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Micropantries — commonly called “little free pantries”  — and community fridges are a frequent sight throughout Seattle and the greater Puget Sound region. One estimate suggests that they supply around 4 million pounds of food per year to neighbors in need in the Seattle area, more than the state’s largest food bank. The curbside cupboards are a decentralized, community-driven effort to fight food insecurity and reduce food waste at the neighborhood level, but their ad hoc nature limits their dependability — users don’t know when food is available without repeatedly checking, and donors don’t know what foods are needed most.

Now, anyone who interacts with micropantries or community fridges in the Seattle area can try out an experimental app, made by University of Washington researchers, that brings a suite of new features to the micropantry network. The app, called PantryMap.org, maps many local pantries across the region. The app also gives each pantry an activity feed where users can share food they’ve donated, report on stock levels, add requests to a wish list, post photos and leave other notes. The research team also retrofitted some pantries with sensors that anonymously auto-report their usage and stock levels to the app in real time.

“This is an effort to document and quantify the phenomenon of micropantries,” said Giacomo Dalla Chiara, a senior research scientist at the UW Urban Freight Lab. “Lots of micropantries and community fridges popped up around the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I was curious about who uses them and how they are used.”

The team was cognizant of privacy concerns and designed the smart pantry tech accordingly.

“Putting cameras in the pantries could give us a lot of information about what specific foods are moving through the system, but that may also deter users who are concerned about privacy,” said Vicente Arroyos, a UW doctoral student in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering who designed and built the sensor suite. “Instead, we settled on simpler sensors that measure weight and interactions like opening the door to measure stock levels while preserving everyone’s anonymity.”

The researchers hope that neighbors will find new ways to connect and help one another through these tools. A user might see that stock levels are low in a nearby pantry, for example, and decide to add some food. Another user might request certain foods to accommodate their dietary restrictions. 

The sensor-equipped pantries are a small subset of the dozens of pantries throughout Seattle, but in addition to providing some neighborhoods with enhanced food tracking, they will generate aggregate data that will help Dalla Chiara’s team study donor and usage behavior. Dalla Chiara also plans to survey donors to learn more about what motivates people to provide food to pantries.

“We know that there is a lot of food insecurity in Seattle and in the United States in general,” Dalla Chiara said. “But we know that there is also a lot of food waste — lots of people have a surplus of food. And we want to see how grassroots efforts like micropantries can address both food insecurity and waste at the same time.”

Dalla Chiara and his team recently completed a refit on a cold, sleeting March day at a pantry owned by Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church near Seattle Center. The church keeps the pantry regularly stocked, and rector Stephen Crippen is curious about the data the new system will produce.

“It puts numbers on what we’re actually accomplishing,” Crippen said. “It helps us get in touch with what’s going on on this street.”

The research team is also working with local businesses and nonprofits to encourage and track food distribution throughout the pantry network. In April, Seattle-based recycling startup Ridwell ran a nonperishable food drive across Seattle and delivered 25,000 pounds of food to the University District Food Bank; from there, volunteers from the Cascade Bicycle Club’s Pedaling Relief Project distributed the food to micropantries around the city by bike, giving the network an infusion of both food and usage data. The Washington State Department of Health and the nonprofit Sustainable Connections helped support the project’s community fridges effort.

Dalla Chiara recognizes that there are other grassroots micropantry mapping efforts online, and he doesn’t want his app to replace those services. Nor does he expect the smart pantry network to remain in service indefinitely — it costs about $150 to retrofit each pantry with sensors, and all that tech will be difficult to maintain after the study concludes in October of this year. At its core, the project is an effort to learn about micropantry usage and explore how technology might encourage sharing of resources and mutual aid systems.

“We’re trying to measure and quantify goodwill,” Dalla Chiara said. “Behind each little free pantry there is a whole system of behaviors — people trying to help one another. If we can understand that system better, we can support it better.”

Other UW collaborators include Anne Goodchild, professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of the Urban Freight Lab; Emily Hovis, assistant teaching professor of environmental and occupational health sciences; Marie Spiker, assistant professor of food systems, nutrition and health; and Vikram Iyer, assistant professor in the Allen School.

For more information, contact Dalla Chiara at giacomod@uw.edu.

In the three-and-a-half years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the fragmented state of abortion access has put medical professionals in a precarious position. Many states have tightened abortion restrictions, with some enacting criminal penalties up to life in prison for physicians who perform abortions. Medical schools have curtailed abortion-related curricula.

New research led in part by the University of Washington found that the new restrictions are not only affecting the current medical workforce — they may be shaping the next generation of physicians. The study, published March 2 in JAMA Network Open, found that applications to medical residency programs in states that enacted new abortion restrictions dropped sharply following the Dobbs ruling.

The decrease occurred among both male and female applicants. Applications to specialties related to reproductive health — obstetrics and gynecology, family medicine, internal medicine and emergency medicine — saw the largest decreases.

The new study builds on previous research that had shown decreased application rates to residency programs in states with abortion restrictions by applying causal methodologies to understand the impact of the Supreme Court decision and isolating results from male and female applicants.

“This research provides important empirical evidence about how state-level policy changes following Dobbs may influence decisions made by medical trainees about where to pursue their graduate medical education,” said co-author Anirban Basu, a UW professor of health economics and director of the Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy, and Economics (CHOICE) Institute.

To learn more about the research, UW News sat down the paper’s three authors: Basu; lead author Dr. Anisha Ganguly, assistant professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and co-author Dr. Anna Morenz, assistant clinical professor of internal medicine at the University of Arizona. Both Ganguly and Morenz completed their internal medicine residencies at the UW School of Medicine.

The medical residency match process is quite different from traditional higher-ed applications. Can you explain how that works, and how it relates to your study’s findings?

Dr. Anna Morenz: Applicants may apply to as many programs as they want, with some applying to dozens of programs. At the end of interviews, they’ll rank those programs based on their preferred landing spots. The programs, in turn, will rank all the applicants that they received. A computer algorithm then matches everyone with the goal of filling all the residency slots, and it’s very good at that. We know that almost all open residency slots in the U.S. are filled. So programs are still filling their residency slots even in states with restrictions.

What concerns us about these findings is that there’s an early signal of people avoiding applications to these states. That has potential implications for the quality of the applicants to restricted states, which could not be assessed in our data. There’s typically a high likelihood that people stay where they train for their residency, but if you landed in a restricted state that was low on your rank list, you may be more likely to complete your training and then leave to a non-restricted state. We aim to look at this very important question in projects to come.

Anisha and Anna, you’re both practicing primary care physicians. How big a part of a physician’s training is abortion and other pregnancy-related care? 

Dr. Anisha Ganguly: It’s not a big part of our training traditionally, though there has been a movement to integrate more abortion care into primary care residencies. That’s more the case in family medicine rather than internal medicine, because medication abortion has now become the most common means for abortion care. As internists, we commonly diagnose pregnancies and care for women with medical conditions as they consider family planning.

AM: I do think it’s important to note that a huge percentage of primary care physicians are trained in family medicine. And family medicine physicians are trained in delivery of babies, management of prenatal care, miscarriage management, contraception and abortion. Anisha and I trained in internal medicine, and there is increasing interest to include medication abortion training in internal medicine, as it is fully within our scope of practice.

The effects of the Dobbs decision have been well-documented, and previous work on this topic highlighted changes in OB/GYN residency applications. What’s new in your study specifically? 

Anirban Basu: We had a much longer pre-period than previous studies. We looked back to 2019 to see what had been happening to application rates in these two kinds of states — those that eventually restricted abortion access and those that didn’t — and we showed that these rates had been moving similarly until the ruling. That gives a little more weight to the evidence to say the change is due to the ruling. 

The second big thing is that previous studies did not distinguish whether men and women were changing their behavior similarly. I think that’s a very important finding in our study, that male applicants are changing their behavior at an even higher rate. 

AG: I agree that the gender stratification was an important contribution. The other stratified analysis that we explored was about how specialty type may be driving some of the effects that we saw. A lot of people can reason that OB/GYN applicants would be affected by this directly, and there’s a lot of literature to support that. But what we’re showing is that it’s not just the OB/GYN workforce that’s going to be impacted. It’s the primary care workforce and the emergency medicine workforce. 

We’re hoping that message spreads a little more broadly. This is not just about women’s health. It’s about the future of primary care and the person who’s going to save you from your heart attack in the future.

Let’s talk a little more about that gender stratification. You found that male applicants changed their application preferences at a greater rate than female applicants, which looks like a surprising result. What’s going on there? 

AG: When we generated our original hypotheses, we thought we were going to see increased effects among women applying to residency, but we actually ended up seeing that there were long-term disparities that existed pre-Dobbs between restricted and non-restricted states. This was likely because of the laws targeting abortion providers and other state-level laws that were affecting women’s behavior. What we’re seeing is that women had been reading the tea leaves about access to reproductive health care prior to the Dobbs decision, but the decision did unmask a wider problem that drove a lot of new behavior among men.

One of the messages that we are getting from this paper is this is an “all of us” problem. It’s not just about women physicians. It’s about men who are also making choices about their professional autonomy and also about access to reproductive health care for their families. Women have been and will be considering their personal access to care and autonomy before this decision, but perhaps these state restrictions after Dobbs may have newly increased awareness among men. 

Among all these shifts, you found one group whose application rates didn’t change significantly: people applying to highly competitive medical specialities. What do you think explains that stickiness? 

AG: Anna and I had brainstormed about this being a potential effect modifier, because people who are applying in highly competitive specialties like orthopedic surgery or dermatology apply very broadly and don’t get to exercise a lot of choice about where to go. Whereas for large specialities like internal medicine, family medicine or pediatrics, there are a lot of programs in a lot of places, so applicants have more options. In those cases, state-level policies like abortion restrictions can factor more into people’s decision-making.

At an institutional level, what changes could be made to address these trends? 

AG: Institutions can make choices to mitigate some of these effects by supporting candidates with access to reproductive care within the scope of the restrictions that exist. Other industries are building in travel benefits for women who may need to travel to access these services. 

It’s not this aspect of a decision alone that shapes a residency applicant’s choice to go to a specific place or program. But there are other things that institutions can do to make trainees, particularly women, feel supported and valued. If you’re existing in an environment where state policies make women feel a lack of autonomy, then there are workforce policies that can be in place to bolster that sense of autonomy. That could take the shape of parental leave policies, lactation policies, other things that institutions can do to make women feel like, even if this part of your voice has been taken away, we’ll help you with the rest.

AB: One policy that has a long history of literature supporting it is financial incentives. Physicians do respond to financial incentives, but in many cases those incentives need to be quite steep to get people to change their decisions. 

AM: The other option is training opportunities. A lot of programs in states that had laws or restrictions that preceded the Dobbs decision would set up partnerships with organizations in another state where they could send their trainees to learn about pregnancy termination and miscarriage management. That’s a burden on residency programs and residents both. You have to set up housing and travel agreements. But that’s another key thing that programs need to keep in mind in order to recruit applicants. 

For more information or to contact the researchers, contact Alden Woods at acwoods@uw.edu.

Over five decades, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has become known as the nation’s first “food as medicine” program. Low-income families receiving WIC benefits — which provides nutritious food in designated categories, nutrition education and access to other social services — have fewer premature births and infant deaths, eat higher-quality diets, and are more likely to receive regular medical care. 

But many families who are income eligible to participate in WIC aren’t receiving those benefits. Research has found that households who don’t use the full amount of their nutrition benefits are more likely to drop from the program. 

New research by the University of Washington has found that households who redeem more of their benefits in the most popular food categories are more likely to remain in the program long-term. Better understanding these patterns could help WIC agencies identify families who might need a little extra encouragement to stay enrolled.

The study was published Dec. 3 in JAMA Network Open. 

“Finding ways to identify kids and families that are at risk of dropping out of the program is of high importance,” said Pia Chaparro, a UW assistant professor of health systems and population health and first author of the study. “That’s basically what we’ve identified — a way to flag families who may be at risk of dropping off.”

WIC provides families with food benefits in specific categories, with fruits and vegetables and eggs as the most popular. In partnership with Public Health Foundation Enterprises WIC (PHFE WIC), a Southern California WIC agency with a large research and evaluation division, researchers analyzed redemption data from 188,000 participating infants and children 0-3 years old, between the years 2019 and 2023. 

Among those children, higher redemption of fruits and vegetables, eggs, whole milk and infant formula was associated with lower risk of their household discontinuing WIC participation. 

The risk of discontinuation decreased in a somewhat linear fashion as redemption rates increased.

Chaparro hopes that local WIC agencies will build on these findings and seek new ways to engage families at risk of dropping off. All WIC providers must offer nutrition education, which could be an opportunity to target households with lower redemption rates in popular categories. 

The findings come just over a year after the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees WIC, implemented significant updates to the program’s food package. Among other changes, the 2024 rule significantly increased benefits for fresh fruits and vegetables, which has proven popular.

“The expansion of fruit and vegetable benefits for WIC families has been among the most important policy changes of the last decade,” said Shannon Whaley, director of research and evaluation at PHFE WIC and co-author of the study. “Families want more fruits and vegetables, and this research demonstrates that their inclusion in the WIC food package is essential for longer-term engagement in the program.”

Christopher Anderson of the University of Tennessee and PHFE WIC is the corresponding author. This study was funded by The Research Innovation and Development Grants in Economics (RIDGE) Partnership.

When uncontrolled wildfires moved from the foothills above Los Angeles into the densely populated urban areas below in January 2025, evacuation ensued and a thick layer of toxic smoke spread across the region. Air quality plummeted. Local hospitals braced for a surge, but it never came.  

Research led by the University of Washington and Kaiser Permanente Southern California sheds new light on how the Los Angeles fires affected people’s health, and how people navigated the health care system during an emergency. In the rapid study, published Nov. 26 in JAMA Health Forum, researchers analyzed the health records of 3.7 million Kaiser Permanente members of all ages living in the region. They found that health care visits did rise above normal levels, especially virtual services.  

In the week after the fires ignited, Kaiser Permanente members made 42% more virtual visits for respiratory symptoms than expected. Those living near a burn zone or within Los Angeles County also made 44% and 40% more virtual cardiovascular visits, respectively, than expected. 

In-person outpatient visits for respiratory symptoms also increased substantially. Members who lived near a burn zone or within Los Angeles County made 27% and 31% more virtual cardiovascular visits, respectively, than expected. 

Extrapolating to all insured residents of the county, the researchers estimated an excess of 15,792 cardiovascular virtual visits, 18,489 respiratory virtual visits and 27,903 respiratory outpatient visits in the first week of the fires. 

The results suggest that people may rely more heavily on virtual health care during climate-related emergencies, and that providers should better prioritize virtual and telehealth services as they prepare for future crises. 

“We saw over 6,241 excess cardiorespiratory virtual visits in the week following the fire ignition. This represents a substantial increase in care,” said Joan Casey, a UW associate professor of environmental and occupational health sciences and of epidemiology who led the research. “While the fires clearly impacted health, virtual care likely enhanced the ability of providers to meet the health care needs of people experiencing an ongoing climate disaster.” 

In collaboration with Kaiser Permanente Southern California, an integrated health care system with millions of members across the region, researchers analyzed health records of people who were highly or moderately exposed to wildfires. They defined high exposure as living within about 12 miles (20 kilometers) of a burn zone, and moderate exposure as living within Los Angeles County but farther than 12 miles during the time of the fires.  

Researchers looked back three years to estimate how many health care visits to expect in the weeks following Jan. 7 — the first day of the fires — under typical conditions. They then estimated how many people sought care in the first week of the fires, when smoke levels were highest, evacuations took place, and Los Angeles County public schools were closed.

In addition to the spike in cardiovascular and respiratory visits, researchers found a sharp increase in the number of visits for injuries and neuropsychiatric symptoms. On Jan. 7, outpatient injury visits were 18% higher than expected among highly exposed members, and virtual injury visits were 26% and 18% higher than expected among highly and moderately exposed groups, respectively. Among those same groups, outpatient neuropsychiatric visits rose 31% and 28% above expectations, respectively.

While both groups made significantly more visits than expected, proximity to the fires mattered. When researchers zoomed in on respiratory-related virtual visits, they found that minimally exposed members made 31% more visits, moderately exposed members made 36% more, and those living in highly exposed areas made 42% more.  

“While healthcare systems often plan to increase the number of hospital beds available or clinic staffing during an emergency, this work highlights the importance of considering virtual care capacity,” said Lauren Wilner, a UW doctoral student of epidemiology and co-author on the study. “This may be particularly true for climate disasters like wildfires, during which people are advised to stay indoors or when people must evacuate — motivating them to seek care online if at all possible. As climate disasters increase in frequency and intensity, it is essential that health care systems know how to prepare for a sudden and dramatic surge in health care utilization.” 

Other authors on this study are Yuqian Gu, Gina Lee and Sara Tartof of Kaiser Permanente Southern California; Lara Schwarz of the University of California, Berkeley; Timothy Frankland of Kaiser Permanente Hawaii; Heather McBrien and Nina Flores of Columbia University; Chen Chen and Arnab Dey of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego; and Tarik Benmarhnia of the Scripps Institution and the University of Rennes in France.

This research was funded by the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences. 

For more information or to reach the research team, contact Alden Woods at acwoods@uw.edu.

About 10% of American babies are born prematurely. Birth before 37 weeks can lead to a cascade of health risks, both immediate and long-term, making prevention a vital tool for improving public health over generations. 

In recent years, researchers have identified a potential link between wildfire smoke — one of the fastest-growing sources of air pollution in the United States — and preterm birth, but no study has been big or broad enough to draw definitive conclusions. A new study led by the University of Washington makes an important contribution, analyzing data from more than 20,000 births to find that pregnant people who are exposed to wildfire smoke are more likely to give birth prematurely.

“Preventing preterm birth really pays off with lasting benefits for future health,” said lead author Allison Sherris, a UW postdoctoral researcher in environmental and occupational health sciences. “It’s also something of a mystery. We don’t always understand why babies are born preterm, but we know that air pollution contributes to preterm births, and it makes sense that wildfire smoke would as well. This study underscores that wildfire smoke is inseparable from maternal and infant health.”

In the study, published Nov. 3 in The Lancet Planetary Health, researchers used data from the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program, a federal research project focused on how a wide range of environmental factors affect children’s health. The sample included 20,034 births from 2006-2020 across the contiguous United States.

Researchers estimated participants’ average daily exposure to fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, generated by wildfire smoke, and the total number of days they were exposed to any amount of smoke. They estimated the intensity of smoke exposure by how frequently participants were exposed to wildfire PM2.5 levels above certain thresholds.

They found that pregnant people exposed to more intense wildfire smoke were more likely to give birth prematurely. In mid-pregnancy, exposure to any smoke was associated with an elevated risk of preterm birth, with that risk peaking around the 21st week of gestation. In late pregnancy, elevated risk was most closely associated with exposure to high concentrations of wildfire PM2.5, above 10 micrograms per cubic meter.

“The second trimester is a period of pregnancy with the richest and most intense growth of the placenta, which itself is such an important part of fetal health, growth and development,” said co-author Dr. Catherine Karr, a UW professor of environmental and occupational health sciences and of pediatrics in the UW School of Medicine. “So it may be that the wildfire smoke particles are really interfering with placental health. Some of them are so tiny that after inhalation they can actually get into the bloodstream and get delivered directly into the placenta or fetus.” 

The link was strongest and most precise in the Western U.S., where people were exposed to the highest concentrations of wildfire PM2.5 and the greatest number of high-intensity smoke days. Here, the odds of preterm birth increased with each additional microgram per cubic meter of average wildfire PM2.5.

It’s possible those results were more precise simply because the West experiences more wildfire smoke on average, making the exposure model perform better, Sherris said. But there may be other factors behind the regional differences. 

The composition of wildfire smoke is different across the country. In the West, smoke tends to come from fires nearby, while in places like the Midwest, smoke has typically drifted in from faraway fires. Smoke’s toxicity changes as it ages and reacts with sunlight and airborne chemicals, which could have affected the results. Researchers also noted that external factors like co-occurring heat or housing quality may have effects that aren’t fully understood. 

Researchers hope that future studies will examine the exact mechanisms by which wildfire smoke might trigger preterm birth. But in the meantime, Sherris said, evidence for a link is now strong enough to take action. 

“There are a couple avenues for change,” Sherris said. “First, people already get a lot of public health messaging and information throughout pregnancy, so there’s an opportunity to work with clinicians to provide tools for pregnant people to protect themselves during smoke events. Public health agencies’ messaging about wildfire smoke could also be tailored to pregnant people and highlight them as a vulnerable group.”

Co-authors include Logan Dearborn, doctoral student of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW; Christine Loftus, clinical associate professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW; Adam Szpiro, professor of biostatistics at the UW; Joan Casey, associate professor of environmental and occupational health sciences and of epidemiology at the UW; Sindana Ilango, postdoctoral fellow of epidemiology at the UW; and Marissa Childs, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW. A full list of co-authors is included with the paper.

This research was funded by the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program at the National Institutes of Health under multiple awards. A full list of ECHO funding awards is included with the paper. 

For more information or to contact the researchers, email Alden Woods at acwoods@uw.edu.

DALLAS, 18 de mayo del 2026 — La colaboración internacional en materia de investigación, diagnóstico y atención es fundamental para reducir el riesgo de afecciones cardíacas graves en los niños con enfermedad de Kawasaki (sitio web en inglés) en todo el mundo, según un nuevo aviso científico publicado hoy en la Journal of the American Heart Association, una revista médica de acceso libre y revisada por expertos de la American Heart Association (Asociación Americana del Corazón).

“La enfermedad de Kawasaki es altamente tratable, pero demasiados niños en todo el mundo se enfrentan a un diagnóstico tardío o a un acceso limitado a la atención médica”, afirmó el presidente del grupo de redacción de avisos científicos, Ashraf S. Harahsheh, M.D., FAHA, director tanto del Programa de Enfermedad de Kawasaki como del Programa de Resultados de Calidad en Cardiología del Children’s National Hospital en Washington, D. C. “En este aviso científico se destaca el poder de la colaboración internacional para avanzar en la investigación y mejorar la atención de los pacientes en todas partes. Mediante el intercambio de datos, conocimientos especializados y prácticas recomendadas, podemos reducir las desigualdades y mejorar los resultados de salud cardíaca para los niños con enfermedad de Kawasaki, sin importar dónde vivan”.

¿Qué es la enfermedad de Kawasaki?

La enfermedad de Kawasaki es una afección poco frecuente, pero grave, que se presenta principalmente en niños menores de cinco años. Puede causar inflamación de los vasos sanguíneos en todo el cuerpo, especialmente en las arterias coronarias (los vasos que suministran sangre al corazón), y es la principal causa de enfermedades cardíacas adquiridas (no congénitas [sitio web en inglés]) en los niños. Los síntomas de la enfermedad de Kawasaki incluyen fiebre, erupción cutánea, labios rojos y “lengua de fresa” (irregular y roja con papilas gustativas inflamadas). El tratamiento inmediato es fundamental para prevenir complicaciones cardiovasculares graves, y la mayoría de los niños se recuperan por completo con tratamiento.

Aunque la causa de la enfermedad de Kawasaki sigue siendo desconocida, existe una fuerte sospecha de que pueda tratarse de una respuesta inmunitaria anómala a un desencadenante, como una enfermedad infecciosa en un niño genéticamente susceptible. Sin embargo, aún no se ha identificado ningún agente específico. 

Se estima que más de 4,200 niños reciben un diagnóstico de enfermedad de Kawasaki en los EE. UU. cada año. Según una declaración científica sobre la enfermedad de Kawasaki (sitio web en inglés) del 2024 de la American Heart Association, la enfermedad se presenta entre 10 y 30 veces más a menudo en países de Asia Oriental, incluidos Japón, Corea del Sur, China y Taiwán.

Los puntos más destacados del aviso incluyen lo siguiente:

• El diagnóstico y el tratamiento tempranos son fundamentales: el retraso en el diagnóstico sigue siendo un gran obstáculo para obtener resultados óptimos, especialmente en países y comunidades con menos recursos de salud. Si no se trata, aproximadamente uno de cada cuatro niños con enfermedad de Kawasaki puede desarrollar aneurismas de las arterias coronarias (sitio web en inglés). El tratamiento inmediato con inmunoglobulina intravenosa (IgIV) puede reducir el riesgo de aneurisma a menos del 5%. Es esencial fortalecer la capacidad de diagnóstico y tratamiento en las regiones donde el acceso a la atención es más limitado.

• La colaboración ha mejorado la atención, pero aún persisten las brechas: los avances en el control de la enfermedad de Kawasaki han tenido mayor éxito en países grandes, con experiencia y económicamente avanzados. Estos logros suelen ser el resultado de colaboraciones sólidas en materia de investigación, del intercambio de conocimientos especializados y de planes de tratamiento coordinados. En los últimos años, han surgido iniciativas de colaboración adicionales a nivel regional, nacional e internacional, incluso en países de ingresos bajos y medios (PIBM). Sin embargo, la mayoría de las redes de colaboración actuales sobre la enfermedad de Kawasaki no cuentan con financiamiento formal.

• Se necesita un enfoque global y armonizado: el aviso recomienda colaboraciones internacionales inclusivas que tengan en cuenta las necesidades culturales de las comunidades locales, den prioridad a la identificación y reducción de las barreras en la atención, supervisen los resultados para mejorar los desenlaces y promuevan la atención basada en la evidencia en todas las regiones, particularmente en los PIBM. Una colaboración internacional eficaz debe tener en cuenta las diferencias entre las comunidades, incluidos la cultura, el idioma, las zonas horarias y los recursos disponibles en los centros participantes. Además, es importante contar con la participación de los pacientes, las familias y los grupos de intercesión para respaldar una atención centrada en el paciente y mejorar el acceso a la atención médica.

“Cuando los hospitales y los sistemas de salud colaboran y comparan sus resultados, esto puede ayudar a identificar los retos locales o regionales, como las deficiencias en los recursos o el acceso a la atención médica, que deben abordarse. Compartir esta información puede conducir a una mejor atención y a mejoras continuas. Los futuros esfuerzos internacionales para mejorar la atención de la enfermedad de Kawasaki deben centrarse en trabajar juntos para mejorar la calidad, desarrollar la experiencia local, orientar a los líderes clínicos y fortalecer los sistemas de atención en los países de ingresos bajos, y medios, en los que el acceso a la atención suele ser más limitado”, señaló Harahsheh.

Este aviso científico fue elaborado por el grupo de redacción voluntario en nombre del Comité de Fiebre Reumática, Endocarditis y Enfermedad de Kawasaki del Consejo sobre Enfermedades Cardíacas Congénitas de por Vida y Salud Cardíaca en los Jóvenes (el Consejo de Corazones Jóvenes) de la American Heart Association. Los avisos científicos sirven de base para la elaboración de declaraciones científicas y directrices; sin embargo, no formulan recomendaciones de tratamiento. Las pautas de la American Heart Association proporcionan las recomendaciones oficiales de la práctica clínica de la Asociación.

En el manuscrito se indican los miembros del grupo de redacción del aviso científico y las declaraciones de los autores.

La Asociación recibe más de un 85% de sus ingresos de fuentes que no son empresas. Estas fuentes incluyen contribuciones de personas particulares, fundaciones y patrimonios, así como ganancias por inversiones e ingresos por la venta de nuestros materiales informativos. Las empresas (incluidas las farmacéuticas, los fabricantes de dispositivos y otras compañías) también realizan donaciones a la Asociación. La Asociación tiene políticas estrictas para evitar que las donaciones influyan en el contenido científico y en las posturas de sus políticas. La información financiera general está disponible aquí (sitio web en inglés).

Recursos adicionales:

• Los recursos multimedia disponibles se encuentran en la columna derecha del vínculo de la publicación
• Comunicado de prensa en inglés
• Después de las 5:00 a. m., ET del 18 de mayo del 2026, consulte el artículo (sitio web en inglés) en línea.
• Comunicado de prensa de la declaración científica de la American Heart Association: La detección temprana y el tratamiento intensivo son fundamentales para los pacientes de alto riesgo con enfermedad de Kawasaki (sitio web en inglés) (noviembre del 2024)
• Comunicado de prensa de la American Heart Association: Las medidas de prevención de la pandemia se asocian con menores índices de enfermedad de Kawasaki en los niños (sitio web en inglés) (junio del 2021)
• Comunicado de prensa de la declaración científica de la American Heart Association: Se necesitan planes formales para prestar apoyo a los adolescentes con enfermedad de Kawasaki en la transición a la atención médica para adultos (sitio web en inglés) (octubre del 2021)
• Siga las noticias de la American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (Asociación Americana del Derrame Cerebral) en X en @HeartNews
• Siga las noticias de la Journal of the American Heart Association en @JAHA_AHA

###

Acerca de la American Heart Association

La American Heart Association es una fuerza incansable para un mundo de vidas más largas y saludables. La organización ha sido una fuente líder de información sobre salud durante más de cien años y su objetivo es garantizar la equidad en la salud en todas las comunidades. Con el apoyo de más de 35 millones de voluntarios en todo el mundo, financiamos investigaciones vanguardistas, defendemos la salud pública y proporcionamos recursos fundamentales para salvar y mejorar vidas afectadas por enfermedades cardiovasculares y ataques o derrames cerebrales. Trabajamos incansablemente para hacer avanzar la salud y transformar vidas cada día mediante el impulso de avances y la implementación de soluciones comprobadas en las áreas de ciencia, políticas y cuidados. Comuníquese con nosotros en heart.org (sitio web en inglés), Facebook o X, o llame al 1-800-AHA-USA1.

Para consultas de los medios de comunicación: 214-706-1173

Amanda Ebert: Amanda.Ebert@heart.org

Para consultas públicas: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org (sito web en inglés) y derramecerebral.org

DALLAS, May 18, 2026 — International collaboration in research, diagnosis and care is critical to reducing the risk of serious heart conditions for children with Kawasaki disease worldwide, according to a new science advisory published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

“Kawasaki disease is highly treatable, yet too many children around the world face delayed diagnosis or limited access to care,” said the chair of the science advisory writing group, Ashraf S. Harahsheh, M.D., FAHA, director of both the Kawasaki Disease Program and the Quality Outcomes in Cardiology Program for Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. “This science advisory underscores the power of international collaboration to advance research and improve care for patients everywhere. By sharing data, expertise and best practices, we can reduce disparities and improve heart health outcomes for children with Kawasaki disease, wherever they live.”

What is Kawasaki disease?

Kawasaki disease is a rare but serious illness primarily affecting children younger than five years old. The disease can cause inflammation of blood vessels throughout the body, particularly the coronary arteries (blood vessels supplying the heart), and it is the leading cause of acquired (not congenital) heart disease in children. Symptoms of Kawasaki disease include fever, rash, red lips and “strawberry tongue” (bumpy and red with enlarged taste buds). Prompt treatment is critical to prevent progression to serious cardiovascular complications, and most children recover fully with treatment.

Although the cause of Kawasaki disease remains unknown, there is a strong suspicion that it may be an abnormal immune response to a trigger, such as an infectious illness in a genetically susceptible child. However, no single agent has been identified yet. 

It is estimated that more than 4,200 children are diagnosed with Kawasaki disease in the U.S. each year. According to a 2024 American Heart Association scientific statement on Kawasaki disease, the disease occurs 10-30 times more often in countries in East Asia, including Japan, South Korea, China and Taiwan.

Highlights of the advisory include:

• Early diagnosis and treatment are critical: Delayed diagnosis remains a major barrier to optimal outcomes, particularly in countries and communities with fewer health resources. If left untreated, approximately one in four children with Kawasaki disease may develop coronary artery aneurysm. Prompt treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) can reduce the risk of aneurysm to less than 5%. Strengthening diagnostic and treatment capacity in regions where access to care is most limited is essential.

• Collaboration has improved care, yet gaps remain: Advances in Kawasaki disease management have been most successful in large, experienced and economically advanced countries. These gains have often been driven by strong research collaborations, shared expertise and coordinated treatment plans. In recent years, additional collaborative efforts have emerged at regional, national and international levels, including in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, most current Kawasaki disease collaborative networks do not have formal funding.

• A global, harmonized approach is needed: The advisory calls for inclusive international collaborations that consider the cultural needs of local communities, prioritize uncovering and reducing barriers to care, monitor results to improve outcomes and promote evidence-based care across regions, particularly in LMICs. Effective international collaboration must account for differences in communities, including culture, language, time zones and available resources at participating sites. In addition, including patients, families and advocacy groups is important to support patient-centered care and improve access to care.

“When hospitals and health systems work together and compare how well they are doing, it can help identify local or regional challenges—such as gaps in resources or access to care—that need to be addressed. Sharing this information can lead to better care and ongoing improvements. Future international efforts to improve care for Kawasaki disease should focus on working together to improve quality, building local expertise, mentoring clinical leaders and strengthening care systems in low‑ and middle‑income countries, where access to care is often most limited,” Harahsheh said.

This science advisory was prepared by the volunteer writing group on behalf of the American Heart Association’s Rheumatic Fever, Endocarditis, Kawasaki Disease Committee of the Council on Lifelong Congenital Heart Disease and Heart Health in the Young (the Young Hearts Council). Science advisories inform the development of scientific statements and guidelines; however, they do not make treatment recommendations. American Heart Association guidelines provide the Association’s official clinical practice recommendations.

Members of the science advisory writing group and authors’ disclosures are listed in the manuscript.

The Association receives more than 85% of its revenue from sources other than corporations. These sources include contributions from individuals, foundations and estates, as well as investment earnings and revenue from the sale of our educational materials. Corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to the Association. The Association has strict policies to prevent any donations from influencing its science content and policy positions. Overall financial information is available here.

Additional Resources:

• Available multimedia is on right column of release link.
• Spanish news release 
• After 5 a.m. ET, May 18, 2026, view the manuscript online.
• American Heart Association scientific statement news release: Early detection, intensive treatment critical for high-risk patients with Kawasaki Disease (Nov. 2024)
• American Heart Association news release: Pandemic prevention measures linked to lower rates of Kawasaki disease in children (June 2021)
• American Heart Association scientific statement news release: Formal plans needed to support teens with Kawasaki disease in transition to adult care (Oct. 2021)
• Follow American Heart Association/American Stroke Association news on X @HeartNews
• Follow news from the Journal of the American Heart Association @JAHA_AHA

###

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

For Media Inquiries: 214-706-1173

Amanda Ebert: Amanda.Ebert@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

• People who survived a heart attack had 5% higher odds each year of developing cognitive impairment compared to people who have not had a heart attack.
• Maintaining better cardiovascular health plays an important role in preserving normal brain function long term.

Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET, Thursday, May 14, 2026

DALLAS, May 14, 2026 — The chance of developing cognitive impairment was significantly higher for people who have had a heart attack, according to a study published today in Stroke, the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association.

“Having had a heart attack in the past may speed up the decline in memory and thinking over time,” said study lead author Mohamed Ridha, M.D., an assistant professor of neurology at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. “Given the rising burden of dementia and cognitive decline among Americans, it is important to understand how cardiovascular disease affects their brain health. This knowledge can help heart attack survivors take steps to improve their brain health as they age.”

In this study, researchers examined the potential relationship between a prior history of heart attack and the trajectory of cognitive function over time. The study included more than 20,000 adult men and women who underwent a medical interview and electrocardiogram at the start of the study to determine if they had a heart attack at any point in their past.

Over a 10-year follow-up period, participants underwent a simple cognitive screening with 6 questions once per year. The analysis adjusted for all factors that contribute to cognitive decline to identify the true impact of a prior heart attack.

The analysis found:

• Compared to people without a previous heart attack, heart attack survivors had an average yearly 5% increased odds of developing cognitive impairment. This association was similar among Black and white adults, as well as men and women.
• People with an undiagnosed (silent) heart attack were also found to have an accelerated rate of cognitive decline, compared to participants who had not had a heart attack.
• Among women, a silent heart attack was more common than a medical diagnosis or self-reported heart attack.

“As people age, the risk of cognitive issues and dementia increases, and some people may be at higher risk of cognitive decline. Our study found that those who have had a heart attack, including silent heart attacks, are one of those groups at higher risk. It’s important for clinicians who care for heart attack survivors to also provide counseling on ways to avoid cognitive decline and dementia,” Ridha said.

The American Heart Association defines optimal heart and brain health through its Life’s Essential 8™ metrics — four health behaviors (eat better, be more active, quit tobacco and get healthy sleep) and four health factors (healthy weight and manage cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar). This study adds more evidence that good heart health is linked to better brain health.

“This study highlights a group of people who may be at higher risk for conditions that affect memory and thinking over time,” said Elisabeth Marsh, M.D., FAHA, chair of the 2026 American Heart Association Scientific Statement Brain Health Across the Lifespan. “A previous heart attack may be a sign of more widespread blood vessel disease throughout the body, not just in the heart. However, more research is needed to better understand what’s really driving this connection and how damage in different blood vessels may be linked to changes in brain health.” Marsh, who was not involved in this research, is a professor of neurology and associate director of the neurology residency program at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and director of the Stroke Center at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore.

To address the growing burden of age-related cognitive impairment, the American Heart Association and the Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group have created the AHA-Allen Initiative in Brain Health and Cognitive Impairment. The two organizations, along with additional contributors, have committed more than $43 million toward research to advance the understanding of brain health and improve lives. More information about the awards given to fund brain health research is available here. In addition, the Association’s Strategically Focused Research Network on Inflammation in Cardiac and Neurovascular Disease awarded $15 million to researchers to study inflammation’s impact on heart and brain health.

Study details, background and design:

• The analysis included health data for 20,923 men and women enrolled in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study.
• Their average age was 63 years old, and 62% were white adults and 38% Black adults.
• Participants were enrolled from 2003 to 2007 and had an electrocardiogram and no cognitive impairment at enrollment. REGARDS study data were collected from 2003 to 2017.
• Evidence of a prior heart attack was identified in 10.4% of the participants: with 5.2% being self-reported, 1.3% confirmed by electrocardiogram (clinical), and 3.8% were unrecognized/silent heart attacks (no previous diagnosis of heart attack but evidence found on electrocardiogram). Participants were followed for a median of 10 years for cognitive decline.
• The researchers adjusted for age, sex, race, geographic region in the U.S., education, income, exercise frequency, weight, blood pressure, kidney function, alcohol use, smoking, diabetes, depression, and any major cardiovascular events (stroke or heart attack) that occurred during the follow-up period.
• The analysis examined the association between prior heart attack and change in overall cognitive function, assessed by annual telephone-based Six-Item Screener scores. The simple cognitive screening with 6 questions once per year. Participants were asked three orientation questions regarding the current year, month, and day of the week. They were then presented with three words (commonly “apple,” “table,” and “penny”) and, after a short delay, asked to recall them. One point is assigned for each correct response, yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 6, with lower scores indicating worse cognitive performance.

Some limitations of the study may affect the results. The analysis reviewed data from an ongoing, prospective study that was designed to compare stroke incidence in the southeastern U.S., known as the stroke belt. Additionally, the cognitive test used is a simple six-question test that only measures overall cognition rather than specific brain and mental functions.

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the manuscript.

Studies published in the American Heart Association’s scientific journals are peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives more than 85% of its revenue from sources other than corporations. These sources include contributions from individuals, foundations and estates, as well as investment earnings and revenue from the sale of our educational materials. Corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to the Association. The Association has strict policies to prevent any donations from influencing its science content. A detailed listing of revenue from foundations and corporations including health insurance providers and the Association’s overall financial information are available here.

Additional Resources:

• Multimedia is available on the right column of release link.
• After May 14, view the manuscript online.
• American Heart Association news release: Adults with heart-healthy metrics had better health from head to toe (July 2025)
• American Heart Association news release: Heart failure, atrial fibrillation & coronary heart disease linked to cognitive impairment (Oct. 2024) Statement
• American Heart Association scientific statement: A Primary Care Agenda for Brain Health (March 2021)American Heart Association health information: Optimal Brain Health
• Follow AHA/ASA news on X @HeartNews 

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About the American Stroke Association

The American Stroke Association is devoted to saving people from stroke — the No. 2 cause of death in the world and a leading cause of serious disability. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat stroke. The Dallas-based association officially launched in 1998 as a division of the American Heart Association. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-888-4STROKE or visit stroke.org. Follow us on Facebook, X.

For Media Inquiries and American Heart Association Expert Perspective: 214-706-1173

Karen Astle: Karen.Astle@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721) 

heart.org and stroke.org

• Women should undergo screening for cardiovascular risk factors throughout adulthood, however, perimenopause, which is the transition into menopause, offers a “window of opportunity” to reassess risk and prompt lifestyle changes, according to the analysis of data from a nationwide U.S. population-based study.
• Using the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8™ (LE8) health metrics, researchers found that perimenopausal women were twice as likely to have an overall lower cardiovascular health score compared to women who were still having regular menstrual cycles.
• The findings indicate that the low cardiovascular health scores were largely driven by significantly higher cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET Wednesday, May 13, 2026

DALLAS, May 13, 2026 — Perimenopausal women were two times more likely to have a low cardiovascular health score compared to women having regular menstrual cycles, according to an analysis of nationwide U.S. data published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

Perimenopause is defined as the transitional period from the reproductive to the non-reproductive phase and is marked by hormonal and metabolic changes when cardiovascular health can decline in comparison to the premenopausal years. A 2020 scientific statement from the American Heart Association emphasized that the transition to menopause can increase cardiovascular disease risk and is an important time for women to implement early intervention strategies.

During perimenopause, estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate, menstrual periods may become irregular, and women often experience mood changes, sleep problems and hot flashes. When 12 consecutive months pass after a woman’s final menstrual period, she is considered postmenopausal.

“Mid-life women should think of the perimenopausal period as a ‘window of opportunity.’ They should be proactive and not wait until they reach menopause to start checking their blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels,” said Garima Arora, M.D., senior author of the study and a professor of medicine in the division of cardiovascular disease at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “Women should talk with their health care team about their reproductive status and any changes they are experiencing. It may be the perfect time to get a baseline for their heart health.”

Life’s Essential 8™ (LE8) scores are scientifically based measures of optimal cardiovascular health defined by the American Heart Association. These recommendations encapsulate effective management of lifestyle/behavior (diet, physical activity, tobacco use and sleep) and health factors (blood pressure, cholesterol levels, body weight and blood sugar levels) to achieve optimal cardiovascular health. Using the LE8 score, an average measure of all eight factors on a 100-point scale, researchers assessed participants’ heart health.

The analysis revealed:

• Median LE8 scores among all participants declined with advancing reproductive stage, from 73.3 out of 100 (in premenopausal women) to 69.1 (in perimenopausal women) to 63.9 among women in postmenopause.
• Among the individual LE8 components, diet consistently received the lowest scores and continued to decline over time among all reproductive stages.
• After accounting for the effect of aging, perimenopausal women were twice as likely to have an overall low LE8 score compared to premenopausal women. They were 76% more likely to have a low cholesterol score and 83% more likely to have a low blood sugar score.
• Fluctuations in estrogen levels during perimenopause may contribute to the decline in cardiovascular health because varying estrogen levels may negatively affect cholesterol, insulin resistance, blood pressure and weight management.
• Sleep duration scores remained high across all reproductive stages, despite perimenopausal women reporting difficulty sleeping, suggesting that sleep quality may be more affected than sleep duration.

“Our analysis highlights that perimenopause, women’s reproductive transition period to menopause, is the critical time when the increase in cardiovascular risk seems magnified. When we compared women’s LE8 scores to the premenopausal baseline, the perimenopausal group was the first to show a significant jump in the odds of having low heart health,” said Amrita Nayak, M.D., lead author of the study and a research fellow in the division of cardiovascular disease at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

“Nutrition can be a central factor for early and proactive intervention. Focusing on heart-healthy habits early, especially getting regular exercise and following a healthy eating plan like the DASH diet with a focus on lowering salt can help improve cardiovascular health for perimenopausal women in the years to come,” added Dr. Arora.

“This research highlights yet another aspect of the unique factors that increase a woman’s risk of cardiovascular disease throughout the stages of her lifespan. Significant health changes during pregnancy, perimenopause and menopause make it particularly important to pay close attention to increases in health risk factors during those times,” said Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association. “I encourage women to talk with their primary care and specialty health care teams to learn about early detection and modification of traditional and ‘female-specific’ risk factors. Women can take proven steps to improve their cardiovascular health at all ages.” Rosen, who was not involved in this study, is also executive director of the Katz Institute for Women’s Health and senior vice president of women’s health at Northwell Health in New York City.

“Our next step is to follow women over several years to track hormone levels and heart health, which will help clarify the long-term impact of perimenopause and how lifestyle changes can reduce risk,” Arora said. “We hope these findings encourage clinicians to begin screening for high blood pressure, cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes earlier in the perimenopausal transition, leading to earlier diagnosis, prevention and intervention at a critical time in women’s lives.”

Study details, background, design and limitations:

• The analysis included 9,248 women between 18 and 80 years of age who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2007 and 2020.
• Based on interview questions, the participants represent a broad cross-section of the U.S. population: included 65% self-identified as non-Hispanic white women, 11% self-identified as non-Hispanic Black women, 9% self-identified as Mexican American women, 7% self-identified as other Hispanic women, and 8% self-identified as women from other races including Asian.
• Based on interview questions, 5,882 participants were classified as premenopausal (median age of 34 years), 205 were grouped as perimenopausal (median age of 50.5 years), and 3,161 were in the postmenopausal group (median age of 60 years). Women who were pregnant or breastfeeding or had a history of cardiovascular disease were excluded from the study.
• Scores between 0-100 on Life’s Essential 8 were calculated and categorized in this study as low (less than 50), intermediate (50-79) or ideal (80 or higher).
• All data were collected via home interviews, and a single medical exam that was done at a mobile examination center.
• LE8 scores were compared among the women at different reproductive stages to track changes due to advancing age or changes in reproductive status. Then, scores adjusted for age were compared among women at different reproductive stages to isolate the direct influence of the menopausal stage.
• The women’s menstrual history to determine their reproductive stage was self-reported, so some participants may have been misclassified.
• Information about other risk factors that can influence hormone levels and heart health, such as ovary removal or the use of hormone replacement therapy, was not complete or unavailable for participants.
• In addition, information about participants’ lifestyle factors, such as levels of physical activity and smoking status, was self-reported.

Co-authors, disclosures, and funding sources are listed in the manuscript.

Studies published in the American Heart Association’s scientific journals are peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives more than 85% of its revenue from sources other than corporations. These sources include contributions from individuals, foundations and estates, as well as investment earnings and revenue from the sale of our educational materials. Corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to the Association. The Association has strict policies to prevent any donations from influencing its science content and policy positions. Overall financial information is available here.

Additional Resources:

• Multimedia is available on the right column of release link.
• After May 13, view the manuscript online.
• American Heart Association news release: 6 in 10 women projected to have at least one type of cardiovascular disease by 2050 (Feb. 2026)
• American Heart Association scientific statement: Forecasting the Burden of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke in Women in the United States Through 2050 (Feb. 2026)
• American Heart Association health information: 2026 Heart Disease & Stroke Statistics Update Fact Sheet Females & Cardiovascular Diseases in the United States (Jan. 2026)
• American Heart Association news release: Hot news flash: Menopause can impact a woman’s heart health (Oct. 2024)
• American Heart Association news release: Non-biological factors and social determinants of health important in women’s CVD risk assessment (April 2023)
• Follow American Heart Association/American Stroke Association news on X @HeartNews
• Follow news from the Journal of the American Heart Association @JAHA_AHA

###

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

For Media Inquiries and American Heart Association Expert Perspective: 214-706-1173

Kelsey Beveridge: Kelsey.beveridge@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

• Methamphetamine (meth) use accounted for about 1 in 6 heart attacks among adults treated at one Northern California hospital over a 10-year period.
• Meth users who had a heart attack were often younger adults or males. Their heart attacks were less likely to be caused by traditional heart disease risk factors, such as high cholesterol, obesity or Type 2 diabetes, compared to other heart attack patients, according to the study.

Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET Wednesday, April 29, 2026

DALLAS, April 29, 2026 —  Methamphetamine (meth) use accounted for nearly 15% of heart attacks for a decade in a northern California study, published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

“Even though meth users were generally younger and didn’t have typical cardiovascular disease-related conditions like high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes or obesity, they were twice as likely to die after a heart attack when compared to non-users,” said study author Susan Zhao, M.D., staff cardiologist and medical director of the Coronary Care Unit at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, California, and an associate clinical professor of medicine (affiliated) at Stanford School of Medicine. “People who use meth need to be aware of the serious health risks associated with it, and medical professionals should closely monitor heart attacks in patients who appear healthy and lack typical risk factors, such as Type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol.”

Methamphetamine, a highly addictive, illegal synthetic central nervous system stimulant, has seen a dramatic increase in use in the U.S. in recent decades. Most meth in the U.S. is illegally made and usually appears as a powder or crystals known as “crystal meth.”

In this study, the largest analysis on acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and methamphetamine use to date, researchers reviewed the medical records of over 1,300 heart attack patients treated at one hospital in Northern California.

The analysis found:

• Meth use accounted for about 1 in 6 heart attacks during the period reviewed.
• People who used meth and had a heart attack were younger (median age 52 years) and were more likely to be male compared to those who had a heart attack but did not use meth (median age  57 years).
• Meth users were less likely to have common risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes, but were more likely to smoke cigarettes, use alcohol and experience homelessness than heart attack patients in this study who did not use meth.
• Adults who used meth were readmitted to the hospital for repeat heart attacks (42.3%) more often and had a higher risk of death from any cause (22.2%) than people who didn’t use meth (14.4%).
• Only 59.3 % of meth users were likely to have procedures to open clogged arteries or to be sent home with standard heart medications, in part because their heart attacks didn’t involve blocked arteries, compared to 75% of non-meth users.

“As meth use rises on the West Coast of the U.S. and this trend moves eastward, heart attacks associated with meth use will increasingly occur in areas beyond California,” Zhao said. “We want to raise awareness that acute coronary syndrome and meth use affect different groups of people, such as young to middle-aged men without traditional risk factors. These groups have different risk factors and health issues, and they also can have a higher chance of dying from them.

“These findings show that we need specific prevention and treatment plans for meth users -  a vulnerable and high-risk group. New plans should also focus on helping people stop using meth,” she said.

Robert L. Page II, Pharm.D., M.S.P.H., FAHA, chair of the writing group for the American Heart Association’s 2020 cannabis statement, said, “As with cannabis, methamphetamine is becoming a major risk factor for developing premature heart disease in young adults, which can lead to serious cardiovascular events. It is important to understand that methamphetamine can harm the heart by causing issues like damaged blood vessels and increased aging of the vascular system.

Page added, “People who have used methamphetamine are diagnosed with heart disease about 8 years earlier than those who haven’t used it. Research shows that men are more likely to have heart attacks related to methamphetamine, and women may also be more vulnerable to heart disease from using stimulants compared to women who don’t use them. These findings highlight the need for health care professionals to discuss these serious risks with their patients to emphasize the potential harms of stimulant abuse.” Page is also a professor in the department of clinical pharmacy and the department of physical medicine/rehabilitation at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Aurora, Colorado, and was not a part of this study.

Study design, details and background:

• The study was conducted at Santa Clara Valley Health Care (SCVH), a public safety-net hospital in Northern California, and included 1,309 adults aged 18 to 65 who were treated for heart attacks between 2012 and 2022, among whom were 194 people who were meth users.
• Meth use was determined by reviewing electronic records for substance abuse reported by patients and results from urine tests.
• Of the heart attack patients who were meth users, about 15% were women; half were white adults; and 25% of patients self-reported they were of Hispanic ethnicity.
• The study excluded heart attack patients with aortic disease, congenital heart disease, heart inflammation, spreading cancer, trauma, type 2 heart attack (heart muscle does not get enough oxygen due to a mismatch between supply and demand, rather than a direct blockage in a coronary artery), valve disease or cocaine users.

The study might not be able to fully show the impact of meth on heart attacks because not all heart attack patients are screened for drug use, or because some cases of meth-induced cardiac events might be incorrectly classified in hospital records. Other limitations include that the study is a review of health records and includes patients treated for heart attack at a single hospital, so the results may not apply to other population groups or patients treated at other hospitals.

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the manuscript.

Studies published in the American Heart Association’s scientific journals are peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives more than 85% of its revenue from sources other than corporations. These sources include contributions from individuals, foundations and estates, as well as investment earnings and revenue from the sale of our educational materials. Corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to the Association. The Association has strict policies to prevent any donations from influencing its science content and policy positions. Overall financial information is available here.

Additional Resources:

• Multimedia is available on the right column of release link.
• Spanish news release
• After April 29, view the manuscript online.
• American Heart Association news release: Illicit drugs, high alcohol consumption both linked to first-time, irregular heart rhythm (Nov. 2021)
• American Heart Association news release: Methamphetamine use drove surge in heart failure hospitalizations, costs in California (July 2021)
• American Heart Association health information: Illegal Drugs and Heart Disease
• Follow American Heart Association/American Stroke Association news on X @HeartNews
• Follow news from the Journal of the American Heart Association @JAHA_AHA

 ###

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

For Media Inquiries and American Heart Association Expert Perspective: 214-706-1173

Bridgette McNeill: Bridgette.McNeill@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org