Hydrogen therapy and cardiovascular diseases: a visualization analysis of research hotspots and application prospects

JOURNAL/mgres/04.03/01612956-202701000-00006/figure1/v/2026-09-13T085902Z/r/image-tiff Hydrogen, an emerging medical gas, has demonstrated diverse biological effects, including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic activities, offering significant therapeutic potential in cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to explore the applications of hydrogen therapy in cardiovascular diseases and to illustrate both the current research status and future trends. 162 publications (129 original articles and 33 reviews) on hydrogen therapy in cardiovascular diseases were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database up to April 9, 2025. The information was analyzed using Excel 2019, OriginPro 2024, VOSviewer 1.6.20 and CiteSpace 6.2. The number of publications on hydrogen therapy for cardiovascular diseases has shown a significant increase, with China, Japan, and the United States of America being the leading contributors. Keio University published the largest number of articles, and Sano Motoaki, the most prolific author (n = 14), is also from Keio University. Keyword clustering analysis shows that current research hotspots include "ischemia-reperfusion injury," "cardiac arrest," "oxidative stress," "inflammation," and "apoptosis," while emerging directions may focus on the "NLRP3 inflammasome," "pyroptosis," and "micro/nanomaterials." The underlying mechanisms of hydrogen therapy and its delivery approaches remain key research hotspots of hydrogen therapy for cardiovascular diseases; however, further high-quality clinical studies are needed to strengthen the evidence base and support its wider clinical application.