Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Height may be a causal risk factor for atrial fibrillation

Taller people have an increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib), an irregular and often rapid heartbeat that can lead to stroke, heart failure and other complications, according to a new Penn Medicine study.

13 Nov 2019

Researchers use phage therapy to successfully treat alcoholic liver disease

Researchers have successfully used bacteriophage (phage) therapy to eliminate alcohol-related liver disease in an animal model.

13 Nov 2019

Novartis announces strategy to broaden patient reach and availability of medicines in sub-Saharan Africa

Novartis announced today a new strategy to broaden patient reach and availability of its portfolio of medicines in sub-Saharan Africa, which is home to the largest underserved patient population in the world.

13 Nov 2019

Stress affects circadian rhythm, increases metabolic disease risk

Stress is a normal part of life, but too much of everything isn’t healthy. Every day, people from all walks of life experience stress of various degrees. A new study found that when stress has disrupted the circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock, it can increase the risk of developing metabolic diseases.

12 Nov 2019

Doctors issue stern warning on e-cigarette use as it can damage vital organs

E-cigarette use has increased dramatically over the last decade. With its popularity, the use of e-cigarette spans from adolescents to adults. Now, cardiologists warn against the use of e-cigarettes and how these devices cause damage to vital organs, including the heart, brain, lungs, and blood vessels.

12 Nov 2019

Cardiac resynchronization therapy improves heart function in cancer survivors

A pacemaker-like device restored heart function in a group of cancer survivors -- mostly women with breast cancer -- who had suffered from heart failure as a result of chemotherapy treatment, a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reports.

12 Nov 2019

Young male cancer survivors may benefit from testosterone replacement therapy

Young male cancer survivors may significantly benefit from testosterone replacement therapy - especially after testicular cancer - according to the first ever clinical trial of its kind.

12 Nov 2019

New PNNL approach improves accuracy of patient diagnosis dramatically

Artificial intelligence will never replace a doctor. However, researchers at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have taken a big step toward the day when AI can help physicians predict medical events.

12 Nov 2019

Study examines link between transplant center and survival benefit in the U.S. heart allocation system

Analysis of more than 29,000 adults listed on the national heart transplant registry from 2006 to 2015 shows how rules that give hospitals discretion in determining who gets a transplant result in large discrepancies in how sick patients are when they receive heart transplants at hospitals across the United States.

12 Nov 2019

Medical steroid use could push up diabetes risk

Glucocorticoids (GCs), or steroids, as they are popularly called, are often prescribed for their anti-inflammatory effects in a host of conditions including acute asthmatic attacks, allergies, and arthritis. However, are they doing good or harm?

12 Nov 2019

Listening to instrumental music may relieve cardiac stress

Stress while driving is a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease and sudden cardiac complications such as heart attack (myocardial infarction), according to studies published in recent years. Selecting suitable driving music may be one way to mitigate this risk.

12 Nov 2019

High muscle volume in middle age tied to lower cardiovascular disease risk

Middle-aged adults who have more muscle mass have decreased cardiovascular disease, a new study suggests.

12 Nov 2019

CHLA researchers discover a mechanism of heart regeneration in zebrafish

One of the reasons coronary heart disease is so deadly is that fluid build-up and scarring can develop in the heart tissue. This prevents the heart from contracting properly, impacting its ability to supply the body with fresh blood. If scarring is extensive, heart failure can result.

12 Nov 2019

Cardiac-specific biomarkers may help predict CVD risk factors early

A new review article provides valuable insights into how traditional and emerging cardiac-specific biomarkers and their associated cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors may help point to effective preventive interventions in high-risk obese populations starting at an early stage of disease development.

12 Nov 2019

More Americans have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, research finds

Getting the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep every night is a struggle for most people, but even those who do may not have the best sleep.

12 Nov 2019

Some academics quietly take side jobs helping tobacco companies in court

In 1998, major tobacco companies reached a historic legal settlement with states that had sued them over the health care costs of smoking-related illnesses.

12 Nov 2019

Popular cancer drug linked to weight gain and increased systolic blood pressure

Women with gestational hypertension have elevated cardiovascular risk later in life

Research published online today in Journal of the American College of Cardiology, confirms that women who have gestational hypertension or preeclampsia in at least one pregnancy will have higher cardiovascular risk than women without such a history, and that this elevated risk persists at least into their 60s.

11 Nov 2019

Australia has limited capacity to move future Alzheimer's therapy into wide clinical use

As in other countries, the Australian health care system has limited capacity to rapidly move a future treatment for Alzheimer's disease from approval into wide clinical use, which could leave thousands of older people without access to transformative care if such a breakthrough occurs, according to a new study by RAND Australia.

11 Nov 2019

Older adults can benefit from weight loss surgery, study says

Obesity is a growing problem among people of all ages, including older adults. Though there are current measures to control and treat obesity in seniors, weight loss surgery is not usually performed on people who are above 65 years old.

11 Nov 2019