#Heartfailure

A striking decline in heart attack deaths has been reported globally, marking one of the greatest triumphs in modern medicine. New research shows that over the past fifty years, deaths from heart attacks have fallen by about 90%, largely due to medical advances, improved emergency care, wider use of medications like statins, and public health efforts targeting smoking and cholesterol (Scripps News, Stanford Medicine). However, experts warn that while this progress is worth celebrating, other cardiovascular and chronic disease risks—including heart failure, hypertension-related complications, and dementia linked to vascular health—are rising and pose fresh challenges for health systems, including in Thailand.

A global drop in heart attack deaths has become one of modern medicine’s notable triumphs. Over the past five decades, deaths from heart attacks fell by about 90% due to better emergency care, wider statin use, and aggressive public health campaigns against smoking and high cholesterol. Yet experts warn that other cardiovascular risks—such as heart failure, high blood pressure complications, and dementia linked to vascular health—are rising, posing fresh challenges for health systems, including Thailand.

In a groundbreaking revelation, recent research published in the Journal of The Royal Society Interface has redefined our understanding of the aorta’s function within the human body. Known primarily as the primary conduit for oxygenated blood flowing from the heart to the rest of the body, the aorta has now emerged as a critical player that actively supports cardiovascular health. This discovery holds significant implications for individuals suffering from heart failure, a condition of growing concern in Thailand as well as globally.

A recent study is reshaping how we understand the aorta, the main artery that carries oxygen-rich blood away from the heart. Researchers say the aorta does more than passively absorb pressure spikes; it actively supports circulation through a mechanism called wave-pumping. This discovery could influence how heart failure is treated in Thailand and around the world.

Traditionally, the aorta was viewed as a flexible tube that cushions the heart’s workload by expanding and recoiling with each beat. Now scientists describe the aorta as a cooperative partner in blood flow. By stretching and recoiling in step with heart contractions, the aorta helps propel blood forward, effectively acting as a “second heart.” This could reduce the strain on a damaged heart and improve overall circulation, a welcome development for patients with heart failure.