive care units (ICUs), and acute respiratory failure (ARF) represents one of its most critical complications.

27 Mar 2026

Dandelion leaves boost brain-protective compounds after digestion

Dandelion leaves are rich in polyphenols with neuroprotective effects, offering insights into natural strategies for Alzheimer's disease management.

27 Mar 2026

Historical redlining linked to modern reproductive health disparities in women

A pair of studies are the first to examine how the decades-old discriminatory mortgage lending practice may contribute to present-day reproductive health problems, which disproportionately burden Black residents and other communities of color.

25 Mar 2026

Moderate coffee intake may lower heart failure risk

A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of seven prospective cohorts found that drinking 2 to 4 cups of coffee a day was associated with a modestly lower risk of incident heart failure. The lowest estimated risk appeared at 1 to 2 cups daily, although the evidence for a true non-linear J-shaped pattern was suggestive rather than definitive.

24 Mar 2026

Study identifies early risk factors for progressive supranuclear palsy

Progressive supranuclear palsy, or PSP, is a rare brain disease that causes problems with balance, eye movements and thinking. Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson recently passed away after living with the disease for more than a decade.

24 Mar 2026

Excessive screen time linked to worse cardiovascular risk factors

People who reported spending six or more hours on screens outside of school or work had worse blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass index (BMI) compared with those with more limited screen time, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

24 Mar 2026

Medicare reforms improve medication adherence among older adults with heart disease

Medicare beneficiaries with heart disease or major cardiovascular risk factors reported less cost-related medication non-adherence-skipping or reducing doses, delaying prescription fills or foregoing medications due to cost-after new provisions went into effect limiting out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26) and simultaneously published in JACC, the flagship journal of the ACC.

24 Mar 2026

Transportation noise linked to higher risk of major cardiac events

Living in areas with consistently higher levels of noise from transportation was associated with a significantly higher risk of major adverse cardiac events compared with living in quieter areas, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

24 Mar 2026

Extreme cold linked to sharp rise in heart-related deaths

On the heels of one of the coldest winters in memory for large swaths of the country, new research highlights an often overlooked cost of cold weather: months with lower temperatures see significantly greater rates of death from heart attacks, strokes and coronary artery disease than milder months.

24 Mar 2026

Study links gut microbiome imbalance to worsening kidney disease

Researchers at UC Davis School of Medicine have uncovered how an imbalanced gut microbiome escalates the production of metabolic byproducts by certain gut bacteria.

19 Mar 2026

Young women face rising mortality rates from high blood pressure

Nearly 1 in 2 Americans has high blood pressure—sometimes called the "silent killer" because it harms the heart and blood vessels—but many people don't know they have it.

19 Mar 2026

Early morning workouts may improve cardiometabolic health

People who regularly exercised early in the morning were significantly less likely to have coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes or obesity compared with people who exercised later in the day, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

19 Mar 2026