Heart beat: News you can use (someday) from the AHA meeting
Heart beat
News you can use (someday) from the AHA meeting
With almost 4,000 presentations crammed into four days, the American Heart Association’s annual meeting offers an almost overwhelming peek into the future of heart disease and heart health. In keeping with this issue’s theme, here are summaries of more down-the-road research from the AHA meeting. We will explore these in more detail in later issues.
Reshaping the heart. Overwork and scar tissue can cause the heart to get out of shape — literally. An overgrown, flabby left ventricle, one of the hallmarks of heart failure, can’t pump as efficiently as a normal-sized heart. Duke University researchers demonstrated that an operation to sculpt an overextended left ventricle into a stronger elliptical shape is feasible, though complex. A mesh-like stocking that wraps around the heart, called the CorCap Cardiac Support Device, also appears to help the heart pump more efficiently.
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
I'd like to receive access to Harvard Health Online for only $4.99 a month.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.