Cardiac deaths increase significantly during compound heatwaves—heatwaves where temperatures are elevated both during the day and overnight—according to a new study in JACC, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology. The study also found that some types of heart disease are more sensitive to heatwaves than others and that different types of heatwaves may impact heart health in distinct, nonlinear ways.

Sedentary behavior has become a national health crisis, with 1 in 4 U.S. adults sitting for more than eight hours a day, increasing their risk for heart disease, stroke, and mental health challenges, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To help people move more, the American Heart Association, a global force changing the future of health of all, invites communities nationwide to walk together on Wednesday, April 2.

Revolutionary balloon and stent procedure reduces recovery time from weeks to days, transforming treatment for patients with mechanical heart pumps.

The drug tirzepatide improved kidney function and cardiovascular outcomes among patients with obesity and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) compared with placebo at one year, according to featured clinical research presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.25) and simultaneously published in JACC. The overall rate of cardiovascular death or worsening heart failure, the trial’s primary endpoint, was higher in the 60% of study participants who also had chronic kidney disease. However, tirzepatide reduced the risk of the primary endpoint to a similar degree in patients with and without kidney disease.

A research team funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) uncovered higher rates of heart disease and worse heart health affecting adults living in rural communities compared to urban areas and the factors that likely drive these differences.  

The overall survival rate of athletes who suffer sudden cardiac arrest has improved over the past decade, but the likelihood of surviving varies by race, where the cardiac arrest occurred and what athletes were doing when they collapsed, according to featured clinical research presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.25) and simultaneously published in JACC.

About The Study: This study found that despite increased participation in U.S. long distance running races, the incidence of cardiac arrest during U.S. marathons and half-marathons remains stable. There has been a marked decline in cardiac arrest mortality, and coronary artery disease was the most common etiology among cases with sufficient cause-related data. Effective emergency action planning with immediate access to defibrillation may explain the improvement in survival.