Synthetic cooling ingredients added to e-cigarettes caused abnormal heartbeats (arrhythmias) and increased cardiovascular risk measures in mice and lab-grown human heart cells, according to new independent research published today in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

The first-ever clinical practice guideline on cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology details staging to assess how a person’s kidneys, metabolism and heart are functioning. Higher stages of CKM syndrome are associated with a greater burden of serious health conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality.

Though many might not know it by name, nearly 9 in 10 adults in the U.S. have at least one of the conditions within CKM syndrome, which includes high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol and other lipids, high blood glucose (sugar), reduced kidney function and excess weight.

Among adults with both obesity and an autoimmune disease, those taking a glucagon-like peptide-receptor 1 agonist (GLP-1RA) medication had lower rates of emergency department visits and were less likely to experience serious cardiac events, such as stroke, pulmonary embolism or death when compared to similar adults who were not taking  these medications, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association. This research was presented at the American Diabetes Association 2026 Scientific Sessions in New Orleans on Saturday, June 6 at 12:30 p.m. CT/1:30 p.m. CT, abstract number 2199-P.

The American Heart Association launches stroke coordinator certification to elevate quality of stroke care