Patients with heart failure tend to experience higher rates of hospital readmissions compared with other ambulatory care-sensitive conditions. In Sweden, the nationwide Care Coordination Act (CCA) was introduced in January 2018 with the goal of improving care coordination, resulting in a reduction of readmissions and length of stay. There is insufficient knowledge regarding the effect of this reform on patients with heart failure.

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has led to the first approval of mRNA vaccines in humans. By producing the full-length SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein, they induce protective antiviral immunity. Acute myopericarditis (AMP) development after vaccination has repeatedly been reported; however, the pathogenesis of this complication remains elusive.

Nitric oxide (NO), generated by the endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), regulates vascular tone and endothelial homeostasis to counteract vascular inflammation. Most eNOS is localized at the cell membrane or in the Golgi apparatus, but the enzyme is also present in the endothelial cell nucleus. Here, we assessed the relevance of nuclear eNOS and NO signaling for endothelial cell function.

Impaired efferocytosis of macrophages within advanced atherosclerotic plaques leads to plaque deposition and rupture, ultimately resulting in atherothrombotic events. Effective restoration of efferocytic capacity in lesional macrophages remains a challenge in atherosclerosis treatment.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, characterized by atrial fibrosis, a crucial substrate facilitating its initiation and persistence. CKAP4 (cytoskeleton-associated protein 4) has been associated with fibroblast activation; however, its involvement in atrial remodeling and AF susceptibility remains unclear.

Multifocal ectopic Purkinje-related premature contractions syndrome presents as a rare cardiac disorder characterized by frequent multifocal ectopic ventricular beats with narrow QRS complexes, originating from various ectopic foci along the fascicular-Purkinje system. It is characterized by mutations in the SCN5A gene, inducing a gain-of-function in the human cardiac voltage-gated Na+ channel (Nav1.5), which causes an alteration in the action potentials of the cardiomyocytes. The syndrome was initially delineated in 2012 by Laurent et al in 3 Dutch families, subsequently garnering recognition through several reported cases worldwide. Clinically, it often manifests with a familial predisposition to other arrhythmogenic cardiac diseases, alongside symptoms such as palpitations and syncope. A key diagnostic hallmark is the high daily burden of multifocal premature ventricular contractions observed on 24-hour dynamic ECG, with evidence of repetitive ventricular arrhythmias. This can potentially induce a reversible form of left ventricular dilation with systolic dysfunction, known as premature ventricular contraction-induced cardiomyopathy. Diagnosis may be challenging, requiring exclusion of the most frequent causes of ventricular arrhythmias first. The disappearance of arrhythmias during a stress test and the inefficacy of catheter ablation procedures may serve as additional elements to bolster the suspicion of multifocal ectopic Purkinje-related premature contractions syndrome. Genetic testing and electrophysiological studies are pivotal in confirming the diagnosis. Therapeutic management of this syndrome primarily involves medical therapy with class I antiarrhythmic drugs, such as flecainide and quinidine, which may reduce ventricular arrhythmias and associated symptoms. In this systematic review, our aim was to provide an exhaustive insight into the genetic basis, diagnosis, and treatment strategies for this intriguing yet relatively underexplored syndrome.

A 3-dimensional hyperboloid model has been proposed to characterize ventricular tachycardia (VT) circuitry. We sought to characterize the geometric features of viable corridors, derived from late gadolinium enhanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance, that participate in VT circuitry in ischemic cardiomyopathy.

While balloon postdilation (BPD) during transcatheter aortic valve replacement may enhance hemodynamic performance by optimizing valve expansion, it was also linked with leaflet mechanical stress, potentially reducing valve durability. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of BPD on long-term bioprosthetic valve durability.

Residual mitral regurgitation (rMR) ≤1+ has been associated with improved 1-year outcomes after mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair, regardless of the mean mitral pressure gradient (MPG). Prior evidence is limited to 30-day echocardiographic follow-up and patients treated with the MitraClip (Abbott Structural Heart). Whether rMR and MPG assessed at discharge are associated with outcomes after PASCAL mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (Edwards Lifesciences) remains unknown.

Cardiovascular and metabolic health are influenced by the circadian system, which regulates 24-hour rhythms across numerous physiologic processes. Disruptions to circadian rhythmicity can adversely affect cardiometabolic function and health. Given the importance of circadian health to overall human health, this scientific statement provides an overview of the circadian system and key behavioral factors that can synchronize or desynchronize these rhythms, including light exposure, food intake, physical exercise, and sleep timing. We also summarize the literature on associations between circadian health and cardiometabolic health indicators, such as excessive weight, type 2 diabetes (T2D), hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. We discuss strategies to improve circadian health and reduce circadian disruptions, focusing on interventions that target the key synchronizers of circadian rhythms and involve appropriate timing of exposure to these synchronizers. These include morning bright light exposure and avoidance of light at night, as well as appropriately timed sleep, meals, and exercise. Clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and the public should recognize the role of circadian rhythms in maintaining and promoting cardiometabolic health and focus on identifying modifiable behaviors that can improve them.

It remains unclear whether drug-coated balloons (DCBs) and drug-eluting stents are comparable in the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD) and whether limus versus paclitaxel DCBs yield similar clinical outcomes. We aimed to assess the clinical efficacy of limus and paclitaxel DCBs in patients with CAD through a network meta-analysis.

Little correlation exists between the burden of ischemia and severity of angina in patients with stable coronary artery disease. This placebo-controlled, n-of-1 study investigated the relationship between ischemia, the collateral circulation, and symptoms in stable coronary artery disease. Additionally, it explored the association between progressive collateral recruitment and ischemic preconditioning.

The prognostic utility of quantitative positron emission tomography (PET) with myocardial blood flow (MBF) measurements in patients with prior coronary artery bypass grafting remains unestablished. We evaluated PET-derived myocardial flow reserve (MFR) and coronary vascular resistance (CVR) for risk stratification in patients who have undergone coronary artery pass grafting.

The current study aims to describe outcomes after transcatheter valve replacement in adults with congenital heart disease.

The optimal antithrombotic treatment after transcatheter left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) remains to be determined. The objective of this trial was to compare anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy for preventing device-related thrombosis (DRT) after LAAC.

Impaired flow following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a known predictor of adverse outcomes. The pullback pressure gradient (PPG) is a novel physiological metric that differentiates focal from diffuse disease and enables prediction of post-PCI fractional flow reserve (FFR). This post hoc analysis of the PPG Global (NCT04789317) study aimed to evaluate the prognostic performance of a PPG model for predicting post-PCI FFR and to determine whether the predicted physiological outcome is associated with adverse events following PCI.

There is a paucity of data regarding the longer-term durability of transcatheter heart valves. This analysis aimed to describe the 5-year clinical outcomes and valve durability for patients treated with the Portico transcatheter heart valves across 3 studies harmonized in their prospective enrollment, inclusion/exclusion criteria, centralized independent core laboratory echocardiographic analysis, and independent clinical events committee adjudication.

Pulsed field ablation (PFA) has been available in Europe since 2021. In the United States, PFA became commercially available in 2024, and practice patterns are expected to differ from those in Europe. The objective of this study was to describe acute procedural efficiency and safety outcomes, clinical workflow patterns, and the physician learning curve associated with PFA for paroxysmal and nonparoxysmal atrial fibrillation in the first US real-world registry.

Invasive coronary angiography (ICA) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are common procedures for the diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD). These procedures are typically performed within the parameters of insurance coverage, but little is known about how insurance policies align with guidelines and landmark randomized clinical trials.

Developed by the American Heart Association, these Guidelines represent the first comprehensive update of education recommendations since 2020. Incorporating the results of structured evidence reviews from the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation, these are guidelines for the design and delivery of resuscitation training for health care professionals and lay rescuers. This update emphasizes the continuous evolution of evidence evaluation and the necessity of adapting educational strategies to local needs and diverse community demographics. Existing guidelines remain relevant unless specifically updated in this publication. Key topics that are new, are substantially revised, or have significant new literature include the use of cardiopulmonary resuscitation feedback devices in training, rapid-cycle deliberate practice, teamwork and leadership training, manikin fidelity, gamified learning, virtual and augmented reality, use of cognitive aids, stepwise training, blended learning, scripted debriefing, instructor training, alternative objects for lay rescuer chest compression training, and special considerations for training in the management of opioid overdose. How certain personal considerations may influence the overall impact of education are also reviewed, including disparities accordingly related to gender, race, socioeconomic status, and language; the impact of training for school children; and factors that act as barriers or facilitators to lay rescuer willingness to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation. We conclude with a summary of current knowledge gaps in resuscitation education science and a discussion of future directions for optimizing the impact of resuscitation training programs.