News Feature Channel: Heart Disease

ICYMI: Artificial "Mini-Hearts" Take Flight to the International Space Station

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 12:00:19 EST

The International Space Station research project will examine microgravity's effect on heart tissue and is designed to better understand how microgravity affects the function of the human heart.

Novel Pulmonary Valve Aims to Reduce Invasive Surgeries for Kids

Children's Hospital Los Angeles — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 16:40:18 EST

One of the longstanding challenges of pediatric pulmonary valve replacement is size and the ability to accommodate growth. Young children tend to quickly outgrow fixed size valves--leading to the need for multiple invasive surgeries throughout childhood.Now, an investigational clinical trial at Children's Hospital Los Angeles is testing a potential solution to this problem: a novel pulmonary valve that can be size-adjusted as a child grows.

A Gut Feeling About HIV and Heart Disease

Cedars-Sinai — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 10:20:15 EST

Ivan Vujkovic-Cvijin, PhD, is a pioneer in the study of the gut microbiota and the surprising ways these microorganisms living in our digestive tracts affect our overall health. His discoveries have been featured in Nature, Science Translational Medicine, Cell Reports and other top scientific journals.

Hourglass-Shaped Stent Could Ease Severe Chest Pain From Microvascular Disease

Mayo Clinic — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 09:05:37 EST

A study at Mayo Clinic suggests that an hourglass-shaped stent could improve blood flow and ease severe and reoccurring chest pain in people with microvascular disease.

Symbiosis Wins TCT 2024 Shark Tank Innovation Competition

Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 10:30:12 EST

The Cardiovascular Research Foundation(r) (CRF(r)) is pleased to announce that Symbiosis has won the TCT(r) 2024 Shark Tank Innovation Competition for its development of an adjustable transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) system. The competition took place during Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics(r) (TCT(r)), the annual scientific symposium of CRF(r) and the world's premier educational meeting specializing in interventional cardiovascular medicine, October 27-30 in Washington, DC. The winner was also presented with the Jon DeHaan Foundation Award for Innovation in Cardiology.

Defibrillation Devices Can Save Lives Using 1,000 Times Less Electricity

American Institute of Physics (AIP) — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 11:00:00 EST

In this week's Chaos, researchers used an electrophysiological computer model of the heart's electrical circuits to examine the effect of the applied voltage field in multiple fibrillation-defibrillation scenarios. They discovered far less energy is needed than is currently used in state-of-the-art defibrillation techniques. The authors applied an adjoint optimization method and discovered adjusting the duration and the smooth variation in time of the voltage supplied by defibrillation devices is a more efficient mechanism that reduces the energy needed to stop fibrillation by three orders of magnitude.

Out of Africa: UT Southwestern Cardiologist Gets to the Heart of Zambia's No. 1 Health Threat

UT Southwestern Medical Center — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 17:45:01 EST

On a Thursday morning in Dallas, Fiona Strasserking, M.D., chats with her UT Southwestern colleague while internal medicine residents from the University of Zambia log on to their Zoom call. Rafic Berbarie, M.D., Associate Professor in UTSW's Division of Cardiology, is today's guest lecturer and the topic is "Evaluation of Chest Pain."

Loyola Medicine Is Nationally Recognized for Efforts to Improve Blood Pressure Control

Loyola Medicine — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 12:45:37 EST

Thirteen Loyola Medicine primary care practices have been recognized by the American Heart Association and American Medical Association for its commitment to improving blood pressure (BP) control rates, earning Gold Plus or Gold level recognition as part of Target: BP(tm).

SynCardia Granted Second Patent Covering Fully Implantable Artificial Heart

SynCardia Systems, LLC — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 08:10:07 EST

SynCardia Systems, LLC., a Picard Medical Inc. company, is pleased to announce that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a second patent (US patent no. 12,121,711 B2) that will expand the coverage of SynCardia's fully implantable artificial heart technology (SynCardia Emperor). The USPTO allowed the first patent (US patent no. 11,918,797) relating to its groundbreaking "Next Generation Total Artificial Heart" designs in March of this year.

Research Shows New Method Helps Doctors Safely Remove Dangerous Heart Infections Without Surgery

Mayo Clinic — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 14:45:46 EST

Doctors at Mayo Clinic used a new catheter-based approach to draw out resistant pockets of infection that settle in the heart, known as right-sided infective endocarditis, without surgery. Unless treated quickly, the walled-off infections can grow, severely damaging heart valves and potentially affecting other organs as well. In a recent study, over 90% of the participants had their infection cleared, and they had lower in-hospital mortality compared to those whose infections remained.

Randomized Trial Demonstrates Benefits of Large-bore Mechanical Thrombectomy Over Catheter-directed Thrombolysis for Treatment of Intermediate-risk Pulmonary Embolism

Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 12:00:02 EST

Findings from the first international randomized controlled trial to compare patient outcomes following treatment with large-bore mechanical thrombectomy (LBMT) versus catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) for intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) found that LBMT is superior with respect to the hierarchically-tested aggregated outcome of all-cause mortality, intracranial hemorrhage, major bleeding, clinical deterioration and/or escalation to bailout therapy, and postprocedural ICU admission and length of stay. Findings were reported today at TCT 2024, the annual scientific symposium of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF). TCT is the world's premier educational meeting specializing in interventional cardiovascular medicine. Results were also published simultaneously in Circulation.

After a Heart Attack, the Heart Signals to the Brain to Increase Sleep to Promote Healing

Mount Sinai Health System — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 12:00:00 EST

Mount Sinai study shows how the heart and brain interact to influence sleep patterns and help with recovery

Routine Colchicine Administration After Acute Myocardial Infarction Does Not Improve Outcomes

Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 11:55:05 EST

The largest trial to examine the impact of colchicine in acute myocardial infarction (MI) found that both acute and long-term colchicine use did not reduce cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or ischemia-driven revascularization.

Orbital Atherectomy Prior to Coronary Stent Implantation Does Not Lead to Better Outcomes Compared to Conventional Balloon Angioplasty

Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 11:05:34 EST

Results from the large-scale randomized ECLIPSE trial found that a lesion preparation strategy of routine orbital atherectomy had similar outcomes compared with conventional balloon angioplasty prior to implantation of a drug-eluting stent (DES) in severely calcified coronary arteries.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients with Systolic Heart Failure and Moderate Aortic Stenosis Shows Limited Benefits

Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 11:50:37 EST

Findings from the TAVR UNLOAD study found limited benefits of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in the treatment of heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and moderate aortic stenosis (AS). Findings were reported today at TCT 2024, the annual scientific symposium of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF). TCT is the world's premier educational meeting specializing in interventional cardiovascular medicine. The results were also published simultaneously in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Early Intervention in Patients with Asymptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis and Myocardial Fibrosis Falls Short of Expected Benefits

Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 11:40:28 EST

The EVOLVED trial found that early aortic valve intervention in patients with asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS) and mid-wall myocardial fibrosis on magnetic resonance imaging did not reduce the incidence of the composite primary endpoint of all-cause death or unplanned aortic stenosis hospitalization compared with guideline-directed conservative management. Findings were reported today at TCT 2024, the annual scientific symposium of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF). TCT is the world's premier educational meeting specializing in interventional cardiovascular medicine. The results were also published simultaneously in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Study Finds Early TAVR Can Be Beneficial for Patients with Asymptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis

Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 11:35:18 EST

The first powered randomized trial examining early intervention with transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients with asymptomatic, severe aortic stenosis (AS) found this strategy to be both a safe and effective alternative to clinical surveillance (CS). Findings were reported today at TCT 2024, the annual scientific symposium of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF). TCT is the world's premier educational meeting specializing in interventional cardiovascular medicine. Results were also published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Treating Severe Calcification With an Atherectomy Device Does Not Improve Cardiac Stenting Outcomes, Study Finds

Mount Sinai Health System — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 11:00:13 EST

First-of-its kind work led by Mount Sinai researcher supports reserving this technique for extreme cases

Feeling Constipated? You May Have a Higher Risk for Heart Disease

American Physiological Society (APS) — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 07:00:04 EST

People with constipation may have a higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke, and the risk increases in people who also have high blood pressure. The findings of a new study are published in the American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology. The study has been chosen as an APSselect article for October.

Unlocking Better Outcomes for Adults with Congenital Heart Disease

Ochsner Health — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 10:00:02 EST

A recent publication in JAMA Network Open helps to shed light on the quality of life and health outcomes among adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) through critical findings from the Congenital Heart Initiative (CHI) registry. Ochsner Health pediatric cardiologist and adult congenital heart specialist, Thomas Young, MD, is a contributing author for the publication.