For babies born with a certain heart defect, implantation of a "shunt" is essential to their survival. A new type of shunt can be expanded using light, potentially eliminating the need for more heart surgeries that are currently needed to swap in larger shunts as the infant grows.
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome is a condition in which the left side of the heart is severely underdeveloped, making it incapable of supporting blood circulation throughout the body. Without treatment, an infant born with this defect will not survive.
One of the key steps of that treatment involves connecting the aorta to the main pulmonary artery, in order to provide blood flow from the right side of the heart to the lungs. That connection is made by performing open-heart surgery to implant a polymer tube known as a shunt.
In the late 1960s, three Weizmann Institute of Science researchers developed several protein-like molecules, called copolymers, that they believed would produce a disease similar to multiple sclerosis in laboratory animals. The scientists—Prof. Michael Sela, Prof. Ruth Arnon and Dr. Dvora Teitelbaum—were surprised to discover that, instead of causing the disease, the copolymers cured it; one of these molecules became the widely-used drug Copaxone.
More than half a century later, in a new study being published today in Nature Cardiovascular Research, a research team from Weizmann's Molecular Cell Biology Department, headed by Prof. Eldad Tzahor and Dr. Rachel Sarig, reveals that Copaxone might also facilitate recovery from a heart attack.
Heart attacks happen when the supply of blood to part of the heart muscle is cut off. Unless this supply is renewed quickly, the heart muscle cells start to die. Unlike skeletal muscle and other tissues that can recover from injury unscarred, heart muscle cells do not divide and do not replace dead cells with a new muscle.
Guitar-string-inspired tech makes for better blood pressure monitoring
By Ben Coxworth
August 27, 2024
Currently, when doctors wish to continuously monitor a patient's blood pressure, they surgically insert a catheter into one of the individual's arteries. There could soon be a safer, much less invasive alternative, however, and it was inspired by the tuning of guitar strings.
While the existing "arterial catheterization" technique does provide accurate, continuous blood pressure readings, it's also time-consuming to initially set up and calibrate. More importantly, due to the fact that the catheter may stay in the artery for days at a time, patients may experience pain, infections, hemorrhaging, or ischemia (restricted blood flow).
For these reasons, the technique is typically limited to use on patients in acute care settings.
Less critical patients may instead be hooked up to machines that repeatedly perform traditional inflatable-arm-cuff-type blood pressure readings. These devices might miss blood pressure fluctuations that occur between readings, however, plus all of that arm-squeezing can become painful after a while.
Injectable pacemaker regulates heartbeat for 5 days then dissolves
By Michael Irving
August 29, 2024
A new injectable, temporary pacemaker could help correct a heart arrhythmia in an emergency. This nanoparticle gel can regulate the heart’s electrical signals for up to five days before dissolving harmlessly in the body.
Electrical pulses keep the heart pumping at a steady rhythm, but sometimes it can get out of whack and beat too fast, too slow, or irregularly. This is called arrhythmia, and if left untreated – especially in emergency situations – it can cause a range of complications and potentially be fatal. Defibrillators and surgically implanted pacemakers can get the rhythms back on track, but those aren’t always on hand.
Researchers at Lund University have now developed a much more portable alternative that could eventually become a staple of first aid kits. It’s essentially a syringe with an ultrathin needle – thinner than a human hair – that injects a solution containing nanoparticles. When this comes into contact with tissue, it forms an electrically conductive polymer hydrogel.
The idea is that when needed, this can be injected into the chest of a patient with arrhythmia, where it forms a kind of electrode around the heart. The tiny pinprick site of the injection acts as a point of contact for an external device, such as a mobile phone, the team says. This allows ECG measurements to be taken, as well as stimulating the heart with low-power electricity to regulate the heartbeat.
Plan for workplace health checks to curb heart disease
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More than 130,000 people in England will be offered free workplace health checks in the next six months under a new initiative to try and prevent heart disease.
From September, employees in several sectors including building and hospitality will be able to access quick assessments that will determine their risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), which can cause heart attacks and strokes.
Those aged between 40 and 74 who do not have certain pre-existing conditions linked to heart disease will be eligible.
According to the government, these checks will save thousands of hours of NHS time and will help to cut waiting lists.
The scheme is an effort to increase the number of NHS Health Checks, first introduced in 2009, that are carried out.
Research supported by the National Institutes of Health has found that measuring two types of fat in the bloodstream along with C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, can predict a woman's risk for cardiovascular disease decades later. These findings, presented as late-breaking research at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2024, were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
"We can't treat what we don't measure, and we hope these findings move the field closer to identifying even earlier ways to detect and prevent heart disease," said Paul M. Ridker, M.D., M.P.H., a study author and the director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston.
For the study, investigators collected blood samples and medical information from 27,939 health care providers living in the United States who participated in the Women's Health Study.
Understanding the mechanisms behind cell death and survival is crucial when it comes to conditions like heart failure, which affects millions of people worldwide. Now, researchers from Japan have identified a mechanism which protects cardiac myocytes against ischemia, or a lack of blood supply.
In their study published in Nature Communications, researchers from the Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) in Japan identified a cellular signaling pathway which stimulates protective mechanisms in cardiac myocytes, potentially opening up avenues for the development of new therapies.
Consuming moderate amounts of coffee and caffeine regularly may offer a protective effect against developing multiple cardiometabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke, according to new research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. The paper is titled "Habitual Coffee, Tea and Caffeine Consumption, Circulating Metabolites, and the Risk of Cardiometabolic Multimorbidity."
Researchers found that regular coffee or caffeine intake, especially at moderate levels, was associated with a lower risk of new-onset cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CM), which refers to the coexistence of at least two cardiometabolic diseases.
A team of biomechanical engineers at the University of New South Wales, working with a colleague from Queensland University of Technology and cardiac surgeons at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, has developed an artificial human heart left ventricle (LV) that can be used for training heart surgeons and other doctors.
In their paper published in the journal Science Robotics, the group describes how the artificial LV was made, its features and possible uses for it.
In a significant advancement for point-of-care medical diagnostics, a team of researchers from UCLA has introduced a deep learning-enhanced, paper-based vertical flow assay (VFA) capable of detecting cardiac troponin I (cTnI) with high sensitivity. The innovative assay holds the potential to democratize access to rapid and reliable cardiac diagnostics, particularly in resource-limited settings.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for over 19 million fatalities annually. Early detection of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), commonly known as a heart attack, is essential for improving patient outcomes and reducing mortality rates. However, the high costs and infrastructure requirements associated with traditional laboratory-based diagnostic equipment often limit access to high-quality care, particularly in low- and middle-income regions.
Inflammation of the arteries is a primary precursor and driver of cardiovascular disease—the No. 1 killer of people in the United States. This inflammation is associated with the buildup of dangerous plaque inside the arteries. Advanced treatments are needed to target this inflammation in patients. Michigan State University researchers have tested a new nanoparticle nanotherapy infusion that precisely targets inflammation and activates the immune system to help clear out arterial plaque.
The research is published in the journal Nature Communications.
"There are two different things that people seem to be scared of when it comes to plaques," said Bryan Smith, an associate professor with the Department of Biomedical Engineering in the College of Engineering and MSU's Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering. "Many people don't really understand the difference between them."
Nanoparticle infusion therapy breaks down plaques in arteries
By Michael Irving
October 14, 2024
Sticky plaques building up on the walls of your blood vessels can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Now, a new nanoparticle infusion therapy has been found to break down these plaques safely in tests in pigs.
Fats, cholesterol and other substances in blood can build up over time as plaques on arterial walls. This can cause direct blockages, or trigger an inflammatory response known as atherosclerosis. Both scenarios can cause heart attacks and strokes, but the latter is in some ways more insidious because there are few warning signs in advance.
“That’s the scarier one that leads to most heart attacks,” said Bryan Smith, co-lead author of the study. “Because such plaques don’t necessarily block much of the artery, and because the effects of the rupture can very suddenly completely block blood flow, such a heart attack can seem to appear as if from nowhere.”
Standing has gained popularity among people looking to offset the harms of a sedentary lifestyle often caused by spending long days sitting in front of the computer, television or driving wheel. Standing desks have become a popular option among office workers, and in other industries like retail, workers may opt to stand instead of sit.
However, their efforts may not produce the intended result. New University of Sydney research has shown that over the long-term, standing more compared with sitting does not improve cardiovascular health (coronary heart disease, stroke and heart failure), and could increase the risk of circulatory issues related to standing, such as varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis.
The study, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology also found that sitting for over 10 hours a day increased both cardiovascular disease and orthostatic incidence risk, reinforcing the need for greater physical activity throughout the day. The research also notes that standing more was not associated with heightened cardiovascular disease risk.
Stroke patients could benefit from earlier blood thinning treatment, finds research
by Poppy Tombs, University College London
People with atrial fibrillation (AF) who have a stroke could benefit from blood thinning treatments, known as anticoagulants, at an earlier stage than is currently recommended, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.
Results from the OPTIMAS study are published in The Lancet and presented at the World Stroke Congress 2024.
The study found that it is safe and effective to give blood thinning treatments to AF stroke patients within four days of them having a stroke, rather than waiting for up to 14 days as has previously been recommended.
Immunotherapy prevents heart attacks progressing to heart failure
By Michael Irving
November 04, 2024
Scarring of heart tissue can be slowed but not stopped, and can lead to heart failure. But a new study has shown that an existing immunotherapy could stop scar tissue formation after heart attacks.
When the heart sustains an injury, such as a heart attack, the damaged tissue often scars over. In the short term, it helps this vital organ maintain its structure, but the problem is this tissue doesn’t beat. That throws off the rhythm of contractions and can eventually lead to heart failure, which is fatal without drastic intervention like a transplant.
“After scar tissue forms in the heart, its ability to recover is dramatically impaired or impossible,” said Kory Lavine, senior author of the study. “Current treatments can help relieve symptoms and slow the progression, but there is a tremendous need for better therapies that actually stop the disease process and prevent the formation of new scar tissue that causes a loss of heart function. We are hopeful our study will lead to clinical trials investigating this immunotherapy strategy in heart failure patients.”
How you sleep could raise cardiovascular disease risk by 26%
By Michael Franco
November 26, 2024
https://newatlas.com/sleep/sleep-cardio ... r-disease/
In an analysis of the sleep habits of over 72,000 people, researchers identified a particular pattern that can dramatically spike the risk of major cardiovascular problems. The good news is that the pattern is relatively easy to avoid.
You've always known it, and science continually proves it: getting sufficient sleep is important for good health. Lack of quality shut-eye has been linked to an increase in women's risk of heart disease, elevated pain symptoms, more of a chance of developing dementia, and more.
Researchers are now starting to focus not only on how much sleep you get, but the form that sleep takes. For example, studies have found that getting too much sleep can impair cognitive functions, while going to bed and waking up at inconsistent times has been associated with high blood pressure, obesity and other metabolic disorders.
Heart attack damage could be reversed by reactivating dormant gene
By Michael Irving
January 18, 2025
Heart attacks are dangerous not just because of the initial event, but the long-term damage afterwards. Now scientists have discovered a dormant gene that could be reactivated to regenerate heart tissue, preventing the progression to heart failure.
After a heart attack, scar tissue often forms to allow the organ to keep its shape, but the downside is that this tissue doesn’t beat. Over time, that can lead to irregularities in the rhythm, which can progress to further heart attacks and eventually heart failure.
But not all animals have this weakness – zebrafish, for example, can repair damaged heart tissue like it was a skin-deep scratch. They can fully restore their heart function in as little as 60 days after an injury, which would be a nice superpower to have.
In a new study, scientists at the Hubrecht Institute in the Netherlands have discovered a protein that drives this heart tissue repair in zebrafish. They then applied it to mouse hearts, which also can’t regenerate, and found that it still works to repair damage there too, suggesting a pathway to a potential treatment in humans.
A novel mechanism that enables cells to maintain energy production even when their main power supply drops/fails has been uncovered by biologists at Duke-NUS Medical School. In collaboration with an international team of researchers, the scientists found that a previously unknown protein supercomplex, dubbed SC-XL, enhances energy production and reduces harmful byproducts in cells with specific genetic disruptions.
These findings, published in Cell Metabolism, could pave the way for new therapeutic approaches targeting disorders caused by deficiencies in cellular energy production, particularly ischemic heart disease, a condition whereby narrowed arteries restrict blood and oxygen flow to the heart.
A man has lived for more than 100 days with an artificial maglev heart working inside his chest. In a landmark moment, he was discharged earlier this year, becoming the first person in the world to leave the hospital with the device embedded in his body.
On July 26 of last year, we reported that the first maglev artificial heart made by the BiVACOR company had been implanted inside the body of a patient at the Texas Heart Institute. The goal of the device was to keep the patient alive long enough to receive a donor heart to be transplanted. Just eight days later, that's exactly what happened: the artificial heart was replaced with a human heart and the patient was discharged.
Since then, four more patients in the US have used the BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart (TAH) to bridge the time spent waiting in the hospital until donor hearts could arrive. The longest any one patient had to wait was 27 days before having the transplant operation.
Now, BiVACOR has announced another significant step in their development and use of the artificial heart.
Breakthrough stroke drug heals the brain to restore movement
By Bronwyn Thompson
March 19, 2025
There's newfound hope for stroke patients in recovery, with what researchers believe is the very first drug that can comprehensively deliver rehabilitation without the need for challenging long-term physical therapy.
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) scientists made the breakthrough after narrowing down drug candidates to two viable compounds. Further research revealed that one of these drugs, DDL-920 – developed at UCLA, led to the complete recovery of movement control – something many stroke patients never regain.
It's a milestone in medical research, largely because there's no drug that has proven effective in rehabilitation, leaving patients with only physical therapy to help rebuild the brain's signaling pathways in order to recover motor function.
