blood vessels tagged posts

COVID infection ages blood vessels, especially in women, research reveals

blood vessel
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

A COVID infection, particularly in women, may lead to blood vessels aging around five years, according to research published in the European Heart Journal.

Blood vessels gradually become stiffer with age, but the new study suggests that COVID could accelerate this process. Researchers say this is important since people with stiffer blood vessels face a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, including stroke and heart attack.

The study was led by Professor Rosa Maria Bruno from Université Paris Cité, France. She said, “Since the pandemic, we have learned that many people who have had COVID are left with symptoms that can last for months or even years. However, we are still learning what’s happening in the body to create these symptoms.

“We k...

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World’s Smallest Imaging Device has Heart Disease in focus

Ultrathin 3D printed endoscope imaging an artery_credit_ Simon Thiele and Jiawen Li
Ultrathin 3D printed endoscope imaging an artery – photo by Simon Thiele and Jiawen Li.

A team of researchers led by the University of Adelaide and University of Stuttgart has used 3D micro-printing to develop the world’s smallest, flexible scope for looking inside blood vessels.

The camera-like imaging device can be inserted into blood vessels to provide high quality 3D images to help scientists better understand the causes of heart attack and heart disease progression, and could lead to improved treatment and prevention.

In a study published in the journal Light: Science & Applications, a multidisciplinary team of researchers and clinicians was able to 3D print a tiny lens on to the end of an optical fibre, the thickness of a human hair.

The imaging device is so small that r...

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