Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Study maps key regions driving inflammation in aging hearts

Scientists have long known that aging drives inflammation in the heart, but exactly how those changes are distributed throughout the organ has remained unclear.

6 Nov 2026

Ketamine may strengthen mindfulness therapy for opioid use disorder

Researchers from University of California San Diego School of Medicine have found that adding ketamine to a mindfulness-based treatment for opioid use disorder may strengthen people's ability to recognize and respond to signals from their bodies - changes that may help reduce opioid cravings.

6 Nov 2026

Five UK research hubs to develop technologies for healthier lives

Five new research and partnership hubs are being backed by over £52 million from the UK government through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), to develop tools that help people stay healthier for longer.

6 Nov 2026

SCAI updates consensus framework for assessing cardiogenic shock severity

The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) today released the 2026 SCAI SHOCK Classification Expert Consensus Update, providing refined guidance to help clinicians from diverse settings prioritize and recognize inadequate organ perfusion across a broad range of shock presentations, assess shock severity over time, and determine whether treatment is restoring adequate circulation.

6 Nov 2026

Philanthropists donate $6 million to establish the UVA Biotech Innovation Fund

The University of Virginia Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology received gifts totaling $6 million from philanthropists to establish the UVA Biotech Innovation Fund.

6 Nov 2026

Occasional male cannabis users experience stronger effects than women

Men who use cannabis occasionally reacted more strongly to smoked cannabis than women with similar use habits, even though the amount of THC in their blood was about the same, according to a new study from UCLA Health.

6 Nov 2026

Routine pediatric lung therapies do not improve ventilator-free days

Results from the largest international clinical trial of its kind show that early, routine use of prone positioning and/or high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) do not increase ventilator-free days for children with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (PARDS).

6 Nov 2026

China's stricter air quality standards can avert over 200,000 deaths

China introduced a 35 µg m⁻³ annual PM₂.₅ limit in 2012 and later cut population-weighted exposure from 62.8 to 29.7 µg m⁻³ between 2013 and 2024 through clean air actions.

6 Nov 2026

Over 9 million lives could be saved every year if countries met WHO air quality guidelines

Meeting the World Health Organization’s recommended annual guidelines for air pollution resulting from fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide has the potential to save more than 9 million lives a year in low- and middle-income countries, say University of Cambridge researchers.

6 Nov 2026

Doctors take minutes to measure heart function. AI takes seconds

The study indicates AI can enhance cardiac MRI analysis and mortality prediction, yet its clinical benefits and cost-effectiveness need further investigation.

6 Nov 2026

Virtual reality reduces anxiety among children awaiting surgery

Children who used a virtual reality (VR) headset before surgery showed reduced self-reported distress and fear, along with lower heart rate and blood pressure, according to a new study published November 5th in the open access journal PLOS Digital Health by Dayanjan Wijesinghe of Virginia Commonwealth University, US, and colleagues.

5 Nov 2026

The Mediterranean diet has a modern problem, and it isn't just about food

A narrative review published in Applied Sciences examined how urbanisation, time constraints, food costs, and changing lifestyles have contributed to declining adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Drawing on 116 references, the authors identified workplace and school interventions, nutrition education, physical activity, and Mediterranean-inspired convenience foods as potential strategies for adapting this dietary pattern to modern life.

5 Nov 2026

A simple salt swap could prevent nearly 3 million deaths a year, researchers estimate

A global modelling study covering 193 countries and territories estimated that replacing regular salt with a potassium-enriched substitute containing 25% potassium chloride could prevent 2.96 million deaths, 10.17 million new cardiovascular and chronic kidney disease cases, and 69.43 million disability-adjusted life years annually. Although the researchers projected an increased risk of hyperkalemia-related deaths among people with impaired kidney function, the estimated cardiovascular benefits substantially outweighed these potential harms.

5 Nov 2026

Review examines translational bottlenecks for plant-derived anti-inflammatory compounds

A review led by Professor Weidong Zhang at the School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, was published in Volume 2 of the journal Immunity & Inflammation on October 27, 2026. The article systematically examines the translational bottlenecks and potential solutions for plant-derived anti-inflammatory compounds.

5 Nov 2026

CIRM grant funds new stem cell therapy to heal hearts

A new $6.9 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) will support preclinical development of an investigational cell therapy for the heart created by USC Stem Cell scientists.

5 Nov 2026

Review explores intrinsic mechanisms driving right ventricular remodeling in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Announcing a new article publication for Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) comprises a group of progressive pulmonary circulatory diseases characterized by a persistent increase in pulmonary vascular resistance.

5 Nov 2026

Longer reproductive lifespan and hormonal history may influence brain vascular health

A longer reproductive lifespan and a history of using birth control pills or menopausal hormone therapy were associated with certain signs of blood vessel health in the brain, according to a study published November 4, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

4 Nov 2026

Inherited high cholesterol linked to slightly higher pre-eclampsia risk

Women with the inherited cholesterol condition familial hypercholesterolemia may be at a slightly higher risk of developing pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy condition that can cause serious complications, according to a new study in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

4 Nov 2026

Pulse oximeter bias undercounts sleep apnea severity in Black patients

Sleep studies often use a pulse oximeter to determine the severity of sleep apnea. But a new study by investigators from Mass General Brigham reports that pulse oximeters may undercount breathing events in Black patients, potentially leading to inaccurate severity classifications.

4 Nov 2026

Multi-component nutritional supplement improves markers of vascular health

A multi-component nutritional supplement has been found to improve markers of vascular health, in a randomized controlled trial led by the University of Surrey.

4 Nov 2026