Sinus bradycardia is a well-recognized physiological adaptation in endurance athletes, primarily attributed to sinus node remodeling or increased vagal modulation. Although genetic influences on resting heart rate (HR) have been observed, the genetic contribution to athletic bradycardia has not been elucidated.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease marked by lipid accumulation and immune cell infiltration in arterial walls. Macrophages contribute by internalizing oxidized low-density lipoprotein, forming foam cells, and driving inflammation. The ubiquitin-proteasome system regulates immune and inflammatory responses in atherosclerosis. This study investigated the protective role of TRIM31 (tripartite motif-containing 31), an E3 ubiquitin ligase, in macrophage lipid metabolism and inflammation through selective regulation of LOX-1 (lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1).

We report IMPROVE-DiCE (Improve Diabetic Cardiac Energetics), a 2-part open-label, phase 2a trial evaluating the safety and effectiveness of ninerafaxstat, a novel therapeutic designed to enhance cardiac energetics. Between May and September 2021, part 1 enrolled patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity without heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Between January 2023 and June 2024, part 2 enrolled patients with type 2 diabetes, obesity, and HFpEF.

Doxorubicin (DOX), an effective chemotherapeutic drug for various cancers, has been demonstrated to induce cardiovascular toxicity in cancer survivors. Endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction is recognized to play a critical role in the onset and severity of cardiotoxicity associated with DOX. TFEB (transcription factor EB), a master regulator of autophagy and lysosome biogenesis, regulates cardiovascular homeostasis. In the present study, we aimed to test whether endothelial TFEB protects against EC damage and alleviates cardiac dysfunction induced by DOX treatment.

Elevated blood pressure (BP) is a major contributor to coronary artery disease. We explored the impact of life-course BP on later-life normalized stress myocardial blood flow (sMBFN) and myocardial perfusion reserve by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR).

Depression is linked to major adverse cardiac events (MACE), yet the role of stress-related neural activity-previously implicated in stress and anxiety in mediating this association remains unclear. Because anxiety and depression frequently co-occur and share neurobiological pathways, we hypothesized that the relationship between depression, anxiety, and their co-occurrence with MACE is partially mediated by increased stress-related neural activity and related autonomic-immune mechanisms.

Since the publication of the 2012 American Heart Association scientific statement on the association between periodontal disease and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, the body of literature on this topic has grown substantially. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally, and understanding contributors and potential targets to decrease this risk is paramount. This updated scientific statement synthesizes new evidence concerning an association between periodontal disease and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, including findings from Mendelian randomization studies, interventions targeting periodontal disease, and studies exploring systemic markers, such as inflammatory cytokines and vascular measures. The scientific statement also highlights disparities in the prevalence of periodontal disease, particularly among underresourced populations; explores potential mechanisms linking periodontal disease with cardiovascular outcomes through direct pathways, such as bacteremia, and indirect pathways, such as chronic systemic inflammation; and identifies areas needing further clarification that would benefit from additional research.

Contractile reserve assessment assesses myocardial performance and prognosis. The microstructural mechanisms that facilitate increased cardiac function have not been described, but can be studied using diffusion tensor cardiovascular magnetic resonance. Resting microstructural contractile function is characterized by reorientation of aggregated cardiomyocytes (sheetlets) from wall-parallel in diastole to a more wall-perpendicular configuration in systole, with the diffusion tensor cardiovascular magnetic resonance parameter E2A defining their orientation, and sheetlet mobility defining the angle through which they rotate. We used diffusion tensor cardiovascular magnetic resonance to identify the microstructural response to dobutamine stress in healthy volunteers and then compared with patients with recovered dilated cardiomyopathy (rDCM).

Black people bear a disproportionate burden of hypertension and hypertension-attributed chronic kidney disease. A role of apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) risk variants (RVs; G1 and G2) in these conditions has been proposed, but genetic and observational studies have shown inconsistent results.