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UC San Diego researchers win DARPA award to develop improved red blood cells

Rss Feed - Mon, 08/31/2026 - 13:11
Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have been awarded a contract of up to $11.312 million from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to pursue a high-risk, high-reward research project aimed at developing optimized red blood cells that can temporarily boost human performance and health.

Left atrial appendage closure benefits only high-risk cardiac surgery patients

Rss Feed - Mon, 08/31/2026 - 13:05
Results do not support routine closure of the left atrial appendage in all patients undergoing open-heart surgery but those at high stroke risk may benefit.

New BioTAK score accurately identifies Takotsubo syndrome before catheterization

Rss Feed - Mon, 08/31/2026 - 13:01
Takotsubo syndrome is an acute heart condition that primarily affects postmenopausal women and is often triggered by severe emotional or physical stress.

New tool predicts heart failure treatment effects on blood pressure, kidney function and serum potassium

Rss Feed - Mon, 08/31/2026 - 12:48
A new heart failure (HF) treatment effect calculator could help overcome one of the largest barriers to effective heart failure care by predicting the expected effects of treatment on blood pressure, kidney function and potassium levels.

Older heart attack patients need routine invasive treatment rather than selective care

Rss Feed - Mon, 08/31/2026 - 12:37
A routine invasive approach should not be replaced with a more selective approach in older patients with the most common type of heart attack.

Night owls face tougher work-life balance and higher mental risks

Rss Feed - Mon, 08/31/2026 - 12:25
Balancing work and personal life is more challenging for evening types, or "night owls", than for morning types, or "early birds".

Newly discovered lung immune cells could transform future flu vaccine design

Rss Feed - Mon, 08/31/2026 - 12:11
Influenza continues to cause major illness each year in the United States, leading to more than 35,000 deaths annually. Children, older adults, pregnant individuals, people with weakened immune systems, and those with chronic conditions such as heart disease, metabolic disorders, and cancer are especially vulnerable.

Early cardiac monitoring reveals hidden arrhythmias in patients with unexplained fainting

Rss Feed - Mon, 08/31/2026 - 12:00
Early ECG monitoring initiated in the emergency department (ED) has the potential to transform the care of thousands of patients who attend the ED with unexplained fainting.

Virtual e-health system safely monitors cardiac devices and cuts costs

Rss Feed - Mon, 08/31/2026 - 11:53
A virtual e-health system (VIRTUES) was as safe and effective as standard care for monitoring the function of cardiac implantable electronic devices, with the benefit of cost savings and patient satisfaction.

Targeted lead placement fails to improve cardiac resynchronization outcomes

Rss Feed - Mon, 08/31/2026 - 10:02
Targeted placement of the left ventricular lead did not improve outcomes in patients with heart failure undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy, according to results presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2026 and published simultaneously in The Lancet.

Anticoagulation lowers subclinical leaflet thrombosis after TAVI procedure

Rss Feed - Mon, 08/31/2026 - 09:49
After transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), anticoagulation reduced imaging signs of clot formation on the new valve compared with antiplatelet therapy, without compromising safety. This was the main finding of the ACASA-TAVI trial presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2026 and published simultaneously in JAMA.

Transcatheter tricuspid valve repair lowers mortality and hospitalizations in high-risk patients

Rss Feed - Mon, 08/31/2026 - 09:04
Transcatheter tricuspid valve repair significantly improved clinical outcomes in high-risk patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation, according to results presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2026 and published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Nurse-led collaborative care significantly improves heart failure patient outcomes

Rss Feed - Mon, 08/31/2026 - 08:50
Days alive and out of hospital were significantly increased in patients with heart failure when a nurse-coordinated collaborative care model was introduced, according to results presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2026 and published simultaneously in Circulation.

A personalized elimination diet changed the gut microbiome in people with migraine

Rss Feed - Mon, 08/31/2026 - 00:33
In a 12-week randomized, sham-controlled trial of 98 adults with migraine, eliminating IgG-positive foods altered gut microbial composition and produced a greater reduction in serum zonulin than a sham elimination diet. The microbial changes were associated with previously reported reductions in CGRP and IL-6 and improvements in migraine and sleep, although the authors emphasized that these mechanistic links remain exploratory.

Exercise intervention associated with reduced atrial fibrillation burden

Rss Feed - Mon, 08/31/2026 - 00:18
An exercise program combining short-term supervision with long-term home-based exercise was associated with reduced atrial fibrillation burden and other meaningful benefits, according to results presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2026.

The scale told a similar story across three diets. The liver told a different one

Rss Feed - Mon, 08/31/2026 - 00:09
In a randomized controlled trial of people with metabolically unhealthy obesity, approximately 10% weight loss improved insulin sensitivity and several cardiometabolic measures across ketogenic, Mediterranean, and very-low-fat plant-forward diets. However, the very-low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet produced larger improvements in hepatic insulin sensitivity and greater reductions in liver fat and several glucose and insulin measures than the higher-carbohydrate diets.

Experts call for safer weight loss as concerns grow over GLP-1 use

Rss Feed - Sun, 08/30/2026 - 23:44
An editorial in Diabetology International argues that inappropriate GLP-1 use should be judged not only by regulatory compliance or off-label prescribing, but also by whether weight reduction is medically safe, nutritionally adequate, and properly supervised. Drawing on Japanese reports of ketosis and ketoacidosis following inappropriate tirzepatide use, the authors call for greater attention to the risks of unsafe weight-loss practices alongside medication-related harms.

Blood pressure intervention lowers dementia risk in community-based trial

Rss Feed - Sun, 08/30/2026 - 23:23
In a community-based trial in rural China, an intensive blood-pressure lowering intervention reduced the incidence of dementia compared with usual care, according to results from the China Rural Hypertension Control Program presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2026.

Catheter ablation reduces AF recurrence but not quality of life

Rss Feed - Sun, 08/30/2026 - 23:21
Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) did not significantly improve AF-related quality of life compared with a sham procedure, despite reducing AF recurrence.

Is there a best day to take GLP-1 drugs? Researchers looked for an answer

Rss Feed - Sun, 08/30/2026 - 23:17
A systematic review of 1,000 screened records identified only three eligible studies examining administration timing for semaglutide, and none directly compared different days of the week or assessed tirzepatide timing. The limited evidence suggests flexible dosing may support adherence and tolerability without compromising glycemic control or weight loss, but these findings rely largely on indirect evidence and expert opinion rather than direct comparative trials.

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