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In a new paper published in JACC: Advances, Drs. Anubha Agarwal, Mark Huffman, and Global Health Clinical Research Coordinator Adam Hively, MPH examine the history of polypill trials. The paper, titled “More Than a Decade of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Polypill Trials: Lessons for Heart Failure Polypills” marks the first publication for Hively, as the Global Health team within the WashU cardiovascular division continues research into this lifesaving therapy.

Wearables like Apple Watches, Fitbits, Oura Rings, WHOOP, Garmin, and other fitness trackers generally work by continuously monitoring your body’s signals and using machine learning algorithms to identify changes from your normal levels. Most of these devices rely on photoplethysmography (PPG), a non-invasive optical technique that measures blood flow by using light and sensors to detect changes in blood volume at the skin’s surface, Thomas Maddox, MD, a professor of medicine at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the executive director of the Healthcare Innovation Lab at BJC HealthCare, told Health.

A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that a type of immunotherapy — similar to that approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat inflammatory conditions such as arthritis — also may be an effective treatment strategy for heart failure. The study is published Oct. 23 in the journal Nature.

Dr. Nathan Frogge has joined the Department of Medicine in the Cardiovascular Division as an Assistant Professor in October 2024. He serves as faculty in the Interventional and Structural Cardiology Section and our West County Clinic, and as Director of Clinical Outreach and Expansion.

Dr. Joel Schilling of the WashU Cardiovascular Division was one of the authors of the cover story of the August edition of the Journal of Immunology, an article titled “Cutting Edge: Hepatic Stellate Cells Drive the Phenotype of Monocyte-derived Macrophages to Regulate Liver Fibrosis in Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatohepatitis “.

James “Russ” Hornsby and Sherry Hornsby’s business is play. Gregory Lanza, MD, PhD, is a cardiologist who conducts groundbreaking research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Together, this unusual trio is forging new pathways to healthier lives for people around the globe.

The ACC, in partnership with the JF Maddox Foundation, kicked off the Rural Cardiovascular Health Initiative (RCHI) earlier this year. The 12-month pilot project taking place in Hobbs, NM, aims to create and test an action module that can be used more broadly to improve cardiovascular health in rural communities nationwide. Cardiology talked with Thomas M. Maddox, MD, MSc, FACC, whose family’s foundation is supporting the program, about the impetus behind the program, key deliverables, and his path to both leadership and philanthropic giving with the College.