Heart Failure Health Updates

How workout intensity shapes heart health

Researchers found that for people with coronary artery disease — a condition where the arteries supplying the heart become narrowed — different types of exercise affect blood vessel health in different ways. High-intensity interval training (short bursts of harder effort mixed with rest) and combined exercise programs done at high intensity showed the strongest improvements in how well blood vessels open and relax, which is an important sign of heart health. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

Simpler heart device may work as well as standard pacemaker

A study found that a simpler two-lead heart device performed just as well as the traditional three-lead version in people with heart failure who needed a special pacemaker called cardiac resynchronization therapy — essentially a device that helps the heart's chambers beat in better sync. Researchers tracked over 600 patients for a year and found similar rates of death, hospital visits, and device problems between the two groups, suggesting the simpler device (which has one fewer wire implanted in the heart) may be a viable option. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

Traditional herbal treatment may help severe heart failure

Researchers in China tested a traditional herbal injection called Yiqi Fumai on people hospitalized with a serious flare-up of heart failure — a condition where the heart struggles to pump blood properly. They found that more people who received this treatment alongside standard care showed a meaningful drop in a key stress marker in the blood (called BNP, a protein the heart releases when it's under strain) compared to those who received standard care alone. If future research confirms this, it could someday offer an additional option for people with heart failure, but this is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

Plant-based eating may cut heart disease risk

This research combined data from 23 studies and found that people with type 2 diabetes — and adults generally — who closely followed the Planetary Health Diet (an eating pattern built around vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes like beans and lentils, and nuts, with little red meat or processed food) had about 17–18% lower chances of death or serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes. The benefit wasn't all-or-nothing: meaningful risk reductions appeared once people reached a moderate-to-high level of the diet, suggesting that gradually eating more plants and less processed meat — even starting with one meal today — may matter. The researchers note these studies show a strong link but can't yet prove the diet directly causes these better outcomes, so this is promising but not the final word.

Weight-loss drug may help a tough type of heart failure

Researchers looked at data from nearly 48,000 people with a type of heart failure called heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) — where the heart pumps normally but is too stiff to fill properly — who also had obesity. They examined whether tirzepatide, a diabetes and weight-loss medication that works similarly to a diabetes medication like Ozempic or Victoza, helped reduce serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes compared to standard care. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

Quick Ultrasound Test May Predict Heart Failure Severity

Researchers found that a bedside ultrasound scoring tool called VExUS — which measures how much fluid is backing up in the body's veins — may help predict how serious a hospital stay will be for someone with acute heart failure. In the study, patients with lower VExUS scores (meaning less fluid buildup) had a much lower chance of dying in the hospital compared to those with higher scores — about 2% versus 14%. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

Lung ultrasound may cut hospital stays in heart failure

Researchers found that using lung ultrasound — a painless scan that checks for fluid buildup in the lungs — to guide treatment in people with heart failure led to fewer hospital stays, fewer emergency visits, and a lower combined risk of hospitalization or death compared to standard care alone. This matters because heart failure often causes fluid to quietly accumulate in the lungs before a person feels seriously ill, and a more sensitive way to catch and treat that buildup earlier could make a real difference in outcomes. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

New pacing technique may reduce heart failure hospitalizatio

Researchers found that a pacing technique called left bundle branch area pacing — which delivers electrical signals to the heart along a more natural pathway — was linked to lower rates of death and hospital stays related to heart failure, compared to the more widely used biventricular pacing (a method that uses wires on both sides of the heart to help it beat in sync). Among more than 5,600 patients studied, those who received the newer technique had notably better outcomes across both measures. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

Switching heart meds may be safe when stable

A study found that for people with heart failure whose condition had improved and stabilized, switching from a stronger heart medication (called an ARNI) to a milder one (called an ARB) did not lead to worse outcomes — including no meaningful difference in a key marker in the blood that signals heart strain, hospital admissions for heart failure, or changes in how well the heart was pumping. This suggests that some stabilized patients may not need to stay on the stronger medication, which could matter for people concerned about cost or side effects. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

New procedure may help beyond just blood pressure

Researchers found that a procedure called renal denervation — where nerves near the kidneys are disrupted to help lower high blood pressure — may also have benefits beyond just blood pressure control. The study found it was linked to improvements in heart rhythm problems, sleep apnea (a condition where breathing repeatedly stops during sleep), fasting blood sugar levels, and how well the heart's lower chambers relax and fill with blood. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

Urine test may help doctors remove fluid faster in heart fai

Researchers found that for people hospitalized with a sudden worsening of heart failure, adjusting their water-removal medication (diuretics) based on how much sodium their kidneys were flushing out in their urine helped remove more fluid, led to more weight loss, and shortened their hospital stay by nearly a day compared to standard care. However, this approach didn't seem to make a meaningful difference in how sick patients felt overall or in their chances of dying or being readmitted to the hospital for heart failure. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

Heart drug may work well at different doses based on kidney

Researchers found that a heart failure medication called finerenone worked well whether patients received a higher or lower dose — with the dose being guided by how well their kidneys were functioning. People with stronger kidney function received a higher dose, and those with weaker kidney function received a lower dose, and both groups saw similar benefits in reducing serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes and hospitalizations from heart failure. This matters because it suggests doctors may be able to safely adjust the dose based on a patient's kidney health without losing the drug's effectiveness. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

Herbal remedy may help reduce heart failure hospitalizations

Researchers found that adding a traditional Chinese herbal remedy called Xinfuli Granules to standard heart failure treatment may help reduce the chances of serious outcomes like death or a hospital stay related to heart failure. People taking the granules also showed improvements in how well their heart was pumping blood, reported better quality of life, and experienced less anxiety and depression compared to those on standard treatment alone. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

Herbal remedy may help heart failure symptoms

Researchers found that certain traditional Chinese herbal medicines containing Astragalus — a root long used in Chinese medicine — may help people with heart failure when added to their usual Western treatments. Specifically, a formula called Astragalus Granule appeared to improve overall symptoms and reduce a protein in the blood (called BNP) that doctors use to measure how hard the heart is working, while another formula seemed to help patients walk farther in six minutes, which is a common way to gauge heart strength. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

Lab-Grown Heart Tissue May Help Failing Hearts

Researchers found that a new experimental treatment for heart failure — using lab-grown heart muscle tissue made from stem cells and surgically attached to a weakened heart — showed early promise in a small study of 20 patients. The idea is that adding this living tissue could help a heart that is too weak to pump blood properly (meaning it can't squeeze out enough blood with each beat) actually work better over time. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

New approach could rebuild weakened heart muscle

Researchers found a way to potentially rebuild weakened heart muscle in people with heart failure — a condition where the heart can't pump blood as well as it should — by using specially grown heart muscle cells. This could matter for people with heart failure because, unlike most current treatments that manage symptoms, this approach aims to actually repair the damaged heart itself. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

Special Pacemakers May Help Heart Rhythm

A study looked at a treatment called cardiac resynchronization therapy, which uses a special pacemaker to help the left and right sides of the heart beat in better sync when they've fallen out of rhythm with each other. Researchers found this approach — including newer methods that stimulate the heart's natural electrical pathways — can help the heart pump more effectively in people whose heart's two sides aren't coordinating well. This may be worth asking a doctor about for anyone with heart failure who has been told their heartbeat pattern is irregular or that their heart's electrical signals aren't working properly.

Heart failure patients have mixed views on end-of-life care

A study found that among people with heart failure, preferences about end-of-life care vary widely — roughly half wanted life-sustaining treatments (medical interventions to keep someone alive), about 43% said they would prefer not to receive CPR (the chest compressions and other emergency steps used when the heart stops), and more than half preferred to have a trusted person make medical decisions for them if they couldn't. The research also found that cultural background, overall health, and whether someone had talked with their doctor about these topics all played a role in shaping those preferences. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

Heart Failure Follow-up Plan Shows Mixed Results

A study found that giving heart failure patients a discharge checklist, heart failure education, and follow-up phone calls did not significantly increase the number of patients taking all three recommended heart medications six months later — though patients who actually received every part of the program were more likely to be on the right medications. This matters because taking the right combination of medications after a heart failure hospitalization can help the heart pump better and may lower the risk of serious complications. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

New drug may reduce heart attack risk in heart failure

A study found that a medication called finerenone (brand name Kerendia) helped reduce the chance of serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes and worsening heart failure in people with a type of heart failure where the heart muscle is not pumping at full strength. Researchers used a statistical approach that combined results from several previous studies, which gave them even greater confidence — about a 92% probability — that finerenone meaningfully lowers the risk of these serious events. This appears to be a new and emerging treatment option for this type of heart failure, though the medication also raised the risk of high potassium levels in the blood, which is something doctors monitor closely.

Generic Diabetes Drug Now Available

The FDA announced the approval of the first generic versions of Farxiga, a diabetes medication like Jardiance or Invokana that helps people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar control. This type of medication works by helping the kidneys remove extra sugar from the body through urine. This approval means a lower-cost version of the drug may now be available as an option for patients to discuss with their doctor.

Plant-Based Diet May Help Your Heart Health

A study found that eating more plant-based foods — like vegetables, beans, nuts, and whole grains — while cutting back on red meat and processed meat may help improve heart health in people with type 2 diabetes. Researchers found this shift in eating habits was linked to a lower chance of serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes. The findings suggest that what people put on their plate regularly can make a meaningful difference for their heart over time.

Leaky heart valve fix may help everyone, study finds

A study found that a minimally invasive heart procedure called MitraClip — which uses a small clip to fix a leaky heart valve without open surgery — helped people with heart failure feel noticeably better, regardless of how good or poor their health was before the procedure. Compared to medication alone, people who had the procedure reported meaningful improvements in their quality of life, such as fewer symptoms and better daily functioning, and these benefits lasted up to two years. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

30 Minutes of Exercise Weekly May Transform Your Health

5 Cannabis Risks Older Adults Should Know About

Be aware that cannabis use carries specific risks for adults over 65, including a higher chance of serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes, falls, and memory issues — and today's cannabis is much stronger than it used to be. It can also interact dangerously with other medications, so people in this age group taking any prescriptions should be especially cautious. Anyone who notices dizziness, confusion, a fast or irregular heartbeat, or unexpected changes in how their medications seem to work should reach out to their doctor.

New lung blood flow test may predict heart failure outcomes

Researchers looked at whether tracking two measurements of blood flow and pressure in the lungs — taken before and after treatment — could help predict which people with severe heart failure were likely to do better or worse over the next six months. They found that patients whose measurements improved into a healthier range after treatment were significantly less likely to experience serious outcomes like death, a heart transplant, or needing a mechanical heart pump. Someday, this kind of tracking might help doctors better identify who needs more aggressive care — but this is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

Home visits by nurses may cut heart failure readmission risk

Researchers found that for people with heart failure leaving the hospital, having a nurse or care professional visit them at home was the most effective way to reduce the chance of being readmitted to the hospital — cutting that risk by about one-third compared to standard care. Attending a clinic where a team of different health professionals work together (such as doctors, nurses, and dietitians) also showed promise for reducing heart-failure-related hospital stays and improving quality of life. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

Ultra-Processed Foods May Raise Heart Disease Risk

Researchers found that eating a lot of ultra-processed foods — things like packaged snacks, fast food, sugary drinks, and ready-made meals that are made in factories with added sugars, unhealthy fats, salt, and artificial ingredients — is consistently linked to higher risks of serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes, obesity, and death in people with type 2 diabetes and in the general population. These foods tend to be low in fiber and nutrients, which may make blood sugar control harder for people with diabetes. The researchers note that scientists are still working to fully understand exactly how and why these foods affect heart health.

New heart failure support program may ease patient burden

Researchers found that a nurse-led support program called ENABLE — which weaves palliative care (comfort-focused support) into routine heart failure treatment early on — was both practical to run and well-received by patients and their family caregivers in Singapore. The program included one-on-one coaching sessions and follow-up phone calls to help people cope with living with heart failure, a condition where the heart has trouble pumping enough blood to the body. This kind of early, culturally adapted emotional and practical support could matter for heart failure patients because it addresses not just physical symptoms but also the stress and caregiving challenges that often go unmet. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.

Heart Drug Combo May Boost Heart Strength

Researchers found that combining a diabetes medication like Jardiance or Invokana (specifically dapagliflozin) with a statin — a common cholesterol-lowering drug — appeared to improve how well the heart pumps blood (called ejection fraction) in people with heart disease, without causing extra side effects or unusual changes in drug levels in the body. This is interesting because scientists have long suspected these two types of medication might work even better together than either one alone, though this study only followed 81 people for three months, which is a very small snapshot. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.