CARDIOPROGRESS
Foundation for the advancement of cardiology

Concept and practice in the use of high-dose eicosapentaenoic acid for cardiovascular disease prevention in hypertriglyceridaemia Genetic and epidemiological evidence indicates that triglyceride-rich lipoproteins are causal risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Elevated levels of plasma triglyceride are common in patients who are diabetic or obese and contribute substantially to residual, ongoing risk of an ASCVD event in individuals on low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-lowering treatment.

Early Blood Pressure Rise Signals Worse Stroke Outcomes An increase in systolic blood pressure (sBP) within the first 24 hours after alteplase treatment was associated with worse functional outcomes at 3 months after acute ischaemic stroke. Both higher sBP at baseline and increases in sBP during the first 24 hours were linked to poorer neurologic function. Additionally, higher sBP at baseline independently increased the risk for symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage within 48 hours from the onset of stroke.

Should BP Be Lowered in Isolated Diastolic Hypertension? In a meta-analysis of 51 randomized controlled trials, lowering systolic blood pressure (BP) was linked to similar reductions in the risk for major cardiovascular events in people with and without isolated diastolic hypertension, with benefits consistent across diastolic BP levels, including among those with baseline systolic BP less than 130 mm Hg.

Do Fertility Treatments Raise Heart Disease Risks in Women? The use of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) was associated with a modest increase in the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), without a clear overall dose-response relationship. Programmed frozen cycles showed a stronger association with CVD and a clear dose-response relationship as their number increased.

More Fat Around Heart Linked to Greater Injury After MI In patients who experienced an acute myocardial infarction (MI), an increased volume of epicardial adipose tissue — the layer of fat between the heart muscle and the outer heart lining — was associated with an increased extent of myocardial injury after MI.

CPAP Boosts Testosterone in Obesity-Related Hypogonadism Severe or decompensated obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) was significantly associated with functional hypogonadism in men with severe obesity. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, monitored using overnight pulse oximetry, improved testosterone levels in newly diagnosed patients with OSAS.

Inexpensive Anti-Inflammatory Pill Could Reduce Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke A commonly used and affordable medication for gout may help lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes in people with cardiovascular disease, according to a new Cochrane review.

Scientists have discovered a diet that influences the development of cardiovascular diseases Researchers discovered that a nutrient-matched, plant-based diet could prevent and reverse a hidden form of heart disease in hypertensive rats. The research, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, explored whether coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) could be lessened in hypertensive rats.

GLP-1s Pose Heart Risks in Patients With HFrEF and Implants Patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and implanted cardiac devices who used GLP-1 receptor agonists had higher heart rates, greater number of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia events, and higher levels of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) than those who did not use the drugs.

Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion May Lower Stroke Severity Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) during cardiac surgery in patients with atrial fibrillation was associated with lower stroke-related disability and reduced risk for 30-day mortality and cardioembolic stroke than standard care, new research showed.

Heart failure evidence update 2026 The interval since the 2021 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Guidelines and 2022 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology/Heart Failure Society of America (AHA/ACC/HFSA) Guidelines publications has witnessed an unprecedented volume of evidence that substantially expands the therapeutic landscape across the entire ejection fraction spectrum.

Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Acute Pulmonary Embolism in Adults in 2026 The 2026 Guidelines for the Evaluation and Management of Acute Pulmonary Embolism in Adults, developed by the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Chest Physicians, the American College of Embolology et al.

ACC and AHA guidelines for the treatment of hypertension have been updated The target blood pressure level for adults remains below 130/80 mm Hg, but drug therapy should be initiated sooner, according to new guidelines published by the American Heart Association (AHA) and American College of Cardiology (ACC). Eleven other medical organizations endorsed the new guidelines, which replace those issued in 2017.

A new risk stratification tool A new risk stratification tool known as CA4TCH — which relies solely on clinical history — could help predict which patients with a suspected hypersensitivity to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) will have a hypersensitivity confirmed during a drug provocation test.

First Major Guidelines Issued for Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion Devices Created to address the “uncertainty and practice variation” that surrounds transcatheter left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO), the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions and the Heart Rhythm Society have published jointly the first set of guidelines for the use of the procedure.

Your Heart May Be Older Than You Think Some people are said to have old souls. Some may have old hearts, too. Many Americans, particularly men with less education, lower income, and those from certain minority groups, have a “heart age” that is much older than what the calendar may indicate.

Lp(a) Levels: When and Why It’s Clinically Relevant The presence of high lipoprotein (a), or Lp(a), levels increases the risk for cardiovascular disease. Incorporating Lp(a) screening into clinical practice may significantly impact patient outcomes.

APOE4 May Raise Brain Bleed Risk in Apixaban Users With AF Carriers of the apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 (APOE ε4) allele had a threefold higher risk for intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) when taking apixaban for atrial fibrillation (AF) compared with noncarriers, a new study suggested.

Novel Algorithm Transforms Echocardiographic Assessment of Heart Filling Pressures A new algorithm for estimating left ventricular filling pressure (LVFP) by echocardiography reduced indeterminate results to just two cases compared with 38 using previous guidelines, achieving 86% accuracy in 949 patients, a new study found. The algorithm showed particular improvement for patients with normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), while maintaining similar accuracy for cases of reduced LVEF.

Novel GLP-1 Agonist Promotes Safe and Effective Weight Loss Ecnoglutide, a novel glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, was significantly more effective than placebo for inducing weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity, based on data from more than 600 individuals.