Cash prizes boost adherence, but not BP; cup a day keeps A-Fib away; ‘one-and-done’ CRISPR therapy targets heart risk – Morning Medical Update

Cash incentives boosted medication adherence, but not blood pressure outcomes

A daily chance to win up to $50 doubled adherence to blood pressure medications but didn’t improve blood pressure control, according to the BETTER-BP trial presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2025 and published in JACC. The 400-person study at New York community clinics found 71% of participants in the rewards group took medications regularly versus 34% in the control group, yet both groups saw similar six-month systolic reductions (6.7 mm Hg vs 5.8 mm Hg). When the incentives ended, adherence quickly fell back to baseline.

Coffee may lower recurrence of atrial fibrillation, randomized trial shows

Drinking a daily cup of caffeinated coffee may protect against recurrent atrial fibrillation, contrary to decades of clinical caution. The DECAF (Does Eliminating Coffee Avoid Fibrillation) randomized trial, published in JAMA and presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, enrolled 200 patients with persistent atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter post-cardioversion. Those assigned to continue drinking coffee had a 39% lower hazard of recurrence (47% vs 64%) than abstainers, with no increase in adverse events.

CRISPR therapy slashes cholesterol and triglycerides in first-in-human trial

A single infusion of a CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing therapy targeting ANGPTL3 safely cut LDL cholesterol by nearly 50% and triglycerides by about 55% in a Phase 1, first-in-human trial presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2025 and published in The New England Journal of Medicine. The investigational therapy, CTX310™, works by permanently turning off ANGPTL3 expression in the liver — a gene known to regulate lipid metabolism. Fifteen adults with severe or inherited lipid disorders saw sustained reductions for at least 60 days after treatment, with no serious adverse events reported. Researchers called the one-time therapy “unprecedented,” suggesting it could eliminate the need for lifelong cholesterol drugs if confirmed in larger trials. Phase 2 studies are expected to begin in late 2025 or early 2026.