Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Medicare Advantage skews hospital readmission penalties

For more than a decade, hospitals have worked to help older adults avoid repeated inpatient stays, incentivized by a federal program that cuts Medicare reimbursements if hospitals have higher-than-expected rates of readmissions for people with certain conditions.

22 Jan 2026

See through the skin: New technology spots early heart disease warning signs

Researchers from Helmholtz Munich and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed "fast-RSOM", a new imaging technology that can capture detailed images of the smallest blood vessels directly through the skin – without the need for invasive procedures.

22 Jan 2026

Smartwatches improve the detection of atrial fibrillation

Smartwatches with both PPG and ECG functionality improve the detection of atrial fibrillation in comparison with standard care.

22 Jan 2026

High-dose inhaled nitric oxide could fight multidrug-resistant infections

Overuse of antibiotics has accelerated the development of bacterial resistance to conventional drugs, a global health crisis projected to result in more than 10 million deaths annually by 2050.

21 Jan 2026

Pregnancy-related stroke linked to long-term risk of cardiovascular events

Having an ischemic stroke during pregnancy or three months after pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events like heart attack or second stroke, heart disease and depression later in life.

21 Jan 2026

Study reveals immune traffic controller hijacked by common virus

In a major scientific breakthrough, researchers from Monash University and the Lions Eye Institute have discovered a tissue protein that acts as a central 'traffic controller' for immune cells and can be hijacked by a virus to weaken immune responses.

21 Jan 2026

More urban trees associated with fewer heart disease cases

A multi-institutional study led by the University of California, Davis, finds that living in urban areas with a higher percentage of visible trees is associated with a 4% decrease in cardiovascular disease.

21 Jan 2026

Long-term air pollution exposure raises motor neuron disease risk

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution was associated with a higher risk of developing motor neuron disease and poorer prognosis after diagnosis in a large nationwide Swedish study. Higher particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide exposure were also linked to faster functional decline and increased likelihood of invasive ventilation.

21 Jan 2026

Major trial questions the need for invasive monitoring in heart surgery

Australians undergoing open-heart surgery could soon benefit from safer, simpler care and get home earlier thanks to the results of a world-first clinical trial led by Monash University's Victorian Heart Institute.

21 Jan 2026

Shingles vaccination is linked to slower biological aging in older adults

This population-based study of U.S. adults aged 70 and older found that shingles vaccination was associated with slower epigenetic and transcriptomic aging, as well as lower systemic inflammation. No significant associations were observed for neurodegeneration or cardiovascular biomarkers, highlighting domain-specific molecular effects rather than broad clinical changes.

21 Jan 2026

Low patient engagement hinders at-home blood pressure management

Despite guideline recommendations and improved access to care, individuals with hypertension are unlikely to measure their blood pressure at home as often as recommended, according to data from researchers at Mass General Brigham.

21 Jan 2026

Nutrition experts call for dietary fiber recognition as an essential nutrient

Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka nutrition experts are calling for dietary fiber to be officially recognized internationally as an essential nutrient - the first 'new' essential nutrient in more than 50 years.

21 Jan 2026

Serum uric acid levels linked to atrial fibrillation burden

Announcing a new article publication for Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications journal. This study investigated the association between serum uric acid (UA) levels and atrial fibrillation (AF) burden in Chinese patients with AF.

21 Jan 2026

New review explores how stress uniquely affects children

Most research on the health effects of stress focuses on adults, but a new review looks at how stress uniquely affects children.

21 Jan 2026

Tracing the decline in American heart disease mortality

Following a five-year upward trend likely impacted by the COVID pandemic, the number of heart disease and stroke deaths has declined, yet, heart disease and stroke still kill more people in the U.S. each year than any other cause, according to data reported in the 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: A Report of U.S. and Global Data From the American Heart Association.

21 Jan 2026

Arthritis significantly restricts employment for millions of American adults

According to new research from the University of Delaware, nearly 40% of American adults ages 18 to 64 with arthritis - almost 10 million people - say the medical condition is limiting their ability to work.

21 Jan 2026

New AI framework mirrors human physiology to understand emotional experiences

Emotions are a fundamental part of human psychology-a complex process that has long distinguished us from machines.

20 Jan 2026

Rice’s SynthX Center leads interdisciplinary effort to tackle rare lymphatic disorders

Rice University's SynthX Center, directed by Han Xiao, has received an up to five-year, $18 million award from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) Lymphatic Imaging, Genomics and pHenotyping Technologies (LIGHT) program to develop innovative solutions for lymphatic diseases.

20 Jan 2026

Weill Cornell Medicine receives ARPA-H award to advance lymphatic disease diagnosis

Weill Cornell Medicine has received a $5.2 million, initial two-year award from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) Lymphatic Imaging, Genomics, and pHenotyping Technologies (LIGHT) program to develop a comprehensive and innovative approach to diagnosing lymphatic disease.

20 Jan 2026

Diverse exercise routines associated with reduced risk of death

Regularly doing a mix of different types of physical activity may be best for prolonging the lifespan, but the associations aren't linear, pointing to a possible optimal threshold effect, suggests research published in the open access journal BMJ Medicine.

20 Jan 2026