\n American Heart Association volunteer experts\u2019 annual list of the leading cardiovascular and cerebrovascular research for 2025 includes cutting edge science and long-standing treatment options to battle the leading cause of death for more than a century\n <\/p>\n
DALLAS, December, 18, 2025 \u2014 The top heart and brain research of 2025 is filled with new ways to treat old problems including high blood pressure, stroke and heart failure. Each year since 1996, the American Heart Association, a global force changing the future of health for all, has compiled a review of significant scientific advances in the fight against heart and brain diseases and other conditions related to cardiovascular disease<\/a>, which claims nearly 950,000 lives in the U.S. annually and is the leading cause of death worldwide.<\/p>\n In 2025, scientific investigators globally reported findings that could help fill important gaps in preventing and managing conditions related to heart disease and brain disease including high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, dangerous blood clots and aortic stenosis.\u00a0 Scientists looked at how to repair failing hearts at the cellular level and conducted studies to better understand the effects of smoking on young people and sleep on people of all ages. Researchers uncovered new insights into the most powerful modifiable cardiovascular disease risk factors and how key lifestyle changes impact life and death.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes it seems as though we\u2019re facing a losing battle as heart disease and stroke have continued to be the leading causes of death worldwide driven most recently in the U.S. by increases in risk factors and an aging population. Yet, we are learning more every day about what causes cardiovascular disease, how to treat it and, more importantly, how to prevent it and that can be credited in significant part to the hard work and perseverance of research scientists,\u201d said Mariell Jessup, M.D., FAHA, chief medical and science officer of the American Heart Association.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cScientific research is a pillar of the American Heart Association and contributions from the scientific community like those we are highlighting this year are invaluable to our work to help everyone, everywhere live longer, healthier lives,\u201d said Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association and senior vice president of women\u2019s health and executive director of the Katz Institute for Women\u2019s Health of Northwell Health in New York City.<\/p>\n Ten overarching themes stood out among this year\u2019s remarkable research strides. A full review of the top research can be found here<\/a>. Below are key highlights:<\/p>\n Discoveries of new antihypertensive drugs and the benefits of blood pressure control <\/p>\n
Growing awareness of the enormity of cardiovascular risk factors globally and contribution to cardiovascular kidney metabolic disease<\/p>\n
Ongoing debate about the chronic use of anti-platelet and anticoagulation. Perhaps less is more?<\/p>\n
Building on medical management in carotid stenosis without symptoms <\/p>\n
Further impact of the GLP1s on CV disease, better drugs and better results?<\/p>\n
Groundbreaking approached to treating heart failure<\/p>\n The tragedy of childhood tobacco use<\/p>\n
Aortic stenosis: early treatment better than surveillance alone<\/p>\n
New refinements in the use of thrombolytics for stroke<\/p>\n Two new studies highlight how clot-busting medications may improve recovery for people with large vessel occlusion (LVO) strokes.<\/p>\n Sleep: How it\u2019s key to heart health<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s interesting to note that investigators who at some point in their careers have received research funding from the American Heart Association<\/a> were among the authors of 12 out of the 17 highlighted studies. This is a strong testament to the Association\u2019s impact as the largest nongovernmental, nonprofit funder of cardiovascular and cerebral vascular research globally,\u201d Jessup said.<\/p>\n Additional Resources:<\/p>\n
###<\/p>\n About the American Heart Association <\/p>\n The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public\u2019s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day.\u00a0 Connect with us on heart.org<\/a>, Facebook<\/a>, X<\/a> or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.<\/p>\n For Media Inquiries: 214-706-1173<\/p>\n Cathy Lewis: cathy.lewis@heart.org<\/a> \u00a0<\/p>\n For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)<\/p>\n heart.org<\/a> and stroke.org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"American Heart Association volunteer experts\u2019 annual list of the leading cardiovascular and cerebrovascular research for 2025 includes cutting…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":198261,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[4760,105279,105282,105281,103,61,60,105278,105280],"class_list":["post-198260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-american-heart-association","tag-american-heart-association-heart-and-brain-research","tag-childhood-tobacco-use","tag-glp1s-on-cv-disease","tag-health","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-leading-cardiovascular-and-cerebrovascular-research","tag-new-antihypertensive-drugs-and-the-benefits-of-blood-pressure-control"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198260","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=198260"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198260\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/198261"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=198260"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=198260"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=198260"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\tIn another breakthrough, researchers report in The New England Journal of Medicine that adding a new medication, baxdrostat, can help control hard-to-treat hypertension<\/a>. Baxdrostat works by blocking an enzyme that produces aldosterone, a hormone that influences blood pressure by regulating salt and potassium levels.
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\n\tResearch shows that five modifiable risk factors\u2014high blood pressure, unhealthy body weight, excess non-HDL cholesterol, smoking and diabetes\u2014account for about half of the global burden of cardiovascular disease. These same factors also raise the risk for kidney disease and diabetes and contribute to cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome<\/a>, a newly defined condition affecting nearly 90% of adults.
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\n\tResearchers stopped a study early after finding that adding aspirin to blood-thinning therapy increased serious health risk<\/a>s in people with chronic coronary syndrome and stents. The trial, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, included nearly 900 adults. Participants taking aspirin plus anticoagulants faced higher rates of cardiovascular death, heart attack, stroke, blood clots, and major bleeding compared to those on anticoagulants alone. They were also more likely to die from any cause.
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\n\tIn two global clinical trials involving 2,485 participants<\/a>, researchers tested whether adding a revascularization procedure to intensive medical therapy improves outcomes for people with severe but symptom-free carotid artery narrowing. Results, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, suggest stenting may offer some benefit beyond medication alone, while endarterectomy did not show the same advantage in this group.
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\n\tGLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), widely used to lower blood sugar and support weight loss, are also showing promise for heart health, according to new research.
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\n\tResearch using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children birth cohort followed more than 1,900 children in England from ages 10 through 24 years. The analysis found that persistent smoking beginning in childhood was linked to a 33% to 52% greater chance of premature structural and functional cardiac injury, after controlling for other risk factors. The study, described in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, highlights the importance of preventing smoking<\/a> as well as its early consequences in youth.
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\n\tAccording to the American Heart Association, approximately 12% of Americans 75 and older have aortic stenosis<\/a>, a narrowing of the aortic valve. When left untreated, it can lead to heart failure and death.
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\n\tCurrent guidelines recommend routine surveillance every six to 12 months for people who have asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction<\/a>. But a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests a better option for many people<\/a> may be early intervention with transcatheter aortic valve replacement<\/a>, known as TAVR, during which a catheter is threaded through the main artery (the aorta) into the heart, and a new valve is placed and then expanded inside the old valve.
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\n\tAvailable multimedia is on right column of release link<\/a>.
\n\tFollow American Heart Association news on X @HeartNews<\/a>
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