1. Medicine
Doctors in Madrid hailed a new pill for patients with high blood pressure resistant to existing medication as a “gamechanger” and a “triumph of science”.
Globally, 1.3 billion people have hypertension and in half of cases, their high blood pressure is uncontrolled or resistant to existing treatments. They face a much higher risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and early death.
A new drug – baxdrostat – can significantly lower blood pressure in these people whose levels remain dangerously high despite taking several medicines.
The results of the BaxHTN study showed that after 12 weeks, patients taking baxdrostat saw their blood pressure fall by about 9-10 mmHg (millimetres of mercury, the unit of measurement of blood pressure) more than the placebo – a reduction large enough to cut cardiovascular risk.
There were also exciting discoveries about existing drugs that could help heart patients, delegates were told.
In one trial, researchers found a drug that is better than aspirin at preventing heart attacks and strokes. A new analysis of seven clinical trials showed patients taking clopidogrel had a 14% lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events compared with those taking aspirin.
A second study showed weight loss drugs may halve the risk of heart patients being hospitalised or dying early.
2. Diet and exercise
Eating foods rich in potassium, such as avocados, bananas and spinach, could reduce your risk of heart conditions, hospitalisation and death by 24%, Danish researchers told the conference.
Previous research had shown that cutting out salt from meals can slash your risk of heart problems. A new study showed just how much potassium, which increases the amount of salt your body removes from the bloodstream, could help to ward off cardiovascular problems.
Not a fan of spinach? Pulses, fish, nuts and seeds are also good sources of potassium, experts said.
Exercise is also key to a healthy heart. It can lower your resting blood pressure and heart rate, improve your cholesterol levels, and help you maintain a healthy weight, which in turn reduces your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
In Madrid, doctors heard about another potential benefit of getting active: mending a broken heart.
3. Artificial intelligence
Doctors have developed an artificial intelligence-led stethoscope that can detect three heart conditions in 15 seconds.
Two centuries after the invention of the humble stethoscope, a team at Imperial College London and Imperial College healthcare NHS trust have designed a hi-tech upgrade. It analyses tiny differences in heartbeat and blood flow undetectable to the human ear, and takes a rapid ECG at the same time.
The tool’s AI capabilities mean it can spot heart failure, heart valve disease and abnormal heart rhythms almost instantly.
Early diagnosis of these three heart conditions is critical. The AI stethoscope enables patients who need life-saving treatment to be spotted sooner, before they become dangerously unwell.
Meanwhile, a revolutionary AI scanning system is increasing the number of stroke patients avoiding serious disability, tripling the rate of recovery, delegates were told.
And a new generative AI tool – ESC Chat – is transforming the work of cardiologists worldwide. The chatbot responds immediately to questions about clinical guidelines, saving time and providing doctors with access to recommendations, diagnostic criteria and treatment solutions.
4. Children
Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM), which is typically genetic, is responsible for more than 10% of sudden cardiac deaths in children.
Now a simple cheek-swab test can identify children with the condition, five years before they would normally be diagnosed, according to research presented in Madrid.
Experts at Great Ormond Street hospital and City St George’s, University of London are now developing the two-minute test into swab kits that can be used at home and sent away for analysis.
Elsewhere, doctors raised the alarm about high levels of vaping among children, saying they were convinced e-cigarettes were causing irreversible harm to their health.
Cardiologists, researchers and health experts said they were “extremely concerned” about the harmful effects of e-cigarettes on millions of teenagers and young people, including exposure to toxins and carcinogens – some of which are still unknown.
5. Vaccines
Vaccination has increasingly been seen as an effective measure not only against specific infections, but also for the prevention of cardiovascular disease or events.
Delegates at the conference were briefed about the world’s first global systematic review and meta analysis of the shingles vaccine. The results showed the jab could lower risk of a heart attack or stroke by as much as 18%.
