CARDIOPROGRESS
Foundation for the advancement of cardiology

Current and future applications of photon-counting computed tomography in cardiovascular medicine Photon-counting CT (PCCT) represents a transformative advancement in cardiac imaging, addressing key limitations of conventional CT.

Effect of low-dose colchicine on pericoronary inflammation and coronary plaque composition in chronic coronary disease: a subanalysis of the LoDoCo2 trial Low-dose colchicine (0.5 mg once daily) reduces the risk of major cardiovascular events in coronary disease, but its mechanism of action is not yet fully understood. We investigated whether low-dose colchicine is associated with changes in pericoronary inflammation and plaque composition in patients with chronic coronary disease.

Can Antibiotics Wait for Blood Cultures in Endocarditis? In clinically stable patients with suspected or confirmed infective endocarditis (IE), deferring antimicrobial treatment until blood culture results were available was not associated with 30-day mortality or worse clinical outcomes compared with immediate antimicrobial treatment.

Statin Use May Mitigate Major Cardiovascular Event Risk With Tofacitinib in Rheumatoid Arthritis Most patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and cardiovascular risk factors did not receive statins at baseline, and few initiated them later. Statin use in tofacitinib-treated patients with a history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) was linked to fewer major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). No difference in incident MACE was seen between tofacitinib users and TNF-inhibitor users when statins were used.

Gene Variants Drive Heart Risks in Polycystic Kidney Disease In patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), left ventricular hypertrophy was independently associated with PKD1 gene mutations, and mitral valve prolapse was associated with truncating PKD1 mutations.

Pregabalin Tied to Elevated Heart Failure Risk The results of a recent study published in JAMA Network Open show a substantially higher risk for heart failure (HF) in people taking the antiseizure medication pregabalin for chronic noncancer pain. The risk is particularly high for people with preexisting cardiovascular disease.

Azoospermia May Signal Hidden Health Risks Azoospermia, the complete absence of sperm in the ejaculate, affects approximately 1 in 100 men and accounts for up to 20% of male infertility cases. Once considered only a fertility problem, azoospermia is now linked to broader health risks.

Stroke Burden Surges Among US Adults The absolute stroke burden in the US rose dramatically from 1990 to 2021, with more than 400,000 new cases and 6.3 million prevalent cases in 2021 alone, new research showed. The increasing stroke prevalence was particularly high in younger populations and in regional hotspots such as Alaska, Nevada, and Arkansas.

Does Blockage in Retinal Artery Signal Heart Issues? A meta-analysis of 11 studies involving more than 502 million individuals revealed that those with retinal artery occlusion had a notably higher risk for acute coronary syndrome and all-cause mortality than individuals without the condition. The risk for adverse cardiac events was more pronounced in patients with central retinal artery occlusion than in those with branch retinal artery occlusion, and it was also increased in those with comorbidities such as atrial fibrillation.

Menopause Linked to Higher ASCVD Risk Menopause was independently associated with an elevated 10-year risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Even after comprehensive adjustment for age as well as lifestyle and metabolic factors, postmenopausal women remained at higher risk than premenopausal women, with the risk being most pronounced among those younger than 60 years.

Resistant hypertension: a new look Modern management of patients with arterial hypertension requires a consistent approach to treatment and prevention, with particular attention paid to the problem of low adherence to treatment. Lifestyle optimization and elimination of secondary hypertension causes are identified as key strategies.

Results of the 36th International Congress of Cardiology "Great Wall" and the Asian Congress of Cardiology 2025 The 36th International Congress of Cardiology “Great Wall” and the Asian Congress of Cardiology 2025 took place at the National Exhibition Center in Beijing from October 16 to 19, 2025.

New guidelines may help prevent sudden death in myocarditis The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) recently released its 2025 guidelines for the management of myocarditis, which also includes extensive discussion of pericarditis and the wide range of overlap between these types of cardiac inflammation. The guidelines were presented at the ESC Congress 2025 in Madrid and simultaneously published in the European Heart Journal.

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025 The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025 was awarded to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi "for their discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance.

World Heart day 2025 World Heart Day is celebrated annually on September 29. Since its inception, the Cardioprogress Foundation has actively collaborated with the World Heart Federation and, to celebrate this occasion, organizes events in various cities across the Russian Federation.

EASD to Feature Major Trial Results, Clinical Guidance The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 2025 Annual Meeting will feature major clinical trial results in type 2 diabetes (T2D), type 1 diabetes (T1D), obesity, several new clinical practice guidelines, and much more.

2025 ESC Congress HOT LINE sessions: key clinical studies From August 29 to September 1, 2025, the regular Congress of the European Society of Cardiology was held in Madrid (Spain), combined this year with the World Congress of Cardiology. The main theme of the event was "Global Health: Cardiology Without Borders".
This event brought together leading experts and researchers from different countries and allowed them to discuss new research and achievements in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Cardioprogress Newsletter Dear Colleagues!
The Cardioprogress Foundation resumes publishing a quarterly newsletter dedicated to scientific news in cardiology. If you are interested in specific topics and details of scientific discoveries in the field of cardiology, please write to us. (The e-mail address is indicated on the last page of the newsletter).

Baxdrostat: A “Game Changer” for Hypertension? A new class of antihypertensive agent that blocks the production of aldosterone — a key hormone believed to drive increased blood pressure — has shown impressive results in one of the first pivotal phase 3 trials in patients with resistant or uncontrolled hypertension.

ACC Recommends Vaccination Against Respiratory Illness in Cardiovascular Disease Adults with heart disease should get vaccinated against a range of respiratory viruses, according to new clinical guidance from the American College of Cardiology.