CARDIOPROGRESS
Foundation for the advancement of cardiology

Azoospermia May Signal Hidden Health Risks Azoospermia, the complete absence of sperm in the ejaculate, affects approximately 1 in 100 men and accounts for up to 20% of male infertility cases. Once considered only a fertility problem, azoospermia is now linked to broader health risks.

Stroke Burden Surges Among US Adults The absolute stroke burden in the US rose dramatically from 1990 to 2021, with more than 400,000 new cases and 6.3 million prevalent cases in 2021 alone, new research showed. The increasing stroke prevalence was particularly high in younger populations and in regional hotspots such as Alaska, Nevada, and Arkansas.

Does Blockage in Retinal Artery Signal Heart Issues? A meta-analysis of 11 studies involving more than 502 million individuals revealed that those with retinal artery occlusion had a notably higher risk for acute coronary syndrome and all-cause mortality than individuals without the condition. The risk for adverse cardiac events was more pronounced in patients with central retinal artery occlusion than in those with branch retinal artery occlusion, and it was also increased in those with comorbidities such as atrial fibrillation.

Menopause Linked to Higher ASCVD Risk Menopause was independently associated with an elevated 10-year risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Even after comprehensive adjustment for age as well as lifestyle and metabolic factors, postmenopausal women remained at higher risk than premenopausal women, with the risk being most pronounced among those younger than 60 years.

The relationship between low physical activity and obesity in adolescents In adolescents, low vigorous physical activity was associated with adverse left ventricular diastolic function (LVDF), an early marker of cardiac dysfunction, and this association was independent of adiposity.

Early Switch to Oral Antibiotics Is as Effective as Exclusive Intravenous Therapy for Infective Endocarditis Switching to oral therapy after an initial course of intravenous antibiotics for infective endocarditis proved as effective as continuing intravenous treatment, with no increase in failure rates and patients gaining a median of 12 days alive outside the hospital.

Perceived health, psychological distress and quality of life in 8415 adults with congenital heart disease from 32 countries The global prevalence of congenital heart disease (CHD) is increasing. Research on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) predominantly originates from high-income countries, resulting in an incomplete understanding of the true global burden of CHD from the patient perspective. Therefore, autors described perceived health, psychological distress and quality of life (QoL) in a large sample of adults with CHD from the globe and explored the relationship between PROs and the income level of the countries.

Determining kidney function-specific thresholds for N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide in heart failure risk prediction among patients with chronic kidney disease Elevated N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels are common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), but uniform thresholds derived from the general population may not accurately predict heart failure (HF) risk across stages of kidney function.

Urinary Sodium-Potassium Ratio May Signal Heart Health in RA In patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), higher urinary sodium-to-potassium ratio and sodium excretion were correlated with impaired coronary microvascular perfusion and might serve as an indicator.

Atrial Fibrillation in Chronic Aortic Regurgitation Linked to Increased Mortality Risk Atrial fibrillation (AF) was present in 1 in 6 patients with chronic aortic regurgitation — either moderate-to-severe or severe — and was independently associated with an increased risk for mortality and more severe symptoms.

Shingles vaccine protects against cardiovascular diseases Shingles vaccination reduced major adverse cardiac events and secondary cardiovascular outcomes for patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to new research.

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.

AHA Advisory Endorses Endovascular Thrombectomy for Large Core Ischemic Stroke Results of six recent trials of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for patients with large-core ischemic stroke (LCIS) provide strong evidence for the benefit of this intervention compared with medical management (MM), a new Science Advisory from the American Heart Association (AHA) has concluded.

AI-Enhanced ECG Predicts Hypertension, Related Risks An artificial intelligence–ECG risk estimation model designed to predict incident hypertension (AIRE-HTN) identifies cases and stratifies the risk for adverse outcomes in addition to traditional markers.

CGM Use, GLP-1s, Drinking Water Key of 2025 ADA Standards The American Diabetes Association (ADA)’s Standards of Care — 2025 offer new guidance on broader use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), use of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) beyond weight loss, management of metabolic dysfunction-associated liver disease (MAFLD), plus a strong endorsement for drinking water and much more.

ADA Advises Against Using Compounded GLP-1 RA Medications In a new statement, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) has advised against the use of compounded glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) and dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)/GLP-1 RA medication classes.

New Trial Result Pushes Past Antiarrhythmic Therapy After MI For ventricular tachycardia after myocardial infarction, outcomes are better with upfront catheter ablation than drug therapy, which is typically used first, the multinational VANISH2 trial shows.

New Pill Successfully Lowers Lp(a) Levels Muvalaplin, a novel oral medication, safely and effectively lowers high levels of lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), results from the phase 2 KRAKEN trial show.

The results of the 35th International Congress of Cardiology "Great Wall" and the Asian Congress of Cardiology 2024 The anniversary 35th International Congress of Cardiology "Great Wall" and the Asian Congress of Cardiology were held in Beijing at the National Exhibition Center on November 7-10, 2024. As part of the four-day congress, 415 scientific sessions were organized and 2177 reports were made on various areas of cardiology. The congress was attended by 23,980 national and international experts, professors and specialists from almost 40 countries from all the continents of the world.

New State Law Will Restrict AI in Prior Authorization, Coverage Decisions California is taking aim at algorithms used by insurers to make prior authorization and other coverage decisions with a new law that will put limitations on how artificial intelligence (AI)–generated formulas are employed.