EurekAlert! In the Spotlight - Heart Health Month

Welcome to In the Spotlight, where each month we shine a light on something exciting, timely, or simply fascinating from the world of science.

In recognition of Heart Health Month, we’re spotlighting the importance of cardiovascular wellness. From risk factors and prevention to innovative treatments, we’re exploring the science and stories shaping heart health today.

Latest News Releases

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 15-Dec-2025 19:11 ET (16-Dec-2025 00:11 GMT/UTC)

21-Sep-2025

Scientists call for urgent action to reduce children’s plastic exposure

NYU Langone Health / NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Childhood exposure to chemicals used to make plastic household items presents growing health risks that can extend long into adulthood, experts from NYU Langone Health report. This is the main conclusion after a review of hundreds of the latest studies on the topic, publishing online Sept. 21 in the journal The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health.

Journal: The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health
Funder: NIH/National Institutes of Health, NIH/National Institutes of Health, NIH/National Institutes of Health, NIH/National Institutes of Health, NIH/National Institutes of Health

18-Sep-2025

Disparities by race and ethnicity in percutaneous coronary intervention

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: In this cross-sectional study examining racial and ethnic disparities in receipt of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), racial and ethnic disparities persisted throughout the care process. The largest magnitude of disparity was PCI receipt if transferred, but the disparity with the largest impact was PCI receipt when initially presenting to PCI-capable hospitals.

Journal: JAMA Network Open

18-Sep-2025

Cardiovascular disease risk rises in Mexico, despite improved cholesterol control

American College of Cardiology
Reports and Proceedings

Despite improved statin use and cholesterol control, cardiovascular disease risk rose in Mexico between 2016 and 2023, according to a study being presented at ACC Latin America 2025 that used region-specific tools to more accurately predict the local disease burden.

Meeting: ACC Latin America 2025

17-Sep-2025

Exercising in nature is superior to exercising in the city or at the gym

University of Copenhagen
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Exercising in green surroundings improves mood, reduces stress levels, and improves heart rate compared to exercising in the city or indoors. This is shown by new research from the University of Copenhagen. The study provides new insights that can be used to improve public health.

Journal: Psychology of Sport and Exercise

17-Sep-2025

University of Pennsylvania professor to receive the 2025 Clinical Research Prize

American Heart Association
Grant and Award Announcement

Barbara Riegel, Ph.D., R.N., FAHA, Emerita Edith Clemmer Steinbright Professor of Gerontology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, will receive the American Heart Association’s 2025 Clinical Research Prize at the Association’s Scientific Sessions 2025.

16-Sep-2025

After weight loss regular exercise rather than GLP-1 weight-loss drug reduces leading cause of heart attack and strokes

European Association for the Study of Diabetes
Reports and Proceedings

Maintaining weight loss with regular exercise rather than the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) liraglutide, a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity, seems to reduce atherosclerosis development in adults with obesity—a leading underlying cause of cardiovascular disease.

Meeting: Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD)

16-Sep-2025

‘Virtual clinical trials’ may predict success of heart failure drugs

Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a new way to predict whether existing drugs could be repurposed to treat heart failure, one of the world’s most pressing health challenges. By combining advanced computer modeling with real-world patient data, the team has created "virtual clinical trials" that may facilitate the discovery of effective therapies while reducing the time, cost, and risk of failed studies.

Journal: npj Digital Medicine

16-Sep-2025

FAU researchers show adopting healthy habits can improve cognitive decline

Florida Atlantic University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers emphasize that cognitive decline is not inevitable with age and urge a shift toward lifestyle-based prevention. Up to 45% of dementia risk is linked to modifiable factors like poor diet, inactivity and isolation. Landmark trials like POINTER and FINGER show that structured interventions – featuring exercise, healthy diets, cognitive stimulation, and social engagement – can significantly boost cognitive function and potentially reduce Alzheimer’s risk.

15-Sep-2025

CRF and the Jon DeHaan Foundation to launch TCT AI Lab at TCT 2025

Cardiovascular Research Foundation
Meeting Announcement

The Cardiovascular Research Foundation^® (CRF^®) and Jon DeHaan Foundation today announced the launch of the TCT AI Lab, a groundbreaking new program debuting at TCT^®2025, October 25–28 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. The TCT AI Lab is a first-of-its-kind destination dedicated to integrating artificial intelligence into clinical practice. Over three intensive days, clinicians will progress from the fundamentals of AI to hands-on clinical applications – guided by leading innovators at the forefront of digital medicine.

15-Sep-2025

Target: BP initiative helps more than 10M adults with hypertension

American Heart Association
Business Announcement

Nearly half of U.S. adults — 122.4 million people — are living with high blood pressure (BP), a leading preventable risk factor for heart disease, stroke and premature death, according to the 2025 American Heart Association Statistical Update.