Acute Coronary Syndromes

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is most commonly caused by a heart attack (myocardial infarction) where blood flow to the heart is suddenly blocked. This is usually caused by a blood clot from a ruptured coronary artery atherosclerotic plaque. Other causes include spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), which most commonly occurs in women. ACS is usually treated in a cath lab with angioplasty and the placement of a stent to prop the vessel open.

Elderly patient doctor. Despite an expanded indication from the FDA and lower prices, patient access to these cholesterol-lowering medications remains a significant issue.

What is CKM syndrome? American Heart Association outlines how to identify and manage a dangerous new condition

The American Heart Association has developed an updated strategy for the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease. A newly defined health condition, cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome, sits at the center of that strategy. 

October 9, 2023
cardiovascular emergency ambulance

Family of man who died of a heart attack settles lawsuit for $1.9M after error led to delayed care

EMTs waited outside the man's house for 13 minutes before finally entering. The delay, it turns out, was due to an error in the dispatcher's computer system. 

October 6, 2023
COVID-19 precautions implemented in 2020 reduced D2B times in STEMI patients, and its impact continues to reduce times following the pandemic.

Hospitals still struggling to reach pre-COVID heart attack care thresholds due to pandemic disruption

NCDR report finds hospitals are seeing improvements but are still struggling to reach pre-COVID treatment thresholds years after pandemic precautions upended longstanding processes.

October 5, 2023
Lung cancer cigarettes

Patients who quit smoking after PCI see key improvements in their cardiovascular health

This encouraged the study’s authors, who had feared any history of smoking on a regular basis would do permanent, irreversible damage to a patient's cardiovascular health. 

October 4, 2023
cannabis use disorder marijuana joint weed smoking

Excessive cannabis use linked to greater risk of heart attack, other cardiovascular events

Researchers examined data from nearly 60,000 adults, focusing on individuals who have been diagnosed with Cannabis Use Disorder. 

September 29, 2023

Overlapping concerns: 5 takeaways from a new study on CVD, CKD and type 2 diabetes among US adults

How common is it for patients to present with overlapping cardiac, renal and metabolic issues? A new analysis in JAMA Cardiology explored that very question.

September 28, 2023
artificial intelligence robot evaluates healthcare data. Novo Nordisk announced a new collaboration with Valo Health, a healthcare technology company focused on using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to identify new drug treatments for cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Novo Nordisk spends $60M on advanced AI in search of new cardiovascular medications

Novo Nordisk is working with Valo Health to identify potential new treatments for cardiometabolic conditions. If it proves to be a fruitful collaboration, the initial payment of $60 million will be just the beginning. 

September 25, 2023
Surgeons with University of Maryland Medical Center transplant a pig heart into a human patient for only the second time ever on Sept. 20 2023. Bartley P. Griffith, MD, a professor of surgery and clinical director of the cardiac xenotransplantation program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), and Muhammad M. Mohiuddin, MD, scientific director of the cardiac xenotransplantation program at UMSOM, performed the historic procedure. #pigheart

Surgeons make history again, transplant pig heart into human patient for second time ever

That same team that transplanted a pig heart into a human patient for the very first time in 2022 has now done it again. The patient is currently recovering from the procedure, which occurred on Sept. 20. 

September 25, 2023