Heart Disease

Two new studies suggest that modest reductions in sodium levels in everyday foods like bread and packaged meals could significantly lower rates of heart disease and stroke in France and the United Kingdom. These changes would occur without requiring people to alter their eating habits. The research highlights the potential for quiet public health improvements through policy and industry collaboration.

January 30, 2026 Reported by AI

Researchers have developed a non-invasive imaging tool called fast-RSOM that visualizes the body's smallest blood vessels through the skin. This technology identifies early microvascular endothelial dysfunction, a precursor to cardiovascular disease, allowing for earlier interventions. The portable device could integrate into routine checkups to improve heart health outcomes.

A large Mayo Clinic study reports that current guidelines fail to detect nearly 90% of people with familial hypercholesterolemia, a common inherited cause of dangerously high cholesterol and early heart disease. Researchers analyzed exome data from more than 84,000 participants and found that most would not have been selected for standard genetic testing. Expanding routine DNA screening, they say, could help identify at-risk individuals earlier and prevent severe cardiovascular outcomes.

December 06, 2025 Reported by AI Fact checked

Researchers from King's College London report that long-term consumption of foods rich in polyphenols, such as tea, coffee and berries, is associated with improved markers of heart health. In a study of more than 3,100 adults followed for over a decade, higher adherence to polyphenol-rich dietary patterns was linked to healthier blood pressure and cholesterol levels and lower predicted cardiovascular disease risk.

A University of California, Riverside team reports that everyday microplastic exposure sped the buildup of arterial plaque in male—but not female—mice, pointing to possible sex-specific cardiovascular risks and endothelial cell vulnerability. The effects occurred without changes in body weight or cholesterol.

November 18, 2025 Reported by AI Fact checked

Researchers at Northwestern Medicine created an integrated genomic risk score that aims to predict dangerous heart rhythms early by combining rare‑variant, polygenic and whole‑genome data. The peer‑reviewed study in Cell Reports Medicine analyzed 1,119 people.