Top news of September: First partial heart transplant, AF risk from fish oil and more

Healio and Cardiology Today have aggregated a list of the most-read news in cardiology of September 2022.

Readers were most interested in the world’s first partial heart transplant in a newborn with truncus arteriosus; assessing CVD risk when considering hormone therapy for menopause symptoms; the effect of routine fish oil intake on incident atrial fibrillation; and more.

World’s first partial heart transplant completed in newborn with truncus arteriosus

Duke Health announced successful completion of the world’s first partial heart transplant, using living arteries and valves from a donor heart that were fused onto the existing heart of a newborn. Read more

Aspirin ‘benefit may outweigh harm’ in some elevated Lp(a) genotypes

Low-dose aspirin for primary prevention of CV events may benefit older adults with elevated lipoprotein(a)-associated genotypes, according to a new analysis of the ASPREE trial.

Speaker: Assess CVD risk when considering hormone therapy for menopause symptoms

Menopausal hormone therapy can help alleviate severe vasomotor symptoms, but cardiologists should assess CV risk and consider several other factors when evaluating these patients, according to a speaker. Read more

Routine fish oil supplementation increases risk for incident AF

Risk for incident atrial fibrillation was higher in those who habitually used fish oil supplementation compared with those who did not, researchers reported in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Read more

Eating ultra-processed ‘gateway’ foods drives unhealthy consumption patterns in teens

Adolescents who ate more candy, pastries and frozen desserts during the COVID-19 pandemic were more likely to increase consumption of other ultra-processed foods compared with teens reporting eating fewer ultra-processed foods, data show. Read more

Simple lifestyle changes can cut CV, death risk for millions with elevated BP

Widespread adoption of simple lifestyle changes, including switching to a well-known eating plan, could reduce risk for CV events and death for millions of adults with stage 1 hypertension, researchers reported. Read more

Meta-analysis: No conclusive link between saturated fats and CV risk

A meta-analysis of observational, prospective and randomized trials did not conclusively find any significant association between dietary saturated fat and risk for CVD, CHD, CV events or death. Read more

HF diagnosis heightens depression, suicide risk in men, women

Both men and women with HF faced higher risks for depression and death by suicide in the first 3 months after their diagnosis, researchers reported in JACC: Heart Failure. Read more

At least 10 minutes of walking per day cuts mortality in older octogenarians

Low levels of physical activity, such as 10 minutes of walking per day, may reduce all-cause mortality in those aged 85 years or more compared with those who do not walk at all, a speaker reported. Read more

Certain contraceptives may increase risk for thrombotic events in women with obesity

Use of combined oral contraceptives in women with obesity may confer elevated CV risk in the form of venous and arterial thromboembolism, researchers reported. Read more