Squats and Planks for BP Lowering; DCBs Compared Head to Head; GLP-1s for HFpEF?

Isometric exercise training — such as squats and plank exercises — was best done three times a week for short-term blood pressure (BP)-lowering benefits, a randomized study found. (BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine)

A new American College of Cardiology scientific statement recommended a balanced diet with minimally processed plant foods and healthy sources of fats and proteins.

An erroneous clinical trial registration number was a major red flag for a published study of Watchman FLX left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion guided exclusively by fluoroscopy. (Retraction Watch)

With the addition of CHAMPION-AF, an updated meta-analysis now favors people with atrial fibrillation undergoing percutaneous LAA closure instead of relying on oral anticoagulation. (Stroke)

The FDA-cleared Bunkerhill AVC automated deep learning algorithm was externally validated for quantifying aortic valve calcification from routine chest CTs without need for bounding boxes, cardiac gating, or manual segmentation. (JACC: Advances)

According to a PREVENT post hoc analysis, the benefit of preventive percutaneous coronary intervention may hinge on the person having lipid-rich plaques to begin with. (Circulation)

No-touch saphenous vein harvesting still failed to reduce the composite of death from any cause, myocardial infarction, or repeat revascularization 7 years into the SWEDEGRAFT randomized trial in coronary artery bypass grafting. (JAMA Cardiology)

In a small trial that compared sirolimus- and paclitaxel-eluting drug-coated balloons (DCBs) for the endovascular treatment of severe peripheral artery disease, the former was better for restoring endothelial function but did not materially change patency or target lesion revascularization rates at 12 months. (Journal of the American Heart Association)

Revello, a novel self-expanding covered stent, met expectations in the AGILITY IDE prospective study of iliac patients. (JSCAI)

A meta-analysis found that iatrogenic menopause before age 45 was associated with elevated risks of stroke and cardiovascular mortality. (JAMA Network Open)

Monte Rosa announced that a successful phase I study has cleared the way for its novel molecular glue degrader drug targeting the NEK7/NLRP3 inflammatory pathway to enter further development in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Pulmonary hypertension arose in more than one in 10 cases after thoracic radiotherapy among patients with non-small cell lung cancer, independent of pulmonary fibrosis, according to a retrospective cohort analysis. (Thorax)

Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) is a plausible therapy for reversing obesity-associated cardiometabolic heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), according to a preclinical study. (European Heart Journal)

For astronauts, space radiation and microgravity can be expected to pose risks of persistent cardiac perivascular fibrosis and gene alterations, researchers found from a rat study. (PLoS One)