According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and disability in the world today. With more than 17.5 million deaths annually from CVD, finding effective treatment options is critical. Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine scientists are hard at work to find innovative new therapies to treat and prevent CVD.
Cardiovascular Disease
0
Gene Therapy Could Treat Atrial Fibrillation
Targeting oxidative stress with a genetic therapy reduced atrial fibrillation in animal models of disease, making this a promising future treatment, according to a study published in Circulation.
Heart Failure, Hypertensive Deaths Rise in Black Women and Men
Deaths due to heart failure and hypertensive heart disease are increasing in the U.S. — particularly in Black women and men — despite medical and surgical advances in heart disease management, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study.
New Insights into Left Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
Genetic mutations in desmoplakin cause left ventricular cardiomyopathy, rather than right ventricular cardiomyopathy as previously believed, according to a recent study.
New Center for Arrhythmia Research Launches
In the newly formed Center for Arrhythmia Research, teams of interdisciplinary clinicians and scientists will work together to discover both the underlying molecular causes of arrhythmias and new standards of care for their treatment.
Investigating Risk of Heart Failure Through Adulthood
High levels of albumin — the most abundant protein in the bloodstream — present in one’s urine may indicate a higher risk of heart failure later in life, according to a study published in JAMA Cardiology.
Pacemakers Could Help Avoid Future Strokes
Measuring atrial fibrillation through implanted devices like pacemakers can identify patients at risk for stroke, according to a recent study.
Diabetes Drug May Help Treat Heart Failure Too
A drug originally designed to help manage diabetes may also improve quality of life for patients with heart failure, according to a recent clinical trial.
Only Half of U.S. Kids and Teens Have Ideal Cholesterol Levels
Cholesterol levels in U.S. youth have improved from 1999 to 2016, but only half of children and adolescents are in the ideal range, according to a new study published in JAMA.