Seven of the major headlines from the world’s biggest heart conference

The European Society of Cardiology Congress, the world's biggest heart conference, is over for another year. The past few days have seen thousands of scientists gather in Amsterdam to share the world's latest leading research into heart and circulatory diseases. Exciting results that offer hope for new and improved treatments and care have been revealed every single day. Here are seven of the best.
Laboratory scientist

Low birthweight directly increases risk of heart disease later in life

New research part-funded by us has revealed that having a low birthweight increases the risk of developing heart disease, independently of conditions in the womb. The researchers found that a reduction in birthweight by approximately 480g resulted in a 20 per cent increased risk of heart disease.

They also found that throughout life, systolic blood pressure – the pressure when the heart is pumping blood through the arteries – plays a central role in this relationship.

The research highlights that closely monitoring and managing blood pressure could be a key strategy to help people born with a lower birthweight reduce their risk of heart disease over the course of their lifetime.

Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, our Medical Director, said: “Information about patients’ birthweight could be a valuable tool to help doctors build up a better picture of patients’ risk of heart disease, helping identify those who could benefit from closer monitoring or targeted intervention to help reduce their risk of heart disease.”

24/7 defibrillators over a mile round trip on average in most deprived areas

In the most deprived areas of England and Scotland, the nearest 24/7 accessible defibrillator is on average a round trip of over a mile, or 1.8km, according to new research we have supported.

The researchers, using data from The Circuit, the national defibrillator network, calculated that, on average, in England and Scotland the more deprived an area is, the further it is from a 24/7-accessible defibrillator. In Wales there was no link between defibrillator access and deprivation.

Judy O’Sullivan, our Director of Health Innovation Programmes, said: “Bystander CPR and defibrillation can double the chance of survival from a cardiac arrest, so it is crucial that we address the unequal access to defibrillators in order to improve survival rates.”

Ambulances should take cardiac arrest patients to closest emergency department

People who have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest should be taken straight to their nearest emergency department, according to research we’ve funded involving the London Ambulance Service and every hospital in London.

The trial found no difference in 30-day survival for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients who were taken by ambulance to a specialist cardiac arrest centre compared with those delivered to the geographically closest emergency department.

The study also found no overall difference in brain and nerve function at discharge and at three months between the specialist centre and emergency department groups.

Professor Sir Nilesh Samani said: “The question of whether to take OHCA patients who are successfully resuscitated directly to a heart attack centre rather than to their nearest ED has long been debated. This first-of-its-kind trial answers this important practical question and suggests that it does not make a difference to patients surviving longer-term.”

Sedentary time in children linked with heart damage in young adulthood

Hours of inactivity during childhood could be setting the stage for heart attacks and strokes later in life, according to research part-funded by us.

The study found that sedentary time accumulated from childhood to young adulthood was associated with heart damage – even in those with normal weight and blood pressure.

“All those hours of screen time in young people add up to a heavier heart, which we know from studies in adults raises the likelihood of heart attack and stroke,” said study author Dr. Andrew Agbaje of the University of Eastern Finland.

Dr Sonya Babu Narayan, our Associate Medical Director, said: “It can be challenging to keep children moving, especially as they get older, but the importance of regular physical activity throughout life cannot be overstated, and the need to stay active starts early.”

Weight loss injections could be key to curing heart failure

A stock image showing part of a white box with 'wegovy - semaglutide injection' written in blue. The background is faded out but appears to be an oak surface

A trial that tested semaglutide, the weight loss drug also know as Ozempic and Wegovy, on heart failure patients with obesity found that the injections are three times more effective than any previous drug at treating heart failure.

The drug was able to produce a huge improvement in quality of life, symptoms like breathlessness, fatigue and leg swelling, and overall health.

Further tests are needed to establish exactly how it works, but doctors said that the effects are unlikely to be due to weight loss alone, with the drug directly targeting the heart to reduce inflammation and prevent arteries clogging.

Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan said: “For some people, living with heart failure can make everyday activities difficult or even impossible. The kind of improvements seen in this study, such as being able to walk further, could have a transformational impact on someone’s life.”

Early death risk grows with just three unhealthy mid-life traits

Research found that millions of middle-aged adults who are overweight with even slightly raised blood pressure, cholesterol or glucose levels are about a third more likely to die early. They also face a 35 per cent higher risk of heart attacks or strokes and will experience them two years earlier than their peers.

This cluster of slightly unhealthy traits, known as metabolic syndrome, affects an estimated one in four UK adults, with rising obesity levels one of the main drivers.

Prof Sir Nilesh Samani said: “The important message is that it is possible to reduce your risk through simple measures. Eating well-balanced meals, regular physical activity, and not smoking can all help to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol and your control weight. If lifestyle changes aren’t enough, your GP can also advise on medication that can help to reduce your risk.”

Ultra-processed food raises risk of heart attack and stroke, two studies show

Ultra-processed food significantly raises the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attacks and strokes, according to two studies presented at the conference.

The first study, which tracked 10,000 women for 15 years, found that those with the highest proportion of UPF in their diet were 39 per cent more likely to develop high blood pressure than those with the lowest.

The second study, a gold-standard meta-analysis of more than 325,000 men and women, showed those who ate the most UPF were 24 per cent more likely to have cardiovascular events including heart attacks, strokes, and angina.

Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan said: “We do know that the world around us doesn’t always make it easy for the healthy option to be the accessible and affordable option. On the contrary, less healthy foods often take centre stage. To address this we need a comprehensive strategy that creates an environment that can support people to live long and healthy lives.”

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