American Heart Association Honors Two Penn Medicine Scientists for Achievements in Research

Two Penn Medicine faculty members, Kiran Musunuru, MD, PhD, and Daniel Rader, MD, are being honored with prestigious awards from the American Heart Association (AHA) for their achievements in cardiovascular research. Both awards will be presented during the Presidential Session on Sunday, Nov. 14, at the association’s Scientific Sessions 2021.

CRF Announces Free Online Access to TCT 2021

The Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) is pleased to announce that the digital component of TCT 2021 will now be free for the entire interventional community. After careful consideration and achieving a critical level of support, CRF’s leadership has agreed to fully support this initiative. Complimentary online registration will include access to all content via livestream during the meeting and on-demand access for one year.

Low-dose Aspirin No Longer Recommended to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease

New draft recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend against taking aspirin to prevent heart attacks and strokes for most people. The Oct. 12, 2021 guidelines are based on new evidence showing that the risks of daily low-dose…

CRF Announces TCT 2021 Late-Breaking Trials and Science

The Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) has announced 22 late-breaking trial and science presentations that will be reported at TCT 2021. TCT is the annual scientific symposium of CRF and the world’s premier educational meeting specializing in interventional cardiovascular medicine. It will take place November 4-6, 2021 in Orlando, Florida at the Orange County Convention Center and simultaneously broadcast live.

‘Leaky’ Heart Valves in Pregnant Women Need More Attention Than Once Thought, Study Suggests

An analysis of more than 20,000 individual medical records suggests that a form of heart valve disease thought to be relatively benign during pregnancy may put women at risk for serious bleeding, high blood pressure, organ damage and other complications during childbirth, according to research from Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Having MS Plus Depression May Be Tied to Increased Risk of Death

Depression is common in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), and a new study shows that people with both conditions may be more likely to die over the next decade than people with just one or neither condition. The study is published in the September 1, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study also found that people with MS and depression have an increased risk of developing vascular disease such as heart attack and stroke.

Diverse DNA signatures linked to heart disease

Risk for heart disease does not look the same on the genetic level for different population groups, report an international team of researchers this month in the journal JAMA Cardiology. The study, led by Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) and Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, begins to outline gene activity patterns that could serve as early warning indicators for cardiovascular disease.

Examining Correlation Between Occupational Noise, Heart Disease

Hearing conservation programs and policies aim to protect workers from noise-induced hearing loss, but it remains unclear whether stress reactions caused by noise exposure might also lead to other negative health outcomes. In The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, researchers describe how data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey do not support an association between loud noise exposure and changes in biomarkers for cardiovascular disease or outcomes.

Muscle Protein That Makes Vertebrates More Fit Linked to Limited Lifespan

Researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have added to evidence that a protein called CaMKII improves strength, endurance, muscle health and fitness in young animals. Their experiments working with mice and fruit flies, however, found that the gene for CaMKII also contributes to an evolutionary tradeoff: increased susceptibility to age-associated diseases, frailty and mortality.

NYU Langone Health Named Coordinating Center for American Heart Association Health Equity Research Network to Prevent Hypertension in Black Communities

As part of a $20 million award from the America Heart Association, NYU Grossman School of Medicine has been named as the coordinating center for a new collaboration between eight universities to prevent hypertension and reduce racial inequities in cardiovascular disease outcomes in Black communities.

Heart Cell Protein Could Lead to New Treatments for Heart Failure and Recovery

A protein that helps regulate calcium signaling within heart cells could play a key role in preventing chronic heart failure, according to an international study led by University of Utah Health scientists. T The finding suggests that drugs and other therapeutic treatments targeting this protein could eventually help alleviate heart failure.

Penn Medicine-Led Research Team Awarded $2.9 Million to Study Heart Disease and Cancer in Black and Hispanic Communities

The Cardio-Oncology Translational Center of Excellence at Penn Medicine has been awarded $2.9 million by the American Heart Association as part of a larger effort to reduce disparities in cardio-oncology and increase understanding of cardiovascular disease among cancer patients and survivors from minority populations. As part of this newly established research program, scientists from the University of Pennsylvania and other institutions will study patients with breast or prostate cancer, the most common cancers in women and men, respectively, with a focus on Black and Hispanic communities.

Fat Tissue Protein Signaling May Lead to Treatment to Improve Heart Health in People Who Can’t Exercise

Article title: Aerobic exercise training reduces cardiac function and coronary flow-induced vasodilation in mice lacking adiponectin Authors: Jacob T. Caldwell, Karissa M. Dieseldorff Jones, Hyerim Park, Jose R. Pinto, Payal Ghosh, Emily C. Reid-Foley, Brody Ulrich, Michael D. Delp, Brad…

Most Americans Are Not Getting Enough Fiber in Our Diets

Only 5% of men and 9% of women are getting the recommended daily amount of dietary fiber, according to a study being presented at NUTRITION 2021 LIVE ONLINE. Insufficient fiber intake is associated with a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes, two of the most common diseases in the U.S.

Two Mount Sinai Leaders Receive Prestigious Honors from American Heart Association in New York City

Two of Mount Sinai’s top doctors will be honored with prestigious awards at the American Heart Association’s New York City Heart and Stroke Ball, taking place virtually on Wednesday, June 9.

Fat Around the Heart Linked to Increased Risk of Heart Failure

EMBARGOED UNTIL MAY 24 2:00PM EST (New York, NY – May 24, 2021) – Having excess pericardial fat—fat around the heart—increases the risk of developing heart failure, especially in women, according to new Mount Sinai research. Women with high amounts…

Study of AI-enabled EKGs finds that a difference between numerical age and biological age significantly affects health, longevity

You might be older ― or younger ― than you think. A new study found that differences between a person’s age in years and his or her biological age, as predicted by an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled EKG, can provide measurable insights into health and longevity.

Molecular Alteration May Be Cause — Not Consequence — of Heart Failure

Clinicians and scientists have long observed that cells in overstressed hearts have high levels of the simple sugar O-GlcNAc modifying thousands of proteins within cells. Now, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have found evidence in mouse experiments that these excess sugars could well be a cause, not merely a consequence or marker of heart failure.

Experimental Biology 2021 Press Materials Available Now

Embargoed press materials are now available for the virtual Experimental Biology (EB) 2021 meeting, featuring cutting-edge multidisciplinary research from across the life sciences. EB 2021, to be held April 27–30, is the annual meeting of five scientific societies bringing together thousands of scientists and 25 guest societies in one interdisciplinary community.

Announcing Virtual Press Conference for Experimental Biology 2021 Meeting

Reporters are invited to join a live Q&A discussion of exciting research announcements at the forefront of the life sciences during a virtual press conference for the Experimental Biology (EB) 2021 meeting. The press conference will be held online from 1–1:45 p.m. EDT on Monday, April 26, 2021 (RSVP by Friday, April 23).

Johns Hopkins Medicine Expert Creates Comprehensive Guide to New Diabetes Drugs

New medicines for people who have diabetes seem to pop up all the time. Drugs that help the body break down carbohydrates, drugs that increase excretion of glucose in the urine, drugs that help muscles respond to insulin and drugs that stimulate the pancreas to produce it — the list of pharmaceutical options to treat diabetes gets longer and longer.

Research News Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins Medicine

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Johns Hopkins Medicine Media Relations is focused on disseminating current, accurate and useful information to the public via the media. As part of that effort, we are distributing our “COVID-19 Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins” every other Wednesday.

Genetic testing proves beneficial in prescribing effective blood thinners

A new research paper funded in part by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) shows a clear advantage of genetic testing in helping health care providers choose the appropriate anti-platelet drug. Testing helps determine if a patient carries genetic variants in CYP2C19 that cause loss of its function. These variants interfere with the body’s ability to metabolize and activate clopidogrel, an anti-platelet medication.

In women, higher body fat may protect against heart disease death, study shows

A new UCLA study shows that while men and women who have high muscle mass are less likely to die from heart disease, it also appears that women who have higher levels of body fat — regardless of their muscle mass — have a greater degree of protection than women with less fat.

Using Stimuli-Responsive Biomaterials to Understand Heart Development, Disease

The heart cannot regenerate new tissue, because cardiomyocytes, or heart muscle cells, do not divide after birth. However, researchers have now developed a shape memory polymer to grow cardiomyocytes. Raising the material’s temperature turned the polymer’s flat surface into nanowrinkles, which promoted cardiomyocyte alignment. The research is part of the growing field of mechanobiology, which investigates how physical forces between cells and changes in their mechanical properties contribute to development, cell differentiation, physiology, and disease.

Exercise Improves Blood Vessel Dysfunction Caused by Lack of Sleep

Article title: Regular aerobic exercise counteracts endothelial vasomotor dysfunction associated with insufficient sleep Authors: Kelly A. Stockelman, Anthony R. Bain, Caitlin A. Dow, Kyle J. Diehl, Jared J. Greiner, Brian L. Stauffer, Christopher A. DeSouza From the authors: “Regular aerobic…