A weekly co-hosted podcast featuring JACC Editor-in-Chief Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, FACC and JACC Senior Consulting Editor Carolyn S.P. Lam, MBBS, PhD, giving readers context on our weekly issues. Listen in as they break down the latest trends and share practical tips that are changing the way heart care works globally.
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In the November 18, 2025 issue of JACC, Editor-in-Chief Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, FACC, uses his editor's page to reflect on the evolving role of editors as partners with authors in strengthening cardiovascular science. The issue itself centers on adiposity, featuring multiple pooled analyses showing that waist-to-height ratio and waist circumference outperform BMI in predicting heart failure and mortality risk. Other highlights include a meta-analysis confirming GLP-1 receptor agonists' broad...
In this week's JACC podcast, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Harlan Krumholz explores how context, precision, and physiology converge to shape modern cardiovascular care. He opens with an editorial on "The Geography Gap," challenging the one-size-fits-all approach to cardiovascular risk models that ignore geographic variation in disease outcomes. Other featured studies in this issue include trials (OCEAN Mitral, PULSE), optimizing outcomes after transcatheter mitral repair, plus uncovering genetic links bet...
In this special episode of JACC This Week, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Harlan Krumholz introduces the November 4, 2025 issue, entirely devoted to hypertension and the landmark 2025 HAC Multi-Society High Blood Pressure Guideline. He discusses key updates—from reaffirming lower blood pressure targets and expanding out-of-office monitoring to integrating hypertension within the cardio-kidney-metabolic framework. Dr. Krumholz highlights expert commentaries covering policy, technology, therapeutics, and pre...
Dr. Harlan Krumholz introduces a JACC issue unified around the question of how low to target blood pressure, highlighting growing evidence that aiming near 120 mm Hg improves cardiovascular outcomes without harming quality of life. Several studies from the STEP and ESPRIT trials show that intensive blood pressure control widens retinal arterioles, lowers stroke risk, enhances well-being, and remains safe even in older adults. Long-term follow-up data demonstrate that early initiation of intensiv...
JACC Editor-in-Chief Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, introduces the October 21, 2025 issue of JACC, which is devoted entirely to Dr. Milton Packer's adipokine hypothesis. Dr. Krumholz explains the rationale behind dedicating the issue to this bold conceptual framework, which proposes that dysfunctional visceral fat and its secreted adipokines drive HFpEF. We're also thrilled to present readers with 10 accompanying expert commentaries that explore, challenge, and contextualize the hypothesis.
This episode of JACC This Week, hosted by Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, highlights key research and perspectives from the October 14, 2025 issue of JACC. It opens with a call to modernize physician certification by distinguishing core knowledge from clinical reasoning, emphasizing continuous, engaging learning over rote memorization. Featured studies in this week's issue include the cardiovascular risks linked to clonal hematopoiesis in older women, improved clotting outcomes with third-generation...
In the October 7, 2025 issue of JACC, Editor-in-Chief Harlan Krumholz discusses how artificial intelligence can enhance clarity in scientific writing—serving as a tool, not a ghostwriter—while maintaining author accountability. A major study shows that nearly all cardiovascular events occur in people with at least one risk factor, reinforcing the need for early detection and management. Emerging research highlights a percutaneous "debulking" technique that may safely manage infected cardiac devi...
In the September 30 issue of JACC, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Harlan Krumholz explores the concept of "computable quality" in healthcare, advocating for real-time, data-driven improvement in clinical care. He reviews original research on pop-up cardiovascular screenings in pharmacies and sporting events, AI-driven echocardiographic automation, and anticoagulation in pulmonary arterial hypertension. The episode also features a three-part debate on transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in low-ris...
In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Harlan Krumholz explores the evolving landscape of cardiovascular medicine, beginning with a call for responsible stewardship of artificial intelligence. Highlights include a major registry study on percutaneous aspiration for right-sided endocarditis, the predictive power of polygenic risk scores in heart failure, and the diverse causes of myocardial infarction in younger adults—especially women. The episode also covers a randomized trial on Intensive versus con...
In this episode, Dr. Harlan Krumholz introduces the September 16, 2025 issue of JACC, which features studies that challenge conventional clinical thinking, including a detailed ECMO physiology study showing that higher ECMO flow does not uniformly raise pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, suggesting the need for individualized management. A novel analysis of the ISCHEMIA trial revealed distinct angina symptom trajectories, emphasizing that recovery is not binary and supporting a more personalize...
In this episode, Dr. Harlan Krumholz reviews the September 9, 2025 issue of JACC, covering key studies on artificial intelligence in cardiovascular research, the effects of tirzepatide in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), and how social, racial, and genetic factors influence heart failure risk. He discusses the growing burden of heart failure in the elderly, the need to disaggregate data in Asian American and Pacific Islander populations, and the role of rare genetic varian...
In the September 2, 2025 JACC This Week, Editor-in-Chief Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, FACC highlights the issue. Listen here for a summary of our latest content, including new research on cognitive dysfunction in adults with congenital heart disease, a review of calcific aortic valve stenosis, and insights into cardiologists' own lifestyle habits. We also have an article on the limitations of binary thresholds in cardiovascular risk assessment, as well as several articles reprinted from across th...
In this week's issue, Dr. Harlan Krumholz highlights new science with direct clinical implications: a randomized trial showing conduction system pacing outperforms RV pacing in AV block, a pragmatic study suggesting HEPA filtration may modestly lower blood pressure, and long-term data from FLAVOR comparing FFR and IVUS-guided PCI. Also featured are a state-of-the-art review on heart failure therapy implementation, a brief report refining NT-proBNP thresholds for pre–heart failure, and an updated...
In this episode of JACC This Week, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Harlan Krumholz explores device safety, abbreviated DAPT, drug-coated balloons, and a novel surgical polymer valve. Plus: expert insights on cardiovascular innovation, obesity management, fellowship signaling, and more.
In this mini focus issue of JACC This Week, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Harlan Krumholz explores the evolving landscape of cardiac amyloidosis care. From structural and biomarker findings in the HELIOS-B substudy to broader discussions on access, treatment sequencing, and multidisciplinary care, this episode highlights new momentum in ATTR-CM management. Also covered: a sham-controlled trial on compression therapy for vasovagal syncope and pooled trial data on DOAC use in frail older adults with atrial ...
Hosts Mitsuaki Sawano, MD, Shun Kohsaka, MD, and Nobuhiro Ikemura, MD, welcome Yuichi Saito, MD, of Chiba University Hospital, to discuss recent trends in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) among Japan's oldest populations. Using data from the All-Japan Utstein Registry, Dr. Saito and the Japanese Circulation Society Resuscitation Science Study (JCS-ReSS) Group highlight that OHCA cases in nonagenarians are steadily increasing. Despite prehospital resuscitation efforts, outcomes—particularly ...
Hosts Mitsuaki Sawano, MD, Shun Kohsaka, MD, Kentaro Ejiri, MD, and Satoshi Shoji, MD, welcome Dr. Kunihiro Matsushita of Johns Hopkins University to discuss findings from the ARIC study on cumulative cardiovascular risk and healthy arterial aging. Dr. Matsushita highlights that maintaining favorable levels of cholesterol, blood pressure, and avoiding smoking from mid- to late-life is strongly associated with the absence of coronary artery calcium (CAC) at older age—a marker of healthy arterial ...
In this JACC Deep Dive, Editor-in-Chief Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, discusses a large real-world study by Min et al. examining heart failure with improved ejection fraction (HFimpEF) in over 24,000 patients. The study found that while EF improvement is common (30%), true remission is rare and relapse occurs in about 25% of cases—highlighting the need for continued guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) even after apparent recovery. Listen to the podcast, find out what reviewers and editors li...
In this focus issue on Heart Failure in Practice, JACC Editor-in-Chief Dr. Harlan Krumholz examines how contemporary research continues to refine and at times challenge our understanding of heart failure management. This week's episode features a first-of-its-kind trial on dual therapy with SGLT2 inhibitors and MRAs, new real-world data on heart failure with improved EF, and sobering insights into what happens when foundational therapies are withdrawn. Also explored: sex-specific risks in geneti...
Cardiac electrophysiology is rapidly evolving, blending procedural expertise with innovations in pharmacotherapy, device design, and lifestyle medicine. This week's Editor's Page spotlights key studies from JACC that challenge long-standing practices—from lifestyle strategies for atrial fibrillation to the role of defibrillation testing and device comparisons. We also explore disparities in cardiac arrest outcomes and complex real-world cases that push clinical boundaries. Tune in for a dynamic ...
Interventional cardiology is rapidly evolving, with advances in imaging, devices, and techniques driving both innovation and rising expectations for safety and patient-centered outcomes. This week's editor's page highlights cutting-edge research and expert commentary on topics such as plaque vulnerability, stent performance, imaging-guided interventions, and long-term outcomes, reflecting both progress and ongoing challenges in the field. By bringing together this wealth of new science, the issu...
In this JACC Deep Dive, Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, FACC, discusses a new study in the July 8 issue of JACC, authored by Saket Girotra MD, SM, et al. In the study, which links national registry and Medicare data, the authors found striking hospital-level variation in cardiac arrest rates and outcomes—and identified better nurse staffing as a key factor in both preventing arrests and improving survival. Behind the scenes, the manuscript underwent multiple rounds of revision, with close collaborat...
In this JACC Deep Dive, Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, FACC reviews a study by Covani, et al that uses OCT imaging in over 1,500 ACS patients to show how increasing cardiovascular risk factor burden—like smoking, diabetes, and hypertension—is strongly associated with vulnerable plaque features such as thin caps, inflammation, and rupture. The findings were most pronounced in STEMI patients and reinforce the biological impact of cumulative risk. Reviewers found the core results intuitive but pushed ...
Validation of AHA PREVENT in healthcare populations| JACC Deep Dive In this JACC Deep Dive, JACC Editor in Chief Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, explores a study led by Dr. Pradeep Natarajan that evaluates how well the new AHA PREVENT risk equations predict cardiovascular events across four major U.S. health systems. The study found wide variation in performance—PREVENT was well-calibrated at Penn Medicine but significantly underestimated risk at Mass General Brigham and Vanderbilt, particularly amo...
JACC's July 29 issue explores why the ACURATE neo2 valve failed in its IDE trial, with a post-hoc analysis pointing to under-expansion in heavily calcified anatomies as a potential culprit. Though the valve is off the market, the findings raise critical questions about procedural success, device design, and future innovation in TAVR. Listen to our Deep Dive narrated by JACC Editor-in-Chief Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, FACC, as he goes into the science behind the peer review.
In this episode of JACC This Week , Editor-in-Chief Dr. Harlan Krumholz introduces the journal's new design and highlights key studies from the July 29, 2025 issue. Topics include the under-expansion analysis of the ACURATE NEO2 valve, the impact of tirzepatide in obesity-related HFpEF, the effects of private equity ownership on heart failure care, and evolving strategies for managing multivalve disease.
In this special prevention-focused issue of JACC This Week, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Harlan Krumholz spotlights new research that underscores the urgent global need to prevent cardiovascular disease. From the projected impact of single-pill combination therapies (polypills) and validation of new risk equations across major U.S. health systems, to the sobering rise of modifiable risk factors in both high- and low-income countries, this episode dives deep into the data and the implications.
In this episode of JACC This Week, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Harlan Krumholz summarizes key studies from the July 15 issue, focused on cardiovascular interventions. Topics include new insights on plaque vulnerability in acute coronary syndromes, virtual flow reserve after PCI, long-term data on FFR-guided revascularization, and stent thrombosis risk. This issue delivers high-impact, practice-relevant research for interventionalists, imaging specialists, and general cardiologists alike.
This JACC This Week episode delves into significant electrophysiology research, beginning with findings on left atrial appendage occlusion devices and comparing AFIB treatment strategies like ablation versus lifestyle modification. It also examines insights from registries on ICD outcomes and variations in in-hospital cardiac arrest incidents. The episode further explores differing atrial fibrillation stroke prevention guidelines, limitations of sudden cardiac death risk models, and a series of unique case reports on device complications and unusual clinical scenarios.
As the podcast series created by Editor Emeritus Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, MACC, comes to an end and the new series from current Editor-in-Chief Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, FACC is launched, JACC is pleased to feature an interview between the two legendary thought leaders, discussing the past and future of the journal's podcasts. The interview honors Dr. Fuster for his enduring contributions to the JACC podcast, highlighting his dedication, consistency, and global impact even after stepping down...
