Current clinical guidelines emphasize the significance of rhythm control with catheter ablation but lack guidance on the timing of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation relative to the diagnosis time. We aim to investigate the latest evidence on the impact of diagnosis to ablation time (DAT) on clinical outcomes after AF ablation.

QT correction (QTc) formulae are widely used in clinical and research settings but often underperform, possibly due to demographic influences on the QT-heart rate (HR) relationship. To address this limitation, we developed an adaptive QTc (QTcAd) formula, which adjusts for demographic factors like age, and compared its efficacy to other standard formulae.

The PRECISE (Prospective Randomized Trial of the Optimal Evaluation of Cardiac Symptoms and Revascularization) demonstrated that a precision diagnostic strategy reduced the primary composite of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or catheterization without obstructive coronary artery disease by 65% in patients with nonacute chest pain compared with usual testing. Medical cost was a prespecified secondary end point.

The PRECISE (Prospective Randomized Trial of the Optimal Evaluation of Cardiac Symptoms and Revascularization) trial compared an investigational precision diagnostic testing strategy (n=1057) with usual testing (n=1046) in patients with stable chest pain and suspected coronary artery disease. Quality of life (QOL) outcomes were a prespecified secondary end point.

Validly measuring disease-specific health status is critical in patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) to quantify the benefit of different interventions. The Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) has been used to assess health status in patients with severe TR, but its content validity in this patient population is unknown, including whether additional questions are needed to supplement the KCCQ.

Despite advancements in diagnostics and therapeutics for cardiovascular disease, significant health disparities persist among patients from historically marginalized racial and ethnic groups, women, individuals who are socioeconomically under-resourced or underinsured, and those living in rural communities. While transcatheter interventions have revolutionized the treatment landscape in cardiology, populations bearing the greatest burden of disease continue to face inequitable access and poorer outcomes. A notable gap in the literature concerns the role of modern approaches to cardiovascular device innovation in shaping and perpetuating health disparities. Health equity has been declared one of the top strategic initiatives for 2022 to 2025 by the Food and Drug Administration Center for Devices and Radiological Health, underscoring the need for greater attention, dialogue, and targeted interventions in this space. This narrative review uses the cardiovascular device life cycle as a conceptual framework to enhance understanding and guide future efforts to mitigate disparities in the field of interventional cardiology. Drawing on illustrative examples from interventional cardiology, we examine current practices in cardiovascular device regulation and approval, clinical trial evaluation, adoption patterns, and postprocedural outcomes with the aim of uncovering potential mechanisms of disparities and identifying opportunities for targeted interventions.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) appears to be diagnosed twice as often in male than in female patients. This could be attributed to underdiagnosis in female patients or sex differences in susceptibility. Up to 30% of cases have an autosomal dominant monogenic cause, where equal sex prevalence would be expected. The aim of this systematic review, meta-analysis, and population study was to assess the sex ratio in patients with DCM, stratified by genetic status, and evaluate whether this is influenced by diagnostic bias.

Over the past decades, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy has become a contemporary treatable disease. However, limited data exist on the global trends of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) utilization and its impact on mortality/morbidity burden reduction.

Patients with acute myocardial infarction and angiographically obstructive non-culprit lesions are at high risk for recurrent major adverse cardiac events (MACEs). However, it remains largely unknown whether events are due to stenosis severity or due to the underlying high-risk lesion morphology.

Objective indices of functional capacity in patients with diabetic cardiomyopathy and stage B heart failure (HF) have not been comprehensively defined. We sought to characterize the cardiopulmonary exercise characteristics of individuals with diabetic cardiomyopathy at high risk for overt HF.

Geographic stent-ostium mismatch is an important predictor of target lesion failure after percutaneous coronary intervention of an aorto-ostial right coronary artery lesion. Optimal visualization of the aorto-ostial plane is crucial for precise stent implantation at the level of the ostium. This study investigates whether preprocedural 3-dimensional computed tomography (3DCT), with determination of the optimal viewing angle, would allow for more precise stent implantation and reduce procedure time, contrast, and radiation dose.

In patients with post-thrombotic syndrome, stent recanalization of iliofemoral veins or the inferior vena cava can restore venous patency and improve functional outcomes. The risk of stent thrombosis is particularly increased during the first 6 months after intervention. The ARIVA trial (Aspirin Plus Rivaroxaban Versus Rivaroxaban Alone for the Prevention of Venous Stent Thrombosis in Patients With PTS) tested whether 100 mg of daily aspirin plus 20 mg of rivaroxaban is superior to 20 mg of rivaroxaban alone to prevent stent thrombosis within 6 months after stent placement for post-thrombotic syndrome.

The therapeutic armamentarium for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) remains notably constrained. A factor contributing to this problem could be the scarcity of in vitro models for HFpEF, which hinders progress in developing new therapeutic strategies. Here, we aimed at developing a novel, comorbidity-inspired, human, in vitro model for HFpEF.

The association, if any, between the transmitral mean pressure gradient (TMPG) after mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair and 1-year mortality is controversial in patients undergoing mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair with the MitraClip system. We sought to estimate the association between intraoperatively measured residual mitral regurgitation (rMR) and TMPG and 1-year mortality among patients undergoing mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair to facilitate decisions on additional devices.

The American Heart Association (AHA), in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health, annually reports the most up-to-date statistics related to heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular risk factors, including core health behaviors (smoking, physical activity, nutrition, sleep, and obesity) and health factors (cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose control, and metabolic syndrome) that contribute to cardiovascular health. The AHA Heart Disease and Stroke Statistical Update presents the latest data on a range of major clinical heart and circulatory disease conditions (including stroke, brain health, complications of pregnancy, kidney disease, congenital heart disease, rhythm disorders, sudden cardiac arrest, subclinical atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, cardiomyopathy, heart failure, valvular disease, venous thromboembolism, and peripheral artery disease) and the associated outcomes (including quality of care, procedures, and economic costs).

Despite previous histopathologic evidence for its presence, the role of myocardial inflammation in the development and progression of cardiac transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR-CA) remains insufficiently understood. Thus, this study sought to characterize the prevalence and potential prognostic implications of myocardial inflammation in ATTR-CA.

Understanding the associations of tobacco product use with subclinical markers is essential in evaluating health effects to inform regulatory policy. This is particularly relevant for noncigarette products (eg, cigars, pipes, and smokeless tobacco), which have been understudied because of their low prevalence in individual cohorts.

The absence of practice standards in vasoactive agent usage for acute decompensated heart failure has resulted in significant treatment variability across hospitals, potentially affecting patient outcomes. This study aimed to assess temporal trends and institutional differences in vasodilator and inotrope/vasopressor utilization among patients with acute decompensated heart failure, considering their clinical phenotypes.

Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a predictor of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD); however, there are few algorithms incorporating Lp(a), especially from real-world settings. We developed an electronic health record (EHR)-based risk prediction algorithm including Lp(a).

Intravascular imaging (IVI) is widely recognized to improve outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, IVI is underutilized and is not yet established as a performance measure for quality PCI.