Heart attack

A robust new study led by researchers from Stanford University has found THC can trigger inflammation in blood vessel cells, and the researchers call for medical marijuana users to be aware of potential cardiovascular risks.

Researchers have discovered a new potential way to prevent arteries clogging, and as such reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The technique involves ramping up a cleaning process that naturally slows down as we age.

In phase 1 trials, an RNA gene therapy has shown promise for reducing levels of a lipoprotein associated with a high risk of heart disease. The treatment could help fight a form of the disease that can’t currently be treated through lifestyle changes.

New research has discovered a distinct circadian mechanism within heart cells that influences how cardiac activity shifts across 24-hour periods. The findings offer clues to why shift workers are at higher risk of heart problems.

Researchers have deployed drones carrying defibrillators to the sites of real-world cardiac arrests for the first time. On average, the unmanned aircraft arrived well ahead of ambulance crews, with the medical devices safely in tow.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, but numbers could be reduced with better early warning systems. A new study has outlined just such a system, using nanoparticles that make atherosclerotic plaques emit ultrasound waves.

It goes without saying that the earlier someone can be warned of an impending heart attack or stroke, the better. A new skin patch could provide such warnings, by sending ultrasound pulses into the wearer's body.

New research has demonstrated how a drug candidate built off a molecule in funnel web spider venom can stop the "death signal" that results from a heart attack, potentially providing first responders with a powerful new way to intervene.

Scientists at Oxford have uncovered a mechanism behind why people with diabetes have an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. High blood sugar levels seem to “reprogram” stem cells so that the immune cells they produce become more inflammatory.

After someone has suffered a heart attack, non-beating scar tissue grows back in place of the damaged cardiac tissue, leaving the heart permanently weakened. A newly developed spray-on medication, however, may someday help change that.

The heart has a limited capacity to heal itself, so heart attack survivors often have further episodes. Now, scientists have grown heart cells from stem cells, embedded them onto microspheres and injected them into damaged hearts to help repair them.

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have identified an enzyme that may naturally protect the brain from damage caused by oxygen deprivation. This could be a potential drug target to prevent issues arising from strokes or heart attacks.