A newly refined test can help detect which people with abnormal heart rhythms need treatment for an increased risk of stroke, researchers report. Adding blood tests to an existing risk calculator can help doctors suss out which patients with atrial fibrillation would most benefit from blood thinners, according to findings published Aug. 6 in the…  read on >  read on >

A newly approved implant appears to slow vision loss from a rare and previously untreatable eye disease, researchers report. The eye implant, called ENCELTO, gradually releases proteins that protect light-sensing nerve cells against macular telangiectasia (MacTel) type 2, researchers recently reported in the journal NEJM Evidence. The capsule-sized implant slowed the progression of MacTel in…  read on >  read on >

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has canceled nearly $500 million in grants and contracts meant to support mRNA vaccine development, the agency announced Tuesday. The funding had been awarded to 22 research projects managed by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a group that helps…  read on >  read on >

There’s a simple way older women can protect their heart health, a new study argues. Just stand up. Women who started standing up from a seated position more often during their day experienced notable improvement in blood pressure after three months, researchers reported recently in the journal Circulation. Taking these short-standing breaks appeared to boost…  read on >  read on >