The American Heart Association highlighted groundbreaking research and development in care for heart disease and stroke patients in 2021.
Three notable findings:
1. An international study published in the New England Journal of Medicine Jan. 21 found that a "polypill," comprising statins and multiple blood-pressure–lowering drugs, taken with aspirin, was associated with a 31 percent lower risk of cardiovascular death or events compared with a placebo.
2. Poor maternal heart health at an average of 28 weeks into pregnancy was linked to poorer heart health in children at ages 10 to 14, a study of over 2,300 mothers in six countries published Feb. 16 in the Journal of the American Medical Association found.
3. Expediting the transfer for angiography in stroke patients believed to have a blockage in one of their major brain arteries was linked to less severe disability later, a study published Aug. 2 in JAMA Neurology found.