CARDIOPROGRESS
Foundation for the advancement of cardiology

Maternal Serum Folate Levels During Pregnancy Linked to Congenital Heart Disease Risk Maternal serum folate levels during early to midpregnancy show a U-shaped association with congenital heart disease (CHD) risk in offspring. Both low and high folate levels are linked to an increased risk, with vitamin B12 deficiency and elevated homocysteine levels further exacerbating this risk.

AI Excludes Heart Attack Better Than Specialist Criteria A machine-learning–based artificial intelligence (AI) program developed by German researchers rapidly and easily rules out a heart attack in patients presenting with chest pain in the emergency department. In a retrospective study, the program named ARTEMIS performed significantly better than traditional diagnostic criteria.

Time-Restricted Eating May Help Adults With Metabolic Syndrome Improve Several Health Markers According to a randomized controlled trial, adults with metabolic syndrome and elevated blood sugar levels who eat for a limited time may experience minor improvements in several indicators, including A1c levels, weight, and body fat.

Impact of multiple obesity metrics on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a meta-analysis and Mendelian randomisation study This study demonstrates that various obesity measures are causally linked to increased HDP risk and highlights the mediating role of triglycerides. These findings could inform clinical practices and public health strategies aimed at reducing HDP through targeted obesity and triglyceride management.

Optimal treatment of symptomatic patients with low-gradient severe Aortic valve Stenosis and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (ROTAS trial) The best management of symptomatic patients with low-gradient (LG) severe aortic stenosis (AS) and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) has not been established.

Cardiovascular safety of vitamin B3 administration Scientists recently reported associations between serum levels of the terminal niacin metabolites N1-methyl-2-pyridone-5-carboxamide (2PY) and N1-methyl-4-pyridone-3-carboxamide (4PY) with an increased 3-year incident risk of major adverse cardiovascular events.

Semaglutide Reduces MACE, Death in Participants With CVD, Overweight/Obesity, and Impaired Kidney Function Semaglutide (Wegovy) prevents major cardiac events including death in adults with overweight/obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD), both with and without impaired kidney function, a subgroup analysis of the Semaglutide Effects on Cardiovascular Outcomes in People With Overweight or Obesity (SELECT) trial shows.

Persistence of residual shunt at 6 and 12 months after transoesophageal echocardiography-guided percutaneous closure of a patent foramen ovale for cryptogenic stroke Young patients suffering from cryptogenic stroke alongside a patent foramen ovale (PFO) are often considered for percutaneous device closure to reduce the risk of stroke recurrence. Residual right-to-left shunt after device closure may persist in approximately a quarter of the patients at 6 months, and some may close at a later time point.

Can AI Improve Cardiomyopathy Detection in Pregnant Women? Artificial intelligence (AI)–guided screening using digital stethoscopes doubled the detection of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) in pregnant and postpartum women in Nigeria.

Study shows cardiovascular health benefits can begin shortly after quitting smoking Quitting cigarettes can significantly lower a person's risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib) compared to those who continue to smoke, according to a study published in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology. The findings show that the benefits of quitting start right away, suggesting that it is possible to reverse the risk of negative health outcomes.

New Scanner Creates Highly Detailed, 3D Images of Blood Vessels in Just Seconds A new scanner can provide three-dimensional (3D) photoacoustic images of millimeter-scale veins and arteries in seconds.

Nobel Prize in medicine goes to two American biologists for work on the discovery of microRNA The 2024 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine has been awarded to US scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their work on the discovery of microRNA, a molecule that governs how cells in the body function.

Diabetes mellitus has been completely cured for the first time in the world For the first time, scientists transplanted stem cells into a woman with type 1 diabetes, after which she began to produce her own insulin. This is the world's first case of treatment using cells taken from the patient's body.

New Hypertension Approach Hits Multiple Targets at Low Dose Single-pill combinations that include three or four antihypertensive medications are the way forward for the management of patients with elevated blood pressure, according to experts evaluating the new approach.

Emerging role of incretin-based therapy as first-line antihypertensives in obesity Obesity is a major global health issue and a leading cause of premature death. The prevalence of obesity has been rising faster than most other known modifiable risk factors. In a Global Burden of Disease analysis, the prevalence of obesity was found to have doubled in more than 70 countries from 1980 to 2013.

A new app uses smartphone technology to 'uncuff' blood pressure monitoring Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh are pioneering a new approach to blood pressure monitoring—using the devices we carry with us every day.

New Blood Pressure Guidelines Lower Treatment Target Simplified and more aggressive targets are among the significant changes to the updated hypertension guidelines released by the European Society of Cardiology.

New Atrial Fibrillation Guidelines Confront Underlying Illness Updated guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation released by the European Society of Cardiology are revamping the approach to care for this complex, multifactorial disease.

In situ assembly of an injectable cardiac stimulator Without intervention, cardiac arrhythmias pose a risk of fatality. However, timely intervention can be challenging in environments where transporting a large, heavy defibrillator is impractical, or emergency surgery to implant cardiac stimulation devices is not feasible. Here, we introduce an injectable cardiac stimulator, a syringe loaded with a nanoparticle solution comprising a conductive polymer and a monomer that, upon injection, forms a conductive structure around the heart for cardiac stimulation.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Hidden Risk for Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases? Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) face an increased risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D), metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), and cardiovascular disease (CVD), although these risks vary depending on PCOS phenotype.