Though many areas of the world are seeing an increase in childhood obesity rates, Amsterdam has cut the number of overweight and obese children by 12 percent through city-wide “healthy-weight program" that has kids weighed regularly and tested for balance and agility.

Both men and women over the age of 50 have reduced their risk factors for heart disease and stroke over a 20-year period, according to a new study published online March 22 in Aging Clinical and Experimental Research.

Individuals who consume large amounts of meat protein experience a 60 percent increase in cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to research published in the International Journal of Epidemiology on April 3.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) was associated with lower in-hospital mortality and significantly fewer respiratory complications than surgery for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to study published April 1 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Already approved for the purpose its name implies, the Gore Cardioform septal occluder has also received the FDA’s OK for patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure to prevent recurrent ischemic stroke.

A genetic test to inform decisions about what antiplatelet to use following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) significantly reduced the number of major cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events in a single-center study published in Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine.

Chicago-based Outcome Health announced a collaboration with advocacy group WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, to “provide actionable educational information” to cardiology providers across Outcome Health’s network of providers.

Abiomed announced April 2 its Impella CP heart pump has received expanded FDA premarket approval for its SmartAssist technology. SmartAssist utilizes an optical sensor to inform exact positioning for the device and provide data on left ventricular pressure, end-diastolic pressure and cardiac power output.