Cardiology

Silent killer

Inflammation from a simple infection can awaken a silent genetic defect in rats that carry it, resulting in a deadly form of pulmonary hypertension, a study shows.

Transformer cells

Researchers ID cells that transform into tissue that caps off plaque in atherosclerosis. They also believe they’ve found the gene responsible for the transformation.

Lingering heart risks

People born with heart defects have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease as adults and should be monitored more carefully than previously thought.