Heart Attack

Biomedical engineer David Merryman and Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery director Craig Lindsley have developed a new drug that treats PAH, a type of high blood pressure that affects arteries in the lungs and in the heart, without serious neurological side effects. Read More

David Merryman has discovered that targeting a protein receptor in heart cells may limit a heart attack’s acute and long-term effects. Read More

Vanderbilt researchers demonstrate that the polymer P188 has promise as a therapy to prevent reperfusion injury — the cellular damage that occurs when blood flow returns after an ischemic event like a heart attack. Read More

Immune cells that produce an anti-inflammatory factor are enriched in fat tissue around the heart and may be good targets to improve heart attack outcomes. Read More

A new study published by Vanderbilt mechanobiology researchers details a possible solution for fine-tuning inflammation and cellular activity in cardiac recovery – thanks to an antibody initially developed for rheumatoid arthritis.  Read More

A Vanderbilt-led research team has discovered genetic variations that increase the risk of heart attack even when patients are receiving a statin drug like Lipitor or Crestor to lower their blood cholesterol. Read More

The first time Jessica Biggs remembers someone talking to her about the symptoms of heart attacks in women, she was 32—and having one herself. Four heart attacks and six stents later, the eighth-grade English teacher talks to her students and any woman who will listen about the reality of heart attacks for women and how to spot the warning signs. Read More

A national effort seeks to raise awareness about an uncommon cause of heart attacks in otherwise healthy, young and middle-aged women. Read More

Vanderbilt University Medical Center investigators have identified a growing number of serious and sometimes fatal cases of heart problems among cancer patients treated with some forms of immunotherapy. Read More

When Jessica Biggs first met Esther Kim, M.D., associate professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt, the 33-year-old burst into tears. Read More

A protein called Gremlin 2 controls the extent of inflammation after heart attack and may be a good therapeutic target. Read More

A new study finds that uninsured heart attack patients are more likely to be transferred. Read More

A signaling factor called Wnt10b is a novel target for optimizing cardiac repair after a heart attack. Read More

The American College of Cardiology has recognized Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) for its commitment to and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients. Read More

A polymer hydrogel material developed by Vanderbilt scientists improved the delivery of stem cells for heart repair. Read More

A newly identified “atheroprotective” gene is a tool for exploring plaque pathophysiology and may be a good target for therapies to slow atherosclerosis progression. Read More

The most emergent form of heart attacks is decreasing nationwide, but this declining incidence could affect emergency departments’ quality and timeliness of care. Read More

The most emergent form of heart attacks is decreasing nationwide, but this declining incidence could affect emergency departments’ quality and timeliness of care. This is the key finding of a Vanderbilt University study released today in the American Journal of Cardiology and presented at the national… Read More

Endothelial cells residing in the coronary arteries can function as cardiac stem cells to produce new heart muscle tissue, Vanderbilt University investigators have discovered. Read More

Studies have indicated that death rates from heart attacks and stroke as well as non-heart-related causes spike during the holiday season. “It is not uncommon to see a heavier patient volume in the hospital during the Christmas and New Year’s period of time. Some years that’s true,… Read More