This Injectable Hydrogel Mitigates Damage to the Right Ventricle of the Heart

An injectable hydrogel can mitigate damage to the right ventricle of the heart with chronic pressure overload, according to a new study published March 6 in Journals of the American College of Cardiology: Basic to Translational Science.  The study, by a research team from the University of California San Diego, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, was conducted in rodents.

Traditional Chinese medicine reduces risk after heart attack

A traditional Chinese medicine whose name means “to open the network of the heart” reduced the risk of heart attacks, deaths, and other major cardiovascular complications for at least a year after a first heart attack, a study led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers shows. The findings, published in JAMA, reveal the promise of this compound, one of the first traditional Chinese medicines tested in a large-scale, Western-style clinical trial.

CRF Announces the 2023 Pulse-Setter Award Winners

The Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) is proud to announce the winners of the 2023 Pulse-Setter Awards. The awardees will be honored at The Annual Pulse of the City Gala, CRF’s signature fundraising event, on December 8, 2023, at The Plaza in New York City. The Pulse-Setter Awards shine a spotlight on extraordinary individuals and initiatives whose dedication to innovation is driving positive change in medicine and health care.

Chronic kidney disease may be linked to sudden cardiac arrest in Hispanic/Latino adults

Research Highlights:

Chronic kidney disease was strongly associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest among Hispanic/Latino adults, in a new study.
Early identification and management of kidney disease may reduce risk of sudden cardiac arrest among Hispanic/Latino people, researchers suggest.

New Study Confirms HeartFlow FFRCT Leads to Improved Patient Outcomes

A diagnostic test, first offered in the United States at University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, has now shown through a clinical study to significantly decrease cardiovascular mortality, reduce additional non-invasive heart testing, and increase cath lab efficiency.

Fish oil supplement claims often vague, not supported by data

Your daily dose of omega-3s may not be doing what you think it is. Most fish oil supplements on the market today have labels boasting health benefits that aren’t supported by clinical data, according to a study published in JAMA Cardiology by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

MedStar Washington Hospital Center Again Recognized Among Nation’s Top 50 for Heart and Vascular Care

MedStar Washington Hospital Center has again been recognized as one of the top 50 cardiovascular centers in the country by U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospitals.” MedStar Washington’s Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery program is tied for the No. 33 spot nationwide in this year’s rankings by U.S. News. It is the only nationally recognized heart and vascular program of its kind in the Washington region. MedStar Washington was also rated as high performing in two adult specialties: Gastroenterology & GI Surgery and Geriatrics and 15 common procedures or conditions.

Baylor Scott & White Health Again the Most-Awarded Health System in Texas for Clinical Care and Patient Experience

Baylor Scott & White Health once again leads the state of Texas in the number of accolades earned in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-24 Best Hospitals, released today. A total of 26 Baylor Scott & White hospitals were recognized, including four facilities with a nationally ranked specialty – more than any other health system in Texas.

Baylor Scott & White Health Again the Most-Awarded Not-for-Profit Health System in Texas for Clinical Care and Patient Experience

Baylor Scott & White Health once again leads the state of Texas in the number of accolades earned in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-24 Best Hospitals, released today. A total of 26 Baylor Scott & White hospitals were recognized, including four facilities with a nationally ranked specialty – more than any other health system in Texas.

First Dedicated Heart and Vascular Hospital in Waxahachie Opening Soon

Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital – Waxahachie*, an expansion of the nationally recognized Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital – Dallas*, is now complete.

Warfarin use should not disqualify stroke patients from lifesaving clot-removing surgery

Most stroke patients taking the anticoagulant warfarin were no more likely than those not on the medication to experience a brain bleed when undergoing a procedure to remove a blood clot, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report in a new study. The findings, published in JAMA, could help doctors better gauge the risk of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), potentially expanding the pool of eligible patients for this mainstay stroke treatment.

Nationwide Children’s Hospital Marks A Decade as One of the Nation’s Best

Nationwide Children’s Hospital has been named to U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll for the 10th consecutive year. The Honor Roll is a top distinction awarded to only 10 children’s hospitals nationwide recognized by U.S. News as the “Best of the Best.” Nationwide Children’s is ranked sixth on the 2023-24 Honor Roll list.

Statin alternative lowers risk of cardiac events as well as cholesterol levels

A medication called bempedoic acid reduced the risk of cardiac events as well as statins and may offer an alternative to the popular cholesterol-reducing medications, according to industry-supported research being presented Thursday at ENDO 2023, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting, in Chicago, Ill.

Medical experts available: Protecting eyes from sun, traveling with a pacemaker, and tension headaches

Ochsner Health has medical experts on standby to discuss tips for protecting your eyes from the sun, steps for safely traveling with a pacemaker, and how to relieve a tension headache as June is National Headache Awareness Month.   Don’t Forget…

Multicenter Trial Finds Using Circulatory Death Donors is Safe and Effective for Heart Transplantation

A study published in New England Journal of Medicine confirms that circulatory death donor hearts that are reanimated and perfused with blood outside of the body are as safe and effective to transplant as brain death donor hearts preserved using traditional cold storage. These findings suggest that using hearts donated after circulatory death (DCD) may have the potential to widen the donor pool helping more patients in need of life-saving heart transplants.

Mount Sinai Researchers Use New Deep Learning Approach to Enable Analysis of Electrocardiograms as Language

Mount Sinai researchers have developed an innovative artificial intelligence (AI) model for electrocardiogram (ECG) analysis that allows for the interpretation of ECGs as language. This approach can enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of ECG-related diagnoses, especially for cardiac conditions where limited data is available on which to train. In a study published in the June 6 online issue of npj Digital Medicine DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00840-9, the team reported that its new deep learning model, known as HeartBEiT, forms a foundation upon which specialized diagnostic models can be created. The team noted that in comparison tests, models created using HeartBEiT surpassed established methods for ECG analysis.

New discoveries about where atherosclerotic plaques rupture can lead to preventive treatments

A common cause of myocardial infarction and stroke is the rupture of atherosclerotic plaques. The exact location of plaque ruptures has previously been unknown, but now researchers at Lund University have mapped this. The research team has also identified an enzyme, a marker, that they hope will help predict who is at risk of having a myocardial infarction or a stroke due to a ruptured atherosclerotic plaque.

TVT 2023 Late-Breaking Science Announced

The Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) announced that TVT: The Structural Heart Summit will feature 15 Late-Breaking Clinical Science studies. An annual meeting featuring cutting-edge research and techniques for structural heart interventions, TVT will take place June 7-10, 2023, at the Phoenix Convention Center – West in Phoenix, Arizona.