Cardiovascular / Cardiology News

1. Scientists discover hidden liver switch that cuts harmful cholesterol

   Scientists at UT Southwestern have uncovered a surprising new “master switch” that helps control how much cholesterol the liver sends into the bloodstream. The newly identified protein, HELZ2, works by shutting down the genetic instructions needed to produce apoB — a key building block of the cholesterol-carrying particles linked to clogged arteries and heart disease.

2. Breakthrough drug reverses aging in skin and dramatically speeds healing

   Scientists have discovered that a topical anti-aging drug called ABT-263 can dramatically improve wound healing in older skin. The treatment works by removing damaged “senescent” cells that accumulate with age and slow the body’s repair process. In aged mice, wounds healed much faster after treatment, while the drug also activated genes tied to collagen production and tissue regeneration.

3. Scientists reveal the surprising truth about coffee and blood pressure

   Coffee may give your blood pressure a temporary jolt, but that doesn’t mean it’s secretly wrecking your heart. Researchers say caffeine can briefly raise blood pressure by stimulating your heart and tightening blood vessels, especially in people who don’t drink coffee regularly. But large studies involving hundreds of thousands of people found no strong evidence that moderate coffee drinking increases the risk of developing hypertension. In fact, coffee also contains natural compounds that may help blood vessels function better.

4. Breakthrough biomaterial heals tissue from the inside out

   Scientists have developed a breakthrough injectable biomaterial that travels through the bloodstream to repair damaged tissue from within, reducing inflammation and jumpstarting healing. In animal studies, it successfully treated heart attack damage and even showed promise for conditions like traumatic brain injury and pulmonary hypertension. Unlike earlier approaches that required direct injection into the heart, this new therapy can be delivered intravenously, allowing it to spread evenly and act quickly.

5. Powerful cholesterol drug cuts heart attack risk by 31%

   A powerful cholesterol-lowering drug may be changing the rules of heart disease prevention. Researchers found that evolocumab, typically used for people who already have cardiovascular disease, can significantly cut the risk of first-time heart attacks and strokes in high-risk patients with diabetes—even before any artery-clogging plaque is detected.

6. New cholesterol guidelines could change when you get tested

   A major new U.S. cholesterol guideline is shifting the focus toward earlier, more personalized prevention of heart disease. It urges people to start screening sooner—sometimes even in childhood—and highlights the importance of tracking not just LDL (“bad”) cholesterol but also genetic risk factors like lipoprotein(a). A new, more advanced risk calculator now uses broader health data to better predict heart attack and stroke risk over decades.

7. New pill cuts “bad” cholesterol by 60% in major trial

   A new pill, enlicitide, reduced LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by about 60% in a large clinical trial, matching the power of injectable therapies. Because it’s taken orally, it could overcome one of the biggest barriers keeping patients from using current treatments. Researchers say many people still don’t reach safe cholesterol levels—even on statins—highlighting the need for better options.

8. American Heart Association warns 60% of US women will have cardiovascular disease by 2050

   Heart disease is on track to tighten its grip on American women. New projections from the American Heart Association warn that over the next 25 years, cardiovascular disease will rise sharply, driven largely by a surge in high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. By 2050, nearly 60% of women in the U.S. could have high blood pressure, and close to one in three women ages 22 to 44 may already be living with some form of heart disease.