{
  "id": 689332,
  "title": "Dysregulated immune cells may cause silent inflammation after heart attack",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/dysregulated-immune-cells-may-cause-silent-inflammation-after-heart",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-12T18:40:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-dysregulated-immune-cells-silent-inflammation.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Dysregulated immune cells, specifically neutrophils, may be responsible for silent inflammation experienced by patients after a heart attack, according to a study published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology. The research, led by Lena Jonasson, a professor of cardiology at Linköping University, focused on the behavior of neutrophils in patients who had experienced a heart attack and compared them to healthy individuals. Despite current treatments for coronary artery disease, including medicines and balloon angioplasty, the researchers found that neutrophils in patients with stable coronary artery disease do not die as they should. Instead, they remain highly active and contribute to persistent low-grade inflammation. Additionally, regulatory T cells, which typically help suppress inflammation by assisting neutrophils in dying, failed to perform this function in patients with chronic coronary syndrome. This discovery highlights the need for improved methods of diagnosing low-grade inflammation and understanding the underlying mechanisms to better manage and treat recurrent cardiovascular risk in these patients.",
  "summary": "Coronary artery disease, which is caused by plaque buildup in the arteries that supply blood to the heart, can appear stable for long periods without causing any symptoms. But the disease can become unstable at any time and cause a heart attack. Following a heart attack, low-grade inflammation can persist in the body for several months or even years. A large body of research suggests that this…",
  "key_points": [
    "Dysregulated neutrophils cause silent inflammation post-heart attack.",
    "Regulatory T cells fail to suppress inflammation in chronic coronary syndrome.",
    "Study published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}