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Calcium’s CV Risks, HFmrEF Defined, and Cardiology Pay Jumps
April 23, 2026
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Together with
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“The next phase of progress will depend not only on better models and new applications but also on clearer expectations for how clinical impact is defined, evaluated and communicated. Without a clear connection between claims and evidence, medical AI risks being adopted faster than its real value can be understood.”
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Show us the evidence for the value of medical AI. Nat Med 32, 1163 (2026).
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ICYMI: If you missed Cardiac Wire’s latest webinar with Dr. Udo Hoffman, Dr. Brittany Weber, and Dr. Kashif Shaik, you can now watch the full session on demand! Hosted by Cardiac Wire in partnership with Cleerly, we explored new lessons from the CONFIRM2 Registry and how CT-based AI plaque quantification is shaping clinical practice. You can watch it on-demand here.
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While the verdict is still out on whether or not calcium supplements support bone health, new research in JAHA suggests they’re not good for your heart.
- Many elderly patients take calcium to try and treat or prevent osteoporosis as they age, though research suggests calcium intake doesn’t always offset this risk.
- Earlier research suggests that healthy adults with high levels of dietary calcium (not supplements) have a lower 10-year risk of ASCVD.
Since there’s little known about the effects of calcium supplements on the heart, researchers performed an observational analysis of EHR data from 237k patients in Hong Kong, 16% of which were prescribed calcium supplements.
After matching them to controls researchers found that patients on calcium supplements had higher CV risks across the board including:
- Acute MI risk: +10%
- Stroke: +6%
- Coronary heart disease: +9%
- CVD hospitalization or ED visit: +16%
Notably, the risk increases were higher in men and when patients didn’t take vitamin D supplements alongside calcium.
- Patients taking calcium without vitamin D saw a 21% increase in composite CV risk, while those taking both actually saw a 3% decrease in risk.
So where do these results come from? The researchers suggest it could be because circulating calcium levels directly contribute to aortic and coronary artery calcification.
- For example, calcium supplements can lead to an instantaneous increase in serum calcium levels for >6 hours.
- Population‐based studies have also alluded to a link between calcium supplementation and vascular calcification.
However, it’s important to remember that this retrospective study is the first of its kind and is purely observational, so it can’t prove causation or that calcium supplementation is a CV risk factor.
- It’s unlikely that a comparative study would ever be conducted either.
- And the study is on a mostly homogenous Asian population since it comes from Hong Kong.
The Takeaway
Calcium supplementation is common, especially in older patients, many of whom already struggle with CVD risk factors or co-morbidities. While this observational study is limited in what it can prove, it’s a good reminder to clinicians that more isn’t always better when it comes to supplements.
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Circle CVI’s CAD-RADS Rundown
Ever wondered how CAD-RADS enhances the communication of coronary artery disease findings from imaging studies? Check out this guide from Circle Cardiovascular Imaging about the evolution of CAD-RADS and how to incorporate it into your practice.
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Changes in Heart Failure Management
Heart failure is a complex condition with high heart failure hospitalization and cardiovascular mortality rates, especially among patients with HFpEF and HFmrEF, for whom treatment options have been limited. Read how Bayer’s Dr. Alanna Morris-Simon discusses the changing treatment landscape and strategies for improving patient outcomes.
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Book a Time with AccurKardia at HRS 26
The AccurKardia team is heading to Chicago from April 23-26, and will be exhibiting their FDA-cleared AccurECG 2.0 platform. Book a time here to find out about AccurECG’s device-agnostic, vendor neutral, and enterprise-volume ready design.
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- Protaryx Medical Gains FDA Clearance: In what could help further simplify interventional cardiac procedures, Protaryx Medical secured FDA clearance for its next-generation transseptal puncture device that makes complex left-heart access easier during minimally invasive procedures. The device’s delivery system is zero-exchange (meaning there’s no need to change catheter sheaths during the procedure) and features an atraumatic design. Protaryx’s device has already demonstrated short crossing times and reduced fluoroscopic exposure with no device-related adverse events from its FIH study.
- Updating “Fitness to Fly” Guidelines: A statement published in BMJ called for the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS) to revise its 15-year-old report on airline passenger “fitness to fly” to reflect modern clinical standards. The statement argues that the previous 2010 guidance came before the shift to primary PCI as the default STEMI reperfusion strategy and experts note that the older guidelines also lack direction on TAVR, complex PCI, and CCTA. The statement’s authors urge the BCS to address patient multimorbidity and eliminate inconsistent decision-making within challenging airliner cabin environments by releasing new guidelines.
- Endospan NEXUS’ FDA Approval: Endospan received FDA approval for its NEXUS Aortic Arch Stent Graft, a bimodular system for high-risk surgical patients. Supported by one-year TRIOMPHE IDE study data, the device treats complex ascending and arch anatomy using a low-profile 20F delivery system to minimize vessel manipulation. This transcatheter solution addresses a clinical gap for 120k annual patients, providing a minimally invasive option for life-threatening aortic dissections and arch disease previously ineligible for traditional repair.
- POAF’s Long-Term Impact: Highlighting one of the most common heart surgery complications, the VISION Cardiac Surgery study revealed that 31.8% of patients developed new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) within 30 days of surgery. Despite POAF’s prevalence, its management seemed inconsistent, with only 15.6% of patients receiving anticoagulation alone at discharge. At one year, POAF was tied to an 11-fold increase in clinical AFib and a higher risk of all-cause death (3.0% vs. 1.7%), emphasizing its CV burden post-discharge.
- GDMT Lowers Arrhythmia Risk: Data from Biotronik’s BIO-LIBRA registry revealed that combining ARNI and SGLT2 inhibitors significantly reduces the risk of ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VT/VF) and death in patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, regardless of if they have a pacing device. Among 1,000 examined patients, SGLT2 inhibitors were associated with a 53% lower risk of arrhythmias, while ARNI therapy improved survival. The combined effect of both drug classes resulted in a 61% lower adjusted risk, making it clear how important it is to optimize medical therapy alongside pacing devices.
- Corify ACORYS FDA Clearance: Corify Care received FDA clearance for ACORYS, a non-invasive, imageless mapping platform that provides a real-time, four-chamber view of cardiac electrical activity. Validated in over 2.5k patients, the system delivers single-beat global mapping to identify ablation targets without requiring pre-procedural CT/MRI or the induction of unstable arrhythmias. Corify’s 4D technology already has CE mark approval in the EU and has shown it can streamline EP workflows for complex cases, including ventricular tachycardia and atrial tachyarrhythmias.
- Supira Medical Cleared for Pivotal pVAD Trial: Supira Medical gained FDA approval for its SUPPORT II trial, a randomized study evaluating a next-generation percutaneous ventricular assist device (pVAD) for high-risk PCI patients. Enrolling up to 385 participants at 40 U.S. sites, the pivotal trial will provide the primary data for a future PMA submission. The system aims to enhance efficiency and deliverability, while demonstrating potential for patient ambulation in cardiogenic shock. This approval comes at a time when studies and public opinion are questioning J&J’s Impella LVAD device.
- TEXTMEDS Highlights Post-ACS Gender Disparities: A secondary analysis of the TEXTMEDS study revealed significant gaps in medication adherence and risk-factor control between men and women 12 months after acute coronary syndrome. Men achieved higher adherence (53.9% vs. 46.1%) and superior LDL targets, while women were more likely to maintain a healthy BMI but be less active. Socioeconomic factors largely explained the adherence gap, though women remained significantly less likely to adhere to statins, suggesting a need for targeted interventions to improve long-term outcomes.
- PET Preferred Over SPECT for MPI: A new ASNC position statement recommends that cardiac PET should be used instead of SPECT for myocardial perfusion imaging to assess coronary artery disease. In updating its 2016 guidelines, ASNC said that a growing body of evidence supports PET for CAD diagnosis due to the “unique capabilities” of PET MPI and the use of dynamic PET acquisitions to quantify myocardial blood flow. The new statement was lauded by PET radiotracer suppliers like Bracco, which called it a “defining moment in cardiovascular imaging.”
- Bunkerhill Gets Calcium Clearances: Bunkerhill Health received FDA clearance for two new solutions for calculating coronary and aortic valve calcium from contrast CT scans. Bunkerhill Contrast CAC and Bunkerhill Contrast AVC use AI to detect and quantify CAC and AVC on contrast-enhanced non-gated chest CT scans, and complement the company’s existing clearances for non-contrast CT. The company also noted the new CMS reimbursement pathway that began April 1 for AI analysis of CAC and AVC.
- Stereotaxis Acquires Robocath: In a move that will further expand its endovascular portfolio, Stereotaxis entered into a definitive agreement to acquire French robotic firm Robocath for up to $45M in cash and milestones. The deal merges Stereotaxis’ magnetic navigation tech with Robocath’s mechanical R-One+ system, forming an integrated platform for electrophysiology, coronary, and neurovascular interventions. Stereotaxis plans to seek U.S. and European clearance for a next-generation multi-device system within two years while expanding its global robotic footprint.
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Making the Leap to Outsource Post-Processing
Interested in how to outsource cardiac image post-processing, but not sure where to start? PIA walks you through how to assess and compare vendors, understand pricing models and payment options, and outline your requirements to identify vendors who meet your clinical needs.
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CA Diagnosis Using Echo AI
Diagnosing cardiac amyloidosis using echo can be challenging due to the imaging overlap between CA and more prevalent causes of cardiomyopathy. Read more about how Us2.ai’s echocardiographic score and fully automated deep-learning model overcome this challenge to enable better diagnosis.
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The Power of AI in Cardiovascular Imaging
Cardiac labs are under more pressure than ever to deliver more with greater speed and precision. Hear from Tony Gallagher, Director of Noninvasive Cardiology at Baptist Health Lexington about how Siemens Healthineers’ ACUSON Origin is reshaping daily practice and transforming the future of echocardiography.
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- Merge Hemo Ranks 2026 Best in KLAS: Merge Hemo ranked 2026 Best in KLAS for cardiology hemodynamics, marking the 14th year it’s been named a category leader. Find out more about why Merge’s strategy of a modular, unified imaging solutions portfolio continues to dominate the KLAS rankings, year in, year out.
- Identify and Treat Cardiovascular Disease: Complex care pathways make getting patients to the next step a challenge. See how Tempus Next, an AI enabled care pathway platform, helps providers identify and reduce under treatment in cardiovascular disease by adding an intelligent layer onto their routinely generated EHR data.
- RoR in the Real World with Monebo and UNCG: Strenuous exercise can significantly reduce people’s heart relaxation reserve, putting them at risk without preliminary warning signs. Find out how Monebo’s new Reserve of Relaxation technology provides a crucial tool for anyone looking to enhance their physical performance without harm.
- CMR Access Is Broken — Here’s How to Fix It: Cardiac MRI is one of the most powerful tools for diagnosing heart disease, yet it’s still out of reach for many patients. Download Vista AI’s new infographic to see what’s holding CMR adoption back—and how AI and automation can help make gold-standard imaging more accessible than ever.
- Earlier Detection, Better Outcomes: When it comes to heart disease, early detection is crucial to a patient’s long-term health. Learn more about how Fujifilm helps clinicians achieve that with the Lisendo 880 cardiovascular ultrasound system’s unique solutions that detect early abnormalities seen in heart failure, while offering insight into cardiac functions and groundbreaking hemodynamic analysis.
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