American Heart Association

Alexander Fanaroff discusses how behavioral economics, gamification, and financial incentives can increase physical activity. A study found that both gamification and financial incentives led to about 500 more steps per day, with a combination yielding 850 more steps. The intervention, guided by behavioral economic theory, showed effectiveness during its administration period.

Long-term exposure to low levels of arsenic in drinking water increases heart disease risk, even below federal limit of 10 ug/L, according to a study in Environmental Health Perspectives. Researchers from Columbia University suggest more research is needed and advocate for stricter regulatory standards.

Cardiol Therapeutics plans to advance CardiolRx™ into MAVERIC-2, a late-stage trial for recurrent pericarditis patients after IL-1 blocker therapy cessation. The trial aims to assess CardiolRx™'s impact on preventing pericarditis recurrence and is expected to run concurrently with the planned Phase III program.

Updated ethics and regulatory documentation for BEST-ICU and Chat 4 Heart Health trials are now available. BEST-ICU, transitioning to implementation, evaluates strategies to increase ABCDEF bundle adoption in ICUs. Chat 4 Heart Health, also in implementation, tests text messaging strategies to improve health behaviors.

Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine researchers developed a treatment combining cytokine 'drug factory' implants and checkpoint inhibitor drugs, which eradicated advanced-stage mesothelioma tumors in mice within days. The treatment involves tiny IL-2-producing beads implanted near tumors, showing promising results in preclinical trials and paving the way for clinical trials in ovarian and mesothelioma patients.

Underrepresentation of women in cardiovascular clinical trials has led to gaps in understanding sex-based differences in heart disease, affecting diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. Women often experience different symptoms and delays in seeking care, leading to poorer outcomes. Efforts like Vanderbilt's Women's Heart Center aim to bridge this gap through multidisciplinary care, telehealth, and tailored research, but more nationwide initiatives are needed.

AI in cardiology offers potential in diagnosis, monitoring, and surgery, yet faces barriers like reliability, privacy concerns, and high costs. AI-enhanced ECGs and wearable devices show promise, but ethical and practical challenges remain.

Speakers at the Cardiometabolic Health Congress highlighted recent FDA regulatory moves in hypertension, lipid, and diabetes therapies, including approvals and rejections.

A study warns doctors may be overprescribing benzodiazepines like Xanax and Valium to stroke survivors, often for longer than a week, potentially hindering recovery and increasing addiction risk. Researchers analyzed Medicare claims data from over 120,000 stroke victims aged 65 and older, finding 5% were prescribed benzodiazepines within 90 days of their stroke, with 75% of prescriptions lasting over seven days. The American Geriatrics Society advises avoiding benzodiazepines in older adults due to risks like cognitive impairment and falls.

74% of Americans aged 50+ distrust AI-generated health info; 84% get health advice from providers, pharmacists, or friends/family; 58% use health websites, with varying trust levels; AI advancements need reliable, accessible health resources.