Percutaneous closure of an interatrial shunt significantly improves oxygenation and symptoms in patients with platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome (POS), with a low procedural complication rate. A systematic review of 196 studies involving 469 patients (mean age 68.3 years; 51% female) characterized the clinical features, anatomical contributors, and outcomes of percutaneous closure of […]
A new multisociety scientific statement introduces the Female Life Stage framework to improve cardiovascular disease prevention and management in girls and women by integrating hormonal, psychosocial, and cardiovascular health across the lifespan. These interconnected domains often experience concurrent dysregulation, which is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, yet care remains fragmented […]
Two randomized trials conducted in China found that endovascular therapy improved functional outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke caused by anterior-circulation large-vessel occlusion and imaging evidence of salvageable brain tissue, both within 24 hours and 24–72 hours after symptom onset, although the benefits were accompanied by important safety concerns. […]
A multicohort genetic association study found that the ancestry-enriched CD36 Y325* variant accounted for a greater population-level burden of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) among individuals of predominantly African ancestry than truncating variants in TTN, the most common established monogenic cause of DCM. Across four US cohorts involving 82,623 individuals of predominantly […]
An American College of Cardiology scientific statement emphasizes that exercise should be prescribed as a core component of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention and management, with the greatest absolute benefits occurring when physically inactive individuals begin exercising. The statement provides practical guidance for tailoring aerobic, resistance, balance, and flexibility training to […]
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 27 studies involving 88,830 participants found that intensive blood pressure (BP) lowering reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events by 15% for every 10-mm Hg reduction in systolic BP, regardless of chronic kidney disease (CKD) status. The estimated absolute reduction was 4.3 cardiovascular events […]
In an international multicenter cohort of 4,302 individuals with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and high blood pressure, renin–angiotensin system inhibitor (RASi) and calcium channel blocker (CCB) use was associated with more favorable liver outcomes and a lower risk of long-term liver-related events (LREs). Over a median follow-up of […]
Preventive PCI was associated with a substantially lower risk of major cardiac events in patients with near-infrared spectroscopy–defined lipid-rich plaques (LRPs), but not in those without LRPs, suggesting that plaque composition may be more informative than plaque size alone in selecting lesions for preventive treatment. In this post hoc analysis […]
A healthy, balanced dietary pattern—not an emphasis on individual nutrients or foods—is central to preventing and managing cardiovascular and cardiometabolic disease, according to a new American College of Cardiology Scientific Statement. The statement reviews evidence on macronutrients, micronutrients, dietary patterns, ultra-processed foods, and emerging nutrition-based interventions, emphasizing that heart-healthy eating […]
Isometric exercise training (IET) performed just 1–2 times per week can partially preserve the blood pressure (BP)-lowering benefits achieved after an initial 4-week program, although exercising 3 times per week provides the strongest and most sustained effects. In this UK randomized study of 100 adults with normal to high-normal BP, […]