WASHINGTON—Nine leading medical societies are calling for updated safety standards in fluoroscopy laboratories, often called “cath labs,” where clinicians performing minimally invasive procedures face radiation exposure and orthopedic injuries from heavy protective equipment. A report published simultaneously today in JSCAI, Heart Rhythm, JVIR, and JVS–Vascular Insights details the health, financial, and workforce impacts of fluoroscopy-guided settings and proposes an enhanced safety framework: ALARA+, or “As Low and As Light as Reasonably Achievable.”

The report addresses the dual occupational hazards linked to fluoroscopic procedures—radiation exposure and orthopedic strain from traditional protective equipment—and aims to ensure that safety is built into the environment, equipment, and standard of care.

People with type 1 diabetes who took GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1-RA) drugs for weight loss or better blood-sugar control had significantly reduced risks of major cardiovascular events and end-stage kidney disease without any increase in safety concerns, according to a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

 An international consortium has achieved a major breakthrough in the diagnosis of neurological diseases. In a recent publication in the scientific journal Nature Medicine, they describe the discovery of a new quantitative biomarker in lumbar fluid (cerebrospinal fluid) that is helping doctors to diagnose Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia more accurately.

People who reported spending six or more hours on screens outside of school or work had worse blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass index (BMI) compared with those with more limited screen time, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

Living in areas with consistently higher levels of noise from transportation was associated with a significantly higher risk of major adverse cardiac events compared with living in quieter areas, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26). Researchers suggest that implementing strategies to reduce exposure to traffic noise from roads, railways and aviation corridors may be a new target for urban planning and improving the heart health of communities.

Medicare beneficiaries with heart disease or major cardiovascular risk factors reported less cost-related medication non-adherence—skipping or reducing doses, delaying prescription fills or foregoing medications due to cost—after new provisions went into effect limiting out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26) and simultaneously published in JACC, the flagship journal of the ACC.

On the heels of one of the coldest winters in memory for large swaths of the country, new research highlights an often overlooked cost of cold weather: months with lower temperatures see significantly greater rates of death from heart attacks, strokes and coronary artery disease than milder months. According to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26), hotter temperatures were also associated with increases in cardiovascular deaths, but at a more modest rate.