Improving Health and Medicine - Heart Disease Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in America. Since 1984, more women than men have died each year from heart disease.
Astronauts often experience weakening of their hearts and blood vessels in space.
As NASA works to understand why this happens, its cardiovascular research has led to more than a dozen breakthroughs in the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of heart disease. Cool Lasers Unclog Arteries Open heart surgery to unclog arteries is a risky and high-cost procedure. Angioplasty is an effective alternative but is often unsuitable for women and children because their blood vessels are often too small. A laser used to study the atmosphere has been reapplied to treat the buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries. One day soon, microwave and radio signals will be used to unclog arteries and remove lesions on the walls of arteries.