Cardiovascular Diseases


Body Fat Pattern Linked to Cardiovascular Ageing

A UK cohort study suggested that both shared and sex-specific fat patterns influence cardiovascular ageing. In the study of 21,241 UK Biobank participants, machine learning was applied to 126 image-derived measures of vascular function, cardiac motion, and myocardial fibrosis to estimate cardiovascular age, with the difference from chronological age defined […]


Periodontitis Treatment Effective for Atherosclerosis

A UK randomized, single-blind, controlled trial of 135 otherwise healthy participants with periodontitis showed that intensive periodontal treatment (IPT) improved vascular outcomes beyond endothelial function. Participants were randomized to IPT (scaling, root planning, and corrective surgery if needed) or control periodontal treatment (CPT: supra-gingival scaling and polishing) and followed for […]


Updated US Guidelines for High Blood Pressure

The updated US guidelines for high blood pressure (HBP) emphasize that HBP is the most common and modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases—including coronary artery disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, stroke, dementia, chronic kidney disease, and all-cause mortality—with a treatment goal of <130/80 mm Hg for most adults, while allowing […]


Remote Ischemic Conditioning Beneficial for Ischemic Stroke Treated by Endovascular Thrombectomy

A Chinese multicenter, participant-blinded, randomized controlled trial found that remote ischemic conditioning (RIC)—a neuroprotective therapy involving twice-daily cuff inflation to 200 mmHg (four cycles of 5 minutes of ischemia followed by 5 minutes of reperfusion) for 7 days—significantly improved recovery in patients with acute ischemic stroke undergoing endovascular thrombectomy. Among […]


Two Strategies to Improve Stroke Outcome

Two recent trials from China evaluated strategies to improve outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke treated within 4.5 hours of symptom onset. In the first open-label trial, 550 patients with large-vessel occlusion were randomized to receive either intravenous tenecteplase followed by endovascular thrombectomy or thrombectomy alone. Functional independence at […]


CVD Risk Factor’s Lifetime Effect Estimates

A global analysis of over 2 million individuals from 133 cohorts across 39 countries found that five classic risk factors—high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, underweight/overweight or obesity, diabetes, and smoking—account for about half of the global cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden. Researchers estimated lifetime risks and outcomes up to age 90 based […]


Exercise Based Cardiac Rehabilitation Benefits AF Patients

A contemporary review with meta-analysis demonstrated that exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (ExCR) appears beneficial and safe for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The study analyzed data from 20 randomized clinical trials involving 2,039 participants with a mean follow-up of 11 months. ExCR did not significantly affect all-cause mortality (8.3% vs 6.0%; […]


Efficacy and Safety of Dapagliflozin/Spironolactone Combination in Heart Failure

A recent randomized crossover trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of combining dapagliflozin with spironolactone versus using dapagliflozin alone in patients with heart failure with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction. Involving 108 participants (median age 76, 57% women), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) 72 mL/min/1.73 m2,the 12-week study found […]


Bedtime Dosing Bettered Morning Dosing in High BP

A Chinese prospective, randomized, parallel-group, superiority clinical trial revealed that bedtime dosing provides superior nocturnal blood pressure (BP) control and circadian rhythm improvement without compromising daytime or 24-hour BP control. The trial was conducted at 15 hospitals in China between June 2022 and April 2024 with a 12-week follow-up, compared […]