https://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Artificial intelligence could help doctors detect serious heart valve disease years earlier, potentially saving thousands of lives, a new study suggests. Researchers led by the University of Cambridge analyzed heart sounds from nearly 1,800 patients using an AI algorithm trained to recognize valve disease, a condition that often goes undiagnosed until it becomes life-threatening. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-ai-stethoscope-silent-epidemic-heart.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 05:00:01 EST news689849101 A preclinical study led by the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), in collaboration with the Institut de Myologie and the Sant Pau Research Institute, has analyzed the role of the protein HDAC11 in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and its potential as a therapeutic target. The results of the study have recently been published in the journal Life Sciences. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-links-hdac11-muscle-duchenne-dystrophy.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:40:02 EST news689868018 Many people may have a dim view of their fat tissue, yet scientists have come to recognize adipose as a necessary and metabolically active organ, carrying out many vital functions within the body. In the case of obesity, too much fat can contribute to conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Intriguingly, for people with certain rare genetic and autoimmune disorders, such as familial partial lipodystrophy type 2 (FPLD2), the abnormal loss and distribution of adipose tissue can also lead to diabetes and metabolic disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-uncovering-rare-disease-resulting-abnormal.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 13:21:51 EST news689865661 Heart disease affects women differently than men, and understanding those differences can be lifesaving. Dr. Sharonne N. Hayes, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist and leading expert in the field of women's heart health, says progress in research, treatment and prevention has accelerated but women still need better information. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-video-cardiologist-discusses-heart-disease.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:23:03 EST news689858521 Doctors say the big game can also bring big health risks, from heart strain to food poisoning and alcohol-related emergencies, especially for folks with underlying medical conditions. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-super-bowl-doctors-hidden-health.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 08:46:10 EST news689848975 A team led by the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) and Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid has developed and clinically applied a minimally invasive technique that, for the first time, enables the treatment of defective mechanical aortic valves using a catheter-based approach. The procedure avoids high-risk open-heart surgery and opens new therapeutic possibilities for patients who previously had no realistic options. The two research groups, led respectively by Dr. Borja Ibáñez and Dr. Alberto San Román, are part of the Spanish cardiovascular research network CIBERCV. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-catheter-technique-mechanical-aortic-valves.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 16:00:01 EST news689443180 Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. February is American Heart Month, established in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson to encourage Americans to prioritize and protect their heart health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-qa-american-heart-month-spotlights.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 05:13:56 EST news689663603 New research from CU Anschutz scientists suggests that staying physically active after heart rhythm treatment may significantly reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) returning, offering patients a simple, low-cost way to support long-term heart health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-minutes-weekly-ablation-linked-atrial.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 16:00:01 EST news689608069 Americans could be facing an uphill battle when it comes to protecting their heart health as they age, a new Cleveland Clinic poll reveals. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-americans-optimistic-heart-health-prospects.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:00:05 EST news689596172 Around 64 million people worldwide suffer from heart failure, and nearly half die within the first five years of diagnosis due to a lack of effective treatments to stop the disease from getting worse. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-overactive-immune-cells-worsen-heart.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 19:10:01 EST news689519408 The mean stress level of fans of the football club Arminia Bielefeld was 41% higher on the day of the German Football Association's (DFB-Pokal) 2025 Cup final compared to non-match days, according to a study published in Scientific Reports. The authors suggest that this reaction, known as "football fever," may be driven by the intensity of fans' emotions towards their team, each other, and the sport. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-football-fever-peaks-day-smartwatch.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 14:25:26 EST news689523901 New research shows that the use of an AI-enabled digital stethoscope more than doubled the identification of moderate to severe valvular heart disease during routine clinical examinations, compared to a traditional stethoscope. The work shows that the AI-assisted tool could help doctors identify patients who may otherwise go undiagnosed. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-ai-enabled-stethoscope-efficient-valvular.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 03:00:01 EST news689447221 Semaglutide, the active ingredient in the weight-loss medications Ozempic and Wegovy, offers substantial cardiovascular benefits for selected patients without diabetes who have established heart disease, but further price reductions are needed to make the therapy good value for money, according to a new analysis from researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-semaglutide-cardiovascular-health-price-reductions.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 16:40:02 EST news689436132 Psoriasis is a common inflammatory skin disease linked to several long-term health conditions, such as heart disease, arthritis and type 2 diabetes, and has a substantial impact on sufferers' quality of life. Although the World Health Organization has highlighted the need for more personalized care for patients, progress has been limited by the lack of reliable biomarkers to guide clinical decision making. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-gene-biomarker-paves-tailored-psoriasis.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 16:39:30 EST news689445542 Strength training strengthens muscles, improves blood glucose control, and is said to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, people with lower physical fitness, age-related muscle weakness, lower muscle mass, or obesity may find training with heavy weights difficult. In addition, many people underestimate how much weight they actually need to build muscle (about 70% of their individual maximum strength). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-special-strength-lighter-weights-effectively.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 15:21:10 EST news689440801 The Department of Medicine at University of Calgary led an analysis comparing several clinical mental disorders with risk of acute coronary syndrome, a term that includes heart attack and emergency chest pain resulting from reduced blood flow to the heart. Depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and sleep disorder showed increased risk in pooled estimates, though the evidence for any association was fragile. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-mental-health-heart-million-person.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:20:06 EST news689420779 A major global review has revealed critical gaps in how heart attacks in women are diagnosed and treated—particularly for premenopausal women. The American Heart Association (AHA) today released a new scientific statement led by Australian cardiologist Professor Jason Kovacic, warning current clinical practices may be costing women their lives. The statement is published in the journal Circulation. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-guidance-urges-faster-diagnosis-women.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 10:00:05 EST news689421202 For patients hospitalized with severe hyponatremia, faster sodium correction is associated with a lower risk for 90-day death or delayed neurologic events, according to a study published online in the Annals of Internal Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-poor-outcomes-faster-sodium-severe.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 08:10:02 EST news689411209 Ultraprocessed foods can be considered unhealthy because they are often low in essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and the industrial processing methods used to produce them introduce additives, artificial flavorings, preservatives, emulsifiers, and high levels of added sugars and unhealthy fats that the body is not well adapted to handle, says Marialaura Bonaccio, Ph.D., of the Research Unit of Epidemiology and Prevention at IRCCS Neuromed in Pozzilli, Italy. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-high-consumption-ultraprocessed-foods-linked.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:10:01 EST news689318821 GHB-related deaths have increased 10-fold since 2013, while the number of hospitalizations more than tripled, according to an Australian-first study from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Center (NDARC) at UNSW Sydney. While rates of GHB use are relatively low compared to other illicit drugs such as MDMA, cocaine and methamphetamine, the proportion of Australians reportedly using GHB is rising. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-hospitalizations-deaths-ghb-australia-alarm.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 11:20:38 EST news689340001 Young men are being encouraged to undergo testosterone testing and start hormone therapy through Instagram and TikTok content that promotes unproven health claims while downplaying medical risks, a new international study has found. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-masculinity-crisis-social-media-testosterone.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 10:17:16 EST news689336162 Scientists at Université de Montréal and its affiliated Centre de recherche Azrieli du CHU Sainte-Justine have made a major advance in their research into cardiovascular disease: They've created functional, three-dimensional heart tissue that can beat autonomously in vitro. The tissue incorporates micro-sensors that make it possible to do finely tuned, real-time analysis of its contractile properties. This advance marks an important step forward for modeling human cardiac diseases and conducting preclinical drug testing. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-lab-grown-heart-tissue-sensors.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:32:20 EST news689333461 Australian researchers have uncovered a crucial new mechanism that helps explain how the heart's major blood vessels form during early development, and how disruptions to this process can lead to serious congenital heart defects. The study, led by scientists from Adelaide University, reveals that a specific group of cells known as neural crest cells play a previously unrecognized role in controlling heart development by carefully regulating a key growth signal. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-tiny-cellular-human-heart.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 08:45:30 EST news689330701 Gout, a type of inflammatory arthritis caused by a buildup of uric acid (urate) in the body, affects 5.1% of U.S. adults (over 12 million), including 10% of those aged 65 or older. Urate is produced by the body when breaking down compounds called purines and normally dissolves in the blood, but when levels are high, they can precipitate out as monosodium urate crystals which can deposit in the joints. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-glucose-lowering-sglt2i-drugs-patients.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 07:30:07 EST news689325843 Four out of five American adults with high blood pressure don't have their condition under control, putting them at increased risk for heart disease and dementia, a new study says. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-high-blood-pressure-uncontrolled-americans.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 07:20:12 EST news689324878 Alex Balmes' symptoms were uncommon for a 32-year-old—irregular heartbeat, fatigue, shortness of breath, bloating, unexpected weight gain. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-common-heart-failure-symptoms-young.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 07:09:37 EST news689324898 Researchers at the UNC School of Medicine have developed a tool that can identify airway mucus abnormalities in patients with chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or asthma before symptoms start. A study led by Mehmet Kesimer, Ph.D., a professor of pathology and lab medicine at the UNC School of Medicine, describes a new metric called the Quantitative Mucin Index (MUCQ) of the Lung. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-metric-physicians-lung-health.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 16:36:33 EST news689272562 In order for heart and vascular cells to develop properly and remain healthy for a long time, many processes in the cells must interact precisely. A new study from the German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) now shows that it is not only the genes that are present that are decisive, but also how cell metabolism controls these genes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-metabolism-tune-heart-aging-epigenetic.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 16:24:37 EST news689271841 Coffee first entered human lives and veins over 600 years ago. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-coffee-blood-pressure.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 11:37:45 EST news689254622 Opioid overdoses continue to take a devastating toll across the United States. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2023, the nation recorded roughly 105,000 drug overdose deaths overall, with nearly 80,000 deaths involving opioids. Worldwide, opioids are also responsible for the majority of drug-related deaths. A University of California San Diego study published in Nature Mental Health is working on a potentially life-saving measure that may be as simple as strapping on a smartwatch. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-crisis-smartwatch-tracks-triggers-opioid.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 09:40:07 EST news689247414