Cardiovascular / Cardiology News
Read current medical research on risk factors, causes and prevention of heart disease, strokes, and peripheral arterial disease. What new treatment options are under development?
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Dog-owner interaction is reflected in heart rate variability
A recent study showed that the heart rate variability of a dog and its owner adapt to each other during interaction. High heart rate variability is associated with relaxation, while low heart rate variability indicates stimulation. The study deepens our understanding of the emotional connection between a dog and its owner, including its underlying physiological mechanisms. -
Plastic device aids robot-assisted heart surgery
A team has developed a plastic surgical field expansion plate that can help surgeons during robot-assisted heart surgery. -
Five minutes of extra exercise a day could lower blood pressure
New research suggests that adding a small amount of physical activity -- such as uphill walking or stair-climbing -- into your day may help to lower blood pressure. -
Using a fan and wetting the skin reduces risk of deadly cardiac strain in hot and humid weather
New collaborative research has shown that using a fan in hot and humid weather reduces cardiac strain in older people, contradicting recommendations from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention in the US. The study looked at the efficacy of different low-cost cooling strategies -- such as electric fans with and without spraying water on the skin -- for older adults, who are known to be at a heightened health risk during hot summer weather. -
Defibrillation devices can save lives using 1,000 times less electricity
Researchers used an electrophysiological computer model of the heart's electrical circuits to examine the effect of the applied voltage field in multiple fibrillation-defibrillation scenarios. They discovered far less energy is needed than is currently used in state-of-the-art defibrillation techniques. The authors applied an adjoint optimization method and discovered adjusting the duration and the smooth variation in time of the voltage supplied by defibrillation devices is a more efficient mechanism that reduces the energy needed to stop fibrillation by three orders of magnitude. -
Long COVID inflammation damages the heart, study finds
New research has found inflammatory markers in the blood of long COVID patients which could explain why many experience ongoing cardiovascular issues. -
Low-level lead poisoning is still pervasive in the US and globally
Chronic, low-level lead poisoning is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease in adults and cognitive deficits in children, even at levels previously thought to be safe, Low-level lead poisoning is a risk factor for preterm. Annually 5.5 million deaths from cardiovascular disease attributed to low-level lead poisoning; accounts for a loss of 765 million IQ points in children. -
Precision robotics offers hope for heart disease treatment
The advanced drug testing system screens multiple potential therapies simultaneously in beating heart cells.