Heart2Heart with Madiha

For many years, it was believed that once the heart was damaged, particularly by a   heart attack , it couldn’t fully recover. Unlike other organs such as the liver, the heart has a limited ability to regenerate damaged tissue. However, recent studies have revealed promising breakthroughs in the field of   cardiac regeneration   that challenge this long-standing belief. One particularly promising area of research involves the use of   L-type calcium channel (LTCC) inhibition . This discovery comes from researchers at   Baylor College of Medicine   and   QIMR Berghofer . In their experiments, they discovered that blocking certain calcium channels within heart cells can promote the   proliferation of cardiomyocytes —the muscle cells that make up the heart. By stimulating these cells to divide and regenerate, it may be possible to   repair heart tissue   that has been damaged by a heart attack or other forms of heart disease. This is ground...

  Artificial intelligence (AI) has been making waves in various fields, and heart health is no exception. One of the most exciting advancements is in the realm of   early heart disease detection . For decades, doctors have relied on   ECGs (electrocardiograms)   to monitor heart function and identify potential issues. However, these tests require human interpretation, which, despite the expertise of cardiologists, is not foolproof. The emergence of AI models capable of analyzing ECGs with high accuracy is transforming this landscape. One such breakthrough is   EchoNext , a new AI model developed by researchers at   Columbia University . EchoNext is designed to analyze standard ECG readings, identifying heart disease that might otherwise go unnoticed. In clinical testing, EchoNext has outperformed cardiologists in   diagnostic accuracy , spotting issues like heart valve dysfunction and thickened myocardium (the heart muscle) in patients. The AI model de...

When it comes to cholesterol, most people are familiar with the two main types: low-density lipoprotein (LDL), commonly known as "bad" cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which is considered "good" cholesterol. However, there’s another player in the cholesterol game that has long been under the radar:   lipoprotein(a)   or   Lp(a) . It is genetically inherited and often missed in routine cholesterol testing. Lp(a) is a form of cholesterol that, when elevated, can be a major risk factor for heart disease, including heart attacks and strokes. In fact, research has shown that individuals with elevated levels of Lp(a) are at a higher risk of cardiovascular events, but until recently, there has been no specific treatment for it. Enter   lepodisiran , a groundbreaking new drug developed by pharmaceutical giant   Eli Lilly . In clinical trials, lepodisiran has demonstrated the ability to lower Lp(a) levels by as much as   95%   after just a ...