Scientist, daughter optimize equitable care for veterans

Heart failure, in particular, is a devastating problem, specifically for patients who are veterans. The population health team conducted a study with a simple goal: Find a way to make sure patients with heart failure receive the optimal dosage of medications.

Importance of diversity in high-impact cholesterol treatment trials

Co-authored by Ashish Sarraju, MD, and Fatima Rodriguez, MD, MPH, a recent manuscipt presented the need for improved diverse racial and ethnic group representation in high-impact cholesterol treatment trials. 

Diversity in genetic research key to predicting risk of high cholesterol

Including data from people of diverse ancestries substantially improves certain genetic risk predictions in all populations, according to a study co-authored by Tim Assimes, MD, where they examined the genes responsible for regulating blood cholesterol levels. 

Transforming the Care of Patients with Cardiovascular Disease Using Equity, Innovation, and Patient-Centered Lenses

In this video, Eldrin F. Lewis, MD, MPH , and Simon H. Stertzer, MD, discuss vital considerations that can fundamentally improve patient care for cardiovascular disease.

Treating heart failure from the outside in

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Heart attacks and heart failure cause damage to heart tissue, which in turn causes heart dysfunction. Because human heart muscle cells do not regenerate, once you lose them, they are lost forever. However, a new therapy researched by Phillip C. Yang, MD, is on the horizon that could help repair heart muscle cells that are damaged. 

Compensating for a defective gene: A new potential treatment for heart failure

Calcium plays a crucial role in our hearts. Our heartbeat—heart contractions that pump our blood—is caused by changes in calcium in our heart muscle cells. Therefore, the regulation of calcium—how much is available at any given time—is extremely important for our hearts' healthy function. Postdoctoral fellows Dries Feyen, PhD, and Isaac Perea-Gil, PhD, from the Mark Mercola and Ioannis Karakike labs led a study that shed light on how the phosopholamban mutation causes heart disease. 

Stanford Medicine launches in-house service for whole genome sequencing

The Cardiovascular Genome Panel, the genome sequencing service at Stanford Medicine launched Jan. 25 is now available to patients diagnosed with inherited cardiovascular disease. Euan Ashley, MB, ChB, DPhil, who heads the service, said the primary focus of the genome sequencing service will be enhancing patient care, Ashley said, but it contributes to genetic discovery, too. 

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: The Search for Therapies

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) disease is a common and frequently fatal heart disease. Currently, there is no medical therapy leaving only surgical approaches once the disease has become severely advanced. Joshua Spin, MD, PhD, discusses some of the approaches his lab is taking to address AAA.

How AI bias happens – and how to eliminate it

Stanford cardiologist and expert in artificial intelligence and machine learning, Sanjiv Narayan, MD, explains where biased algorithms come from. He offers advice for preventing them and enabling improved decision support for better outcomes.

A cancer treatment that tackles heart disease?

A cancer treatment in clinical trials may also reduce the inflammation responsible for atherosclerosis -- the buildup of plaque inside arteries that can lead to heart attack and stroke. Nicholas Leeper, MD, and postdoctoral scholar Kai-Uwe Jarr, MD, published their findings in the New England Journal of Medicine. 

AI for surgeons: Current realities, future possibilities 

With her colleagues in Biomedical Informatics Research, Elsie Gyang Ross, MD, has been evaluating machine learning algorithms to identify patients at risk for peripheral artery disease (PAD). The goal of these models and others is not for machine learning or its operationalized counterpart, AI, to take over care or make decisions for surgeons. “AI is there to make us better," she said.

Immune system ‘clock’ predicts illness and mortality

Nazish Sayed, MD, PhD, assistant professor of vascular surgery at Stanford co-authored a study with the Buck Institute for Research on Aging where they found they can predict an individual’s immunological decline as well as the likelihood of incurring age-associated diseases and becoming frail. During the process they also discovered a bloodborne substance whose abundance may accelerate cardiovascular aging. 

What can your heart rate tell you?

You may use your fitness tracker mostly to count steps, but don’t ignore your heart-rate metrics—they can tell you a lot about your health. Devices now deliver a variety of heart-rate measurements, including resting rate, walking rate and variability (the variation of time between beats). Some can be programmed to notify you of a possible problem, such as a heart rate that is unusually high, low or irregular. Without getting fancy, however, your basic heart rate alone can be revealing.

Double transplant at Stanford saves life of critically ill COVID-19 patient

Each day, month after month, as his father, John, suffered some of the worst that COVID-19 can inflict, 24-year-old Patrick kept watch. Surgeons describe the patient’s son as a hero for his persistent and dedicated advocacy on behalf of his father. “I told our patient multiple times that his son Patrick is the reason he is alive,” said Joseph Woo, MD, professor and chair of cardiothoracic surgery and the Norman E. Shumway Professor, who performed the transplant.

SHC Heart Health Month: Food for Heart

This Heart Month, let's start with the small, easy changes that can have a major impact on your heart health. We're talking about the food you eat every day. Our Stanford Medicine dietitians have come up with simple suggestions for cooking, shopping, and dining out to help you make healthier choices and prevent cardiovascular disease.

My Heart Counts Run

Summary: Join us for the Stanford Medicine My Heart Counts 5K & 10K—our annual walk/run celebrating life, heart health, and happiness. We invite you to put together a team of friends and family to take down heart disease. Sunday, April 10, 2022. Register here.

“Red Games” with Stanford Athletics featuring radio interviews with Dr. Jennifer Tremmel and Dr. Eldrin Lewis

Stanford Men’s Basketball vs. Washington State Thursday Feb. 3 

Stanford Women’s Basketball vs. Utah: Friday Feb. 11 

Preventing Heart Disease

Now is the right time to start paying attention to your heart health. You can lower your risk for heart attack and stroke no matter how old you are by knowing the risk factors that affect your heart. Download this quick reference guide and keep it somewhere visible, like your refrigerator, as a helpful reference!