Showing recent highlights
Guidelines
ScienceDaily · September 6, 2026
According to new clinical guidelines, people with heart failure should be screened early using simple blood and urine tests to check for kidney disease, because these two conditions can make each other worse over time — creating a harmful cycle that speeds up damage to both the heart and kidneys. The guidelines highlight that catching problems sooner, and starting proven treatments early, could meaningfully lower the chances of serious complications for patients. Talking with their doctor about whether this kind of screening is right for them may be a worthwhile conversation.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient should get blood and urine tests to check for kidney disease, since heart and kidney problems can make each other worse.
What's New
PubMed · September 4, 2026
A study found that people who consistently took their prescribed high-dose statin (a cholesterol-lowering medication) after a heart attack showed much greater improvements in their artery health compared to those who weren't taking it as directed — including bigger drops in 'bad' cholesterol and more stabilization of fatty buildup in their arteries, which can help reduce the risk of future serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes. Researchers measured actual drug levels in patients' blood to confirm whether they were truly taking their medication, rather than just asking them. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · September 4, 2026
Researchers found that a cholesterol-lowering injection medication called evolocumab may be especially helpful for people with coronary artery disease — a condition where the heart's arteries become narrowed or blocked — who also have high levels of a fatty substance in the blood called lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a). In people with high Lp(a), the medication appeared to make dangerous fatty buildups inside artery walls thicker and more stable, meaning less likely to rupture and cause a heart attack. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · September 1, 2026
Researchers found that a powerful cholesterol-lowering medication called a PCSK9 inhibitor (a drug like Repatha or Praluent) may actually shrink and stabilize the fatty buildup inside heart arteries — the kind of buildup that can lead to serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes. Specifically, the study found that these medications reduced the overall size of the buildup and made the thin, fragile cap covering it thicker and more stable, which matters because a rupture of that cap is what often triggers a heart attack. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · September 1, 2026
Researchers found that a structured self-management program — where people with chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes learn skills to manage their health day-to-day — led to lasting improvements in sleep, pain, fatigue, and mood, even six months after the program ended, across many different countries. For someone with type 2 diabetes, this matters because managing a long-term condition involves a lot more than just medication — things like energy levels, sleep, and emotional well-being all affect how well someone can stay on top of their health. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · September 1, 2026
Researchers found that different types of strength training — such as lighter weights with more repetitions versus heavier weights with fewer repetitions — produced similar effects on heart rate and blood pressure in people with heart disease, including heart failure. Both approaches appeared to be safe, which is encouraging news since many people with heart conditions are often cautious about strength training. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · September 1, 2026
Researchers found that for people with severely calcified coronary artery disease — meaning dangerous plaque buildup that has hardened like calcium deposits inside the heart's arteries — two different treatment approaches performed similarly. Specifically, using a drug-coated balloon (a tiny inflatable device that delivers medication directly to the artery wall without leaving anything behind) produced roughly the same outcomes as placing a drug-eluting stent (a small metal tube coated with medication that stays permanently in the artery) when it came to serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes, death, and bleeding. This matters because the balloon approach may allow patients to take blood-thinning medication for a shorter period of time, which could be meaningful for people who face higher bleeding risks — though this is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · September 1, 2026
A study found that people with coronary artery disease — a condition where the heart's blood vessels become narrowed — who ate a daily mix of black raisins, dried sour cherries, and cranberry powder for 8 weeks had meaningfully lower levels of uric acid in their blood compared to those who didn't eat these fruits; high uric acid has been linked to heart and joint problems, so this drop could be significant. The fruit-eating group also showed signs of more plant-based compounds (called polyphenols) passing through their bodies, suggesting these foods were being absorbed and used. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · September 1, 2026
Researchers found that among nearly 78,000 people with blockages in multiple heart arteries who had a type of heart attack that didn't show a specific pattern on their heart monitor, open-heart bypass surgery was linked to lower long-term rates of death, repeat heart attacks, and needing another procedure compared to a less invasive option where a small tube and stent are used to open the blocked artery from the inside. However, bypass surgery was also linked to a higher chance of stroke over the long term — so the picture isn't completely one-sided. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · September 1, 2026
A study found that for people with coronary artery disease who have had a procedure to open blocked heart arteries (called a stent procedure), tailoring blood-thinning medication to each person's individual risk — rather than giving everyone the same standard 12-month regimen — can reduce serious bleeding by roughly 25% to 65%, especially for those already at high risk of bleeding. However, the picture is mixed: shortening the medication course too aggressively in some groups, particularly people who had a recent heart attack, was linked to a higher chance of having another heart attack in at least one study. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · September 1, 2026
Researchers found that people who take statins — cholesterol-lowering medications — still face a meaningful chance of serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes, even while on treatment. Those who already had heart disease had notably higher rates of these events compared to people who were taking statins to prevent heart disease in the first place. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
The Lancet · August 30, 2026
Researchers found that the long-standing habit of prescribing beta-blockers — medications that slow the heart rate and reduce blood pressure — indefinitely after a heart attack may be based on outdated evidence. The original studies supporting this practice were done before modern treatments like clot-clearing procedures and cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) became standard care, so it's unclear whether those old findings still apply to patients treated today. This matters for people with coronary artery disease — a condition where the arteries supplying the heart become narrowed — because it raises questions about whether long-term beta-blocker use is still as necessary as once thought. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 25, 2026
Researchers found that people with type 2 diabetes who took part in a 'Sit Less' program — which included a Fitbit, a smart water bottle, personalized weekly text messages, and one in-person coaching session — were able to meaningfully cut down on the amount of time they spent sitting each day, starting from a baseline of about 10 hours of sitting per day. This matters because sitting for long stretches is linked to a higher risk of serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes, and people with type 2 diabetes already face elevated heart-related risks. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 25, 2026
Researchers found that some people experience a type of chest pain — called Kounis syndrome — where the heart's arteries suddenly tighten as part of an allergic reaction, rather than from the usual causes of heart disease. In a review of nearly 400 cases, this happened most often after exposure to prescription medications, and more than 70% of cases looked like a serious heart attack on medical tests. This matters for people with coronary artery disease — a condition where the heart's blood vessels are narrowed — because recognizing an allergy as the trigger could change how doctors manage the situation, including identifying and avoiding the allergen. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 25, 2026
Researchers found that people with coronary artery disease — a condition where the heart's arteries become narrowed — had better outcomes over 5 years when doctors used a special blood flow measurement tool called QFR to decide whether to open a blocked artery, compared to doctors relying on visual imaging alone. Specifically, fewer people in the QFR-guided group experienced serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes, or needed repeat procedures to reopen arteries. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 22, 2026
Researchers found that people with blocked arteries in multiple areas of the heart who needed bypass surgery recovered faster and reported feeling better sooner when surgeons used a small side incision instead of the traditional approach of cutting open the breastbone. This matters because bypass surgery is a major operation, and a quicker, less painful recovery could make a real difference in someone's daily life and overall wellbeing. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 18, 2026
Researchers found that a smartphone-based AI system designed to help people with coronary artery disease — a condition where the arteries supplying the heart become narrowed or blocked — do a better job managing their heart health risks over three months. Compared to people receiving standard care, those using the AI system had improved cholesterol levels, better blood pressure control, and were more likely to stick to their medications, all without adding extra work for their doctors. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 15, 2026
Researchers found that for people with a blockage in the left main coronary artery — the heart's most important supply line — the way doctors guide a stenting procedure may matter a great deal. Using imaging tools (like ultrasound inside the artery) to guide the stent placement was linked to fewer serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes compared to using standard X-ray pictures alone, and it performed similarly to open-heart bypass surgery. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 15, 2026
Researchers found that using a more detailed pressure-based test — called fractional flow reserve, which measures how much a blocked artery is actually restricting blood flow — to guide heart bypass surgery was linked to about half the risk of a heart attack compared to using standard imaging alone. This matters for people with coronary artery disease (a condition where the arteries supplying the heart become narrowed) because it suggests the way surgeons plan the procedure might affect outcomes. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 11, 2026
A study found that women with blocked heart arteries (coronary artery disease) reported worse chest pain and quality of life than men — even when their artery blockages were actually less severe. Surprisingly, this gap wasn't explained by differences in treatment, other health conditions, or how well medications were working. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 11, 2026
Researchers found that blood-thinning medications used to prevent serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes in people with coronary artery disease come with a real trade-off: the more aggressively these medications work to prevent heart and stroke events, the more they raise the risk of dangerous bleeding, including bleeding inside the brain. This matters because it suggests there may be a limit to how much benefit patients gain from stronger blood-thinning regimens before the bleeding risks start to outweigh the rewards. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 10, 2026
Researchers found that a newer, simpler way of measuring blood flow through narrowed heart arteries — using just the standard X-ray images already taken during a procedure, without inserting an extra wire — worked just as well as the traditional wire-based method for deciding which patients needed a procedure to open their arteries. This matters for people with coronary artery disease (a condition where the arteries supplying the heart become narrowed) because the wire-free approach is less complicated and may carry fewer risks, yet still helped doctors make accurate treatment decisions with similar patient outcomes at one year. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Lifestyle
ScienceDaily · August 8, 2026
A large study found that the standard recommendation of 150 minutes of exercise per week — think a brisk 30-minute walk five days a week — may only offer modest protection against serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes in people with coronary artery disease (a condition where the arteries supplying the heart become narrowed or blocked). Researchers found that much greater benefits appeared when people got closer to 560 to 610 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity per week — that's roughly 80 to 90 minutes a day of brisk walking, running, or cycling. People with this condition may want to have a conversation with their doctor about what level of physical activity makes sense for their individual situation.
What's New
PubMed · August 3, 2026
Researchers found that using a special drug-coated balloon — a balloon treated with medication to help keep the artery open — during a heart procedure may help preserve the size of a small branching artery compared to using a regular balloon. For people with coronary artery disease (a condition where the heart's blood vessels become narrowed or blocked), keeping these small branch arteries open after a procedure is an ongoing challenge. However, the benefit seen was small and not fully consistent across all analyses, so this is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 3, 2026
Researchers found that two different tools used to break up calcium buildup inside blocked heart arteries — intravascular lithotripsy (which uses sound waves, similar to how kidney stones are treated) and rotational atherectomy (which uses a tiny spinning drill) — worked equally well at opening up the artery and allowing a stent to be placed properly. The study looked at people with stable but heavily calcified blockages in their heart arteries, a condition that makes routine procedures more difficult and risky. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Lifestyle
ScienceDaily · August 1, 2026
A press release reports that eating one whole avocado every single day for six months was linked to a drop in the number of harmful fat particles circulating in the blood — those are tiny carriers called LDL particles that can build up in artery walls. In people with obesity, this change was associated with roughly a 4% lower chance of developing serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes. The press release described this as a meaningful shift that researchers connected specifically to that daily avocado habit.
Guidelines
PubMed (Guideline Reviews) · August 1, 2026
According to the European Society of Cardiology guidelines, as endorsed by the Netherlands Society of Cardiology, people with chronic coronary syndromes — a long-term condition where the heart's arteries are narrowed or partially blocked — should be assessed using a personalized risk model that weighs their specific risk factors to decide which heart tests are most appropriate for them. The guidelines provide updated direction on choosing the right non-invasive imaging test (meaning scans that don't require entering the body), as well as how to evaluate artery blockages during more involved heart procedures. This matters because matching the right tests to the right patients helps doctors catch problems more accurately and tailor care more effectively.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient's treatment plan for chronic coronary syndromes follows the 2024 European Society of Cardiology guidelines and if there are any changes to how the patient's condition should be managed.
Guidelines
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that people who closely followed a Mediterranean diet — which is rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats like olive oil — had a lower risk of serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes, as well as high blood pressure. The analysis looked at data from more than 1.4 million people across 87 studies, and even small improvements in how closely someone followed the diet were linked to meaningful benefits. This suggests that eating patterns can play an important role in heart health, and people may want to talk with their doctor about how diet fits into their overall care.
What's New
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that colchicine — an anti-inflammatory medication that has long been used for gout — may help reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat that can raise the risk of stroke) by about 26% in people with heart disease. The study, which pooled results from nearly 38,000 participants across 39 trials, also found reductions in heart attacks and hospitalizations, though no reduction in overall death rates. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that for people with stable coronary artery disease (a condition where the arteries supplying the heart are narrowed) who also need blood-thinning medication, taking just the blood thinner alone — without adding an extra antiplatelet drug (a medicine that helps prevent blood clots from forming) — cut the risk of serious bleeding roughly in half, while keeping the risk of serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes about the same as those who took both medications together. This suggests that for some patients, dropping the antiplatelet medication might reduce a dangerous side effect without giving up much protection for the heart. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient needs to keep taking an antiplatelet medication like aspirin along with their blood thinner, or whether the blood thinner alone might be safer for the patient.
For informational purposes only. Not medical advice. Always consult a physician before making any health decisions.