New Atlas

Medical Audio available

Harvard scientists uncover how poor sleep leads to cardiovascular disease

Michael Irving March 19, 2019

The main risk factors for heart disease are lifestyle choices like a bad diet, smoking, lack of exercise – and poor sleep. That last point has gone relatively unstudied, but new research out of Harvard has found the chemical chain reaction that links disrupted sleep and cardiovascular disease.

Harvard researchers have uncovered the chemical chain reaction that links a lack of sleep to cardiovascular ...

Health & Wellbeing Audio available

Novel research links an aging gut microbiome with heart disease

Rich Haridy March 19, 2019

A new study suggests an aging gut microbiome may be somewhat responsible for the degradation in cardiovascular heath that tends to appear as we grow older. The study is yet another addition to the growing body of evidence affirming the role gut bacteria plays in age-related disease.

lder mice were found to have less diverse microbial populations that over-produce certain compounds that could ...

Medical Audio available

Positive trial results show ultrasound energy can treat high blood pressure

Rich Haridy March 18, 2019

A promising new study is documenting the long-term effects of a novel surgical procedure using ultrasound to reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertension. The one-off procedure, called renal denervation, is hoped to offer patients an alternative option to taking hypertension drugs.

A procedure called renal denervation resulted in medication-free blood pressure control in over a third of ...

Medical Audio available

Positive human trial results for promising new cholesterol-lowering drug

Rich Haridy March 13, 2019

An entirely new cholesterol-lowering drug is on track for broad clinical approval after the latest trial results to be published reveal it is both safe and effective when administered in conjunction with commonly prescribed statins.

A new drug for lowering cholesterol is hoped to be available within the next one to ...

Science Audio available

Large meta-study reveals aspirin bleeding risks outweigh heart benefits

Rich Haridy January 22, 2019

A large meta-study from a team of UK researchers has examined data from over a dozen different clinical trials to conclude that the dangers of daily aspirin use may outweigh any potential benefits for individuals that are generally healthy.

The study concludes the bleeding risks associated with taking aspirin outweigh any potential cardiovascular benefits in ...

Health & Wellbeing Audio available

Trial concludes vitamin D and fish oil don't lower incidences of heart disease or cancer

Rich Haridy November 12, 2018

The results of one of the largest placebo-controlled trials into the beneficial effects of vitamin D and fish oil ever conducted are out and, despite some hyperbolic media releases, found both supplements were no better than the placebo in lowering incidences of cancer or cardiovascular events.

Both omega-3 fish oil and vitamin D supplements have been found to be no better than ...

Medical

Harvard's artificial heart parts beat like the real thing

Michael Irving July 23, 2018

It's difficult to study how the heart reacts to diseases and medications. Researchers at Harvard have now grown a model of a human left ventricle that spontaneously beats, marking a substantial step towards engineering entire hearts for more accurate testing of new treatments.

Harvard scientists have grown a beating human heart ventricle to help model disease and drug treatments

Health & Wellbeing

Comprehensive study concludes omega-3 fish oil supplements don't reduce risk of heart disease

Rich Haridy July 17, 2018

A large-scale meta-analysis collecting data from 79 trials has concluded that omega-3 supplements have little to no effect in preventing heart disease, stroke or death. The results contrast the common belief that omega-3 supplements confer a variety of beneficial cardiovascular protections.

A massive study has found omega-3 supplements confer little to no beneficial protective effect against heart ...

Health & Wellbeing

Large meta-study concludes multivitamins don't improve cardiovascular health

Rich Haridy July 10, 2018

A new meta-study has concluded that multivitamins and mineral supplements do not improve cardiovascular health or protect against heart attack and stroke. The systematic review suggests if a person is generally healthy then multivitamin/mineral dietary supplements confer no cardiovascular benefits.

A new study has confirmed previous research, finding no evidence multivitamins are of any use in ...

Medical

Mechanism uncovered explaining how coffee could help protect your heart

Rich Haridy June 24, 2018

A new study has revealed a previously undiscovered mechanism showing how caffeine can trigger the repair of heart muscles. The research, so far only involving mouse experiments, lends more weight to the growing body of observational evidence suggesting caffeine has beneficial health effects.

New research offers up a compelling causal mechanism that could explain how coffee protects against heart ...