Cardiovascular Disease News and Research

Latest Cardiovascular Disease News and Research

Self-employment linked to lower heart disease risks in Hispanic women

Self-employed Hispanic women report less high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, poor health and binge drinking compared to Hispanic women working for salary or wages, new research suggests.

8 Apr 2026

Genetic overlap links psychiatric disorders with many physical ailments

For centuries, mental illness and physical disease have been viewed as two distinct categories, each with its own field of study, its own doctors, and its own menu of treatments.

8 Apr 2026

Long-term excess weight is a stronger predictor of cardiovascular risk

Obesity is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but people's weights can shift over time, and little is known about the cumulative impact of excess weight.

8 Apr 2026

Sugar intake may reduce effectiveness of relaxation exercises

How does sugar affect relaxation exercises? A new study carried out by researchers from the University of Konstanz provides revealing insights into the connection between blood glucose and the autonomic nervous system: The intake of sugar counteracts relaxation.

7 Apr 2026

Early genetic signals connect diabetes subgroups to heart disease risk

A growing body of research shows that diabetes can be stratified into five different subgroups. Researchers at Lund University have now investigated whether a person's genetic predisposition to different diabetes subgroups can help assess the risk of developing coronary artery disease.

7 Apr 2026

New obesity definition could delay treatment and widen health gaps

The Lancet obesity framework aims to improve risk assessment but risks delaying treatment and deepening health inequities, according to recent evaluations.

7 Apr 2026

Challenging processed meat risks for dry-cured ham consumption

The effects of dry-cured ham on cardiometabolic health are nuanced, with evidence suggesting it may not adversely affect key health markers in moderation.

7 Apr 2026

Prickly pear may pack a surprising punch against metabolic syndrome

This narrative review examines how Opuntia ficus-indica fruit, or prickly pear, may help target multiple features of metabolic syndrome through its fiber, betalains, polyphenols, carotenoids, and other bioactive compounds. The authors conclude that the fruit shows promising mechanistic and preclinical potential, but stronger human trials are still needed before firm clinical claims can be made.

6 Apr 2026

How gut microbes may shape heart attack damage and recovery

This review argues that gut microbes and the metabolites they produce, especially SCFAs and TMAO, may shape how the heart responds to myocardial infarction through epigenetic pathways such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNAs. It also outlines potential intervention routes, including diet, probiotics, postbiotics, and metabolite-targeted therapies, while noting that much of the evidence remains translational and not yet clinically definitive.

6 Apr 2026

Evolocumab trial could reshape how doctors treat high-risk cholesterol patients

A new ACC/AHA dyslipidemia guideline and editorial argue that guideline development is rigorous but can lag behind fast-moving science, using the VESALIUS-CV trial as a clear example. The trial showed that intensive LDL cholesterol lowering with evolocumab reduced cardiovascular events in high-risk patients without prior heart attack or stroke, with implications for future guideline updates.

6 Apr 2026

Remote monitoring technology helps Brooklyn resident manage high blood pressure

When 57-year-old Brooklyn resident Timothy Rhonda visited Park Ridge Family Health Center at NYU Langone with dangerously high blood pressure, he worried he might once again end up in the hospital.

6 Apr 2026

Irregular bedtimes double heart risk for those getting below 8 hours

Irregular sleep timing significantly impacts heart health, with inconsistent bedtimes linked to a higher risk of major cardiovascular events over a decade.

6 Apr 2026

Obesity, sleep, smoking, and inactivity show the strongest links to hypertension in U.S. adults

A cross-sectional analysis of 20,912 U.S. adults found that obesity, overweight, inadequate physical activity, smoking, and short or long sleep were each associated with higher odds of hypertension, while overall diet quality by HEI-2015 was not significantly associated. Sleep associations differed by sex, and lower sodium intake remained linked to lower odds of hypertension in sensitivity analyses.

2 Apr 2026

American Heart Association's 9 diet rules to lower heart disease risk

The AHA's dietary guidance emphasizes food choices over fad diets to reduce heart disease risk and improve cardiovascular health across all life stages.

2 Apr 2026

Wegovy® (semaglutide injection) 2.4 mg recommended by NICE to reduce risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes, in adults with established cardiovascular disease and overweight or obesity (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2)

NICE has recommended Wegovy® (semaglutide injection) 2.4 mg as the first GLP-1 RA to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or non-fatal stroke) in adults with established cardiovascular disease and either obesity or overweight (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2).

From Novo Nordisk 2 Apr 2026

Study finds higher heart disease risk in long COVID patients

People with long COVID are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in eClinicalMedicine.

1 Apr 2026

Lack of dental care linked to higher heart and dementia risk

Being unable to afford dental care may increase a person's risk of developing cardiovascular disease or dementia, according to a new study led by researchers at Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH).

1 Apr 2026

Fiber supplement stabilizes blood sugar in gestational diabetes

Dietary fiber supplementation shows potential in managing blood sugar levels and preventing preterm births in pregnancies at risk for gestational diabetes.

1 Apr 2026

Imaging study measures pancreatic fat in children and teens

Higher fat content in the pancreas of children and adolescents with obesity is associated with an increased level of heart and metabolic risk factors, including higher than average body mass index (BMI), elevated diastolic blood pressure, higher levels of abdominal and liver fat, and insulin resistance, according to new research presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Istanbul, Turkey (12-15 May).

1 Apr 2026

How swapping unhealthy foods can significantly reduce your heart risk

More than half of adults and about 60% of children in the U.S. have unhealthy diets, which can contribute to higher rates of health factors such as high blood pressure and obesity, and lead directly to poor health outcomes including deaths from cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions, according to the American Heart Association.

31 Mar 2026