Volume 16 Issue 7, July 2019

A new mouse model involving mechanical and metabolic stress on the heart successfully recapitulates many of the human features of HFpEF, and researchers have used this model to identify nitrosative stress as an important driver of this prevalent syndrome.

The scavenger receptor class B member 1 (SRB1) in endothelial cells mediates active transcellular transport of circulating LDL into the artery wall and thereby drives the accumulation of LDL in macrophages, which become foam cells and promote the development of atherosclerosis

Patients with chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy have a high prevalence of rare variants of cardiomyopathy-related genes, in particular titin-truncating variants.

New research on the direct effects of stress on the heart highlights the importance of the balance of stress hormone signalling through glucocorticoid receptors and mineralocorticoid receptors in cardiomyocytes to maintain cardiac health.

Both pharmacological and genetic inhibition of ATP citrate lyase can reduce plasma LDL-cholesterol levels

High-sensitivity troponin I levels are positively and strongly linked with incident coronary heart disease, heart failure hospitalization and all-cause mortality in individuals without known cardiovascular disease.

The use of motion-corrected 3D MRI can improve the visualization of congenital abnormalities in fetal hearts compared with either uncorrected 2D MRI or 2D echocardiography.

Researchers have developed a triboelectric nanogenerator that can harvest biomechanical energy from the motion of the heart and thereby power an implanted pacemaker.

The global burden of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality demands increased awareness of effective prevention strategies by patients, communities and health-care providers. The new 2019 ACC/AHA guidelines provide evidence-based, preventive recommendations for patients without known cardiovascular disease, focusing on risk estimation, a healthy lifestyle and selective indications for pharmacotherapy.

Atherosclerosis is characterized by low-grade, chronic inflammation, and the balance between pro-inflammatory and inflammation-resolving mechanisms dictates the clinical outcomes. This Review discusses the specific causes of inflammation and the mechanisms underlying the impaired resolution of inflammation that characterize clinically dangerous atherosclerotic lesions and highlights the potential of pro-resolving mediator therapy for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

In this Review, Berg and colleagues discuss how to maximize the likelihood of successful resuscitation after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The ‘chain of survival’ includes immediate recognition of cardiac arrest, early bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, rapid defibrillation, advanced emergency medical services and integrated post-cardiac arrest care.

Postoperative atrial fibrillation complicates 20–40% of cardiac surgical procedures. In this Review, the authors summarize the epidemiological and clinical features of postoperative atrial fibrillation, the available pathophysiological evidence and the recommended prophylactic and therapeutic approaches.

Many cardiovascular functions and the onset of adverse cardiovascular events are influenced by the circadian rhythm that exists in all cell types. In this Review, the authors summarize the role of the molecular clock in cardiovascular physiology and disease and suggest how circadian rhythms can be exploited, such as in chronotherapy, or targeted therapeutically.