Hormone therapy during menopause can reduce hot flashes, night sweats, and other symptoms that impact a woman’s quality of life, including certain vaginal issues. It also can help prevent bone loss. However, hormone therapy – often called hormone replacement therapy (HRT) – has a confusing history when it comes to cardiovascular health. UAB Medicine cardiologist Gretchen Wells, M.D., explains how changing interpretations of research have left some women unsure whether they can safely use this proven treatment.

Pankaj Arora M.D., professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiovascular Disease at the University of Alabama at BirminghamMarnix E. Heersink School of Medicine and director of the UAB Cardiovascular Genetics Clinic, has received a five-year R01 grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to investigate how genetic differences in natriuretic peptide levels influence blood pressure and an individual’s response to dietary salt.

From long flights to long shifts, compression stockings have become a go-to solution for tired, achy legs. While the trend has grown on social media and everyday wellness routines, experts at the University of Alabama at Birmingham say the utility of compression stockings is more nuanced.

UAB Hospital has once again earned international recognition, securing a place as Alabama's top-ranked hospital on Newsweek’s prestigious list of the World’s Best Hospitals 2026.

The UAB Vein Clinic has earned the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission’s (IAC) 10-year Milestone award. It recognizes a decade of continuous accreditation and highlights the clinic’s commitment to high-quality patient care and excellent outcomes.

Fatigue, unexplained weight changes, and mood swings. These common complaints can have many causes, but one often-overlooked culprit is the thyroid. This small, butterfly-shaped gland in the lower front of the neck produces hormones that influence every cell, tissue and organ in the body, controlling metabolism, heart rate and how quickly the body processes everything from food to sugar.

UAB Medicine is playing a key role nationally in advancing research and treatment for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), thanks in part to a new partnership with the American Heart Association and other U.S. hospitals. The Association is celebrating this effort by presenting UAB with a Get With The Guidelines® 2025 Innovator Award.

The UAB Cardiovascular Institute (CVI) received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Heart Failure Gold Plus award. This quality achievement award recognizes UAB Medicine’s commitment to improving the care and outcomes for patients with heart failure.

In Birmingham, survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases lag behind national averages. But a new research effort at UAB Medicine is taking steps to close that gap – starting with a phone call.

Vein disease is more than just a cosmetic concern. It is a widespread medical condition that can significantly affect quality of life if left untreated. From persistent leg pain and swelling to visible varicose or spider veins, these symptoms often signal underlying issues with blood flow in the veins, particularly in the lower extremities.

The publication Cardiovascular Business has named UAB Medicine Quality Improvement Manager Emily Pentecost to its “Forty Under 40” class of 2025. The annual list recognizes young individuals in health care who are making a major impact in the cardiovascular field.

No one wants to think about potential health issues when traveling, but unfortunately, long car rides and flights can raise travelers’ risk of getting blood clots. With summer travels around the corner, Marc Passman, M.D., professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy and director of the UAB Vein Program and UAB Vein Clinic, encourages everyone to assess their risk of blood clots and take preventive steps during their summer travels this year.