A U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel has recommended approval of HeartWare's Ventricular Assist System, which acts as a bridge to heart transplantation in end-stage heart failure patients.

Patients with implanted heart devices know getting diagnostic imaging can be tricky and even dangerous. Researchers have found a way to reprogram the devices, allowing patients to safely receive certain MRI scans.

While your newborn baby likely steals your heart from the moment you see him, you also want to be sure his heart is in tip-top working order. A simple screening may tell you. A recent study from England has provided evidence supporting the practice of screening newborn babies for heart defects at birth using a method called pulse oximetry . Screening for heart defects is recommended for newborns. Dr. Shakila Thangaratinam , a clinical senior lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, led the research project that pulled together the results of 13 individual studies looking a...

Doctors may have found a new marker capable of suggesting a teen suffers from high blood pressure. Abnormal levels of uric acid, a build-up associated with gout attacks, may act as a mechanism for hypertension. Though a cause and effect link between uric acid and hypertension was not found, researchers said the findings suggest uric acid may act as a biomarker of high blood pressure. Avoid smoking to maintain healthy blood pressure. Lauren Loeffler , MD, MHS , lead investigator and a nephrologist at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center, noted that high blood pressure is no longer...

When blood is flowing rapidly, scientists have found that cells cling together tightly, reducing vascular leaks. The discovery could become a consideration in heart surgery or influence drugs to treat high cholesterol.

Living in a big city may have its benefits when it comes to convenience, but a new study reveals added pollution may not be doing any favors for your heart.

Researchers are constantly working to come up with new methods for preventing or treating heart attacks. A new candidate, however is surprising. The answer may be intense light.

Scientists have long had a general understanding of the cardiac conduction system, the complex electrical system in charge of muscle contractions within the heart.

Following a heart attack, scar tissue comprised of cells called fibroblasts accumulates. Since the heart muscle can't easily regenerate, the patient is at an increased risk of heart failure.

The heart's own "rogue DNA" appears to play a role in the development of heart failure. A new study has found that the heart's own cells mistakenly activate the immune system, contributing to heart failure. During heart failure, immune cells cells invade the heart. This process, called inflammation, which ultimately leads to a less efficient heart with less pumping ability in the case of heart failure, can be caused by the body's own DNA. Don't smoke to protect your heart. Professor Kinya Otsu , study leader and British Heart Federation Professor of Cardiology at King's College...