Heart

When conducting cardiac research, it would be ideal if experiments could be performed on actual living human hearts. Scientists have developed what may be the next-best thing, in the form of a tiny mechanical heart powered by real cardiac cells.

The FDA has authorized a Fitbit feature designed to continuously monitor a wearer’s heart rhythms for signs of arterial fibrillation. The roll-out is based on a study that last year reported the algorithm detects 98 percent of irregular heart rhythms.

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.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have shed new light on the relationship between sleep and body fat, demonstrating how a lack of sleep can increase levels of insidious visceral fat deep in the abdomen, which carries acute risks to our health.

A new AI tool can accurately measure plaque deposits in arteries and predict a patient’s risk of suffering a heart attack within five years. The tool promises to achieve in seconds what has previously taken trained experts up to 30 minutes to deliver.

A clinical trial exploring the cardiovascular effects of freeze-dried whole cranberry powder is reporting daily consumption may lead to long-term benefits for heart health due to natural compounds in the fruit known as polyphenols.

Coffee seems to have a range of health benefits, but exactly how it helps remains unknown. A new study has identified specific proteins that caffeine works on, which help the liver remove bad cholesterol and protect against cardiovascular disease.

Researchers at Harvard and Emory have created a biohybrid fish out of human heart cells that swims autonomously for months at a time as the cells beat. The project is a sidestep on the way to eventually growing new functional hearts for transplant.

Scientists see great potential in pacemaking technology that more closely mimics the natural variability of our heart rate, and are preparing to test out a "revolutionary" new device that does just that, following successful trials in animals.

When studying heart disorders, it's important to know how electrical signals travel through cardiac tissue, and even through individual heart cells. A new pop-up sensory tool could soon provide that information, in more detail than ever before.

In a historic procedure surgeons have, for the first time, transplanted a genetically modified pig heart into a living human. The patient is still alive, has not rejected the organ and is being monitored at the University of Maryland Medical Center.