Intermountain Health cardiovascular clinician and researcher Viet Le, DMSc, MPAS, PA-C, FACC, will serve as the next editor of the American College of Cardiology’s CardioSmart program. Le is the first non-physician leader of the program.

Researchers have developed cutting-edge MRI technology to diagnose a common heart problem more quickly and accurately than ever before.

Aortic stenosis is a progressive and potentially fatal condition, affecting about five per cent of 65-year-olds in the US - with increasing prevalence in advancing age. 

Symptoms include chest pains, a rapid fluttering heartbeat and feeling dizzy, short of breath and fatigued – particularly with activity.

The new study reveals how a four-dimensional flow (4D flow) MRI scan can diagnose aortic stenosis more reliably than current ultrasound techniques.

The superior accuracy of the new test means doctors can better predict when patients will require surgery. 

Healthy hearts are adaptable, and heartbeats exhibit complex variation as they adjust to tiny changes in the body and environment. Mass General Brigham researchers have applied a new way to measure the complexity of pulse rates, using data collected through wearable pulse oximetry devices. The new method, published in Journal of the American Heart Association, provides a more detailed peek into heart health than traditional measures, uncovering a link between reduced complexity and future cognitive decline.