Heart Health

This news channel includes content on cardiovascular disease prevention, cardiac risk stratification, diagnosis, screening programs, and management of major risk factors that include diabetes, hypertension, diet, life style, cholesterol, obesity, ethnicity and socio-economic disparities.

Plant-based diets may help patients with diabetes, heart disease live longer
Researchers focused on data from nearly 78,000 adults with cardiometabolic disorders, sharing their findings at ACC.25 in Chicago.
Oral semaglutide reduces heart risks while helping patients move past ‘fear of the needle’
Researchers still think patients should receive an injectable version of semaglutide when possible, but new data out of ACC.25 confirm that an oral formulation of the drug is associated with significant benefits.
‘A practice-changing trial’: Semaglutide linked to key benefits for PAD patients with diabetes
Patients who present with type 2 diabetes and PAD often face substantial mobility issues. According to new data presented at ACC.25, however, treatment with semaglutide could represent a major step forward for this high-risk population.
A glass of orange juice a day may help keep the cardiologist away
Drinking orange juice is associated with several interactions in the body that may help combat the risks of cardiac remodeling.
Opportunistic screening: AI highlights key heart findings in mammography images
Breast artery calcifications are already visible when radiologists review mammograms, but nothing typically happens with them. Researchers aimed to see if AI could help translate those findings into an easy-to-understand cardiovascular risk score.

USDA allows flavored milk, more sodium and fewer whole grains in school nutrition

The U.S. Department of Agriculture rolled out its final rule on school nutrition standards Dec. 6, allowing schools to ease up on whole grains, permanently serve 1 percent flavored milk and take their time reducing sodium levels in school lunches.

Liraglutide shows cardiovascular benefit in routine practice

Liraglutide was associated with a 10 percent reduction in major cardiovascular events for patients with type 2 diabetes in a real-world population, offering hope that the cardioprotective benefits observed in randomized trials translate to regular clinical practice.

Weight training tied to ‘substantial heart benefits’ in long-term study

A little weight lifting can have a big impact on heart health, even in the absence of aerobic endurance training, according to recent research in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

Study supports higher risk thresholds for initiating statins

The authors of a new study in the Annals of Internal Medicine believe too many patients are being recommended statin therapy, and contend that current guidelines don’t fully consider the risks of the popular drugs.

U.S. guidelines advise early action against hypertension—here’s why that might not be a good idea

Contrary to U.S. guidelines, early action against high BP in patients exhibiting signs of hypertension doesn’t reduce their risk of heart disease later in life, according to a study published in the European Heart Journal Nov. 21.

ACC offers guidance on using diabetes drugs for CV event reduction

A new expert consensus document from the American College of Cardiology singled out liraglutide and empagliflozin as the preferred drugs in their classes to reduce cardiovascular risk among patients with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Smoking bans in restaurants, workplaces linked to lower SBP

Smoke-free policies in public places like bars and restaurants were linked to lower systolic blood pressures (SBPs) among participants from the longitudinal CARDIA study, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

SGLT2 inhibitors tied to ketoacidosis, limb amputation in diabetics

An observational study of nearly 35,000 Scandinavian patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) has found sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, a class of prescription drugs approved by the FDA to lower blood sugar in adults with T2D, may almost double patients’ risks of lower limb amputation and diabetic ketoacidosis compared to glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) receptor agonists.

Heart Health

Plant-based diets may help patients with diabetes, heart disease live longer

Oral semaglutide reduces heart risks while helping patients move past ‘fear of the needle’

‘A practice-changing trial’: Semaglutide linked to key benefits for PAD patients with diabetes

A glass of orange juice a day may help keep the cardiologist away

Opportunistic screening: AI highlights key heart findings in mammography images