JACC This Week

Explore the revolutionary idea of 'computable quality' in healthcare, emphasizing real-time, data-driven improvements. Discover innovative pop-up screenings in pharmacies and sports events that identify undiagnosed conditions. Dive into AI advancements in echocardiography, enhancing measurement accuracy. A heated debate highlights the implications of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in low-risk patients, with contrasting perspectives on existing evidence. Join discussions on automated care and the future of cardiovascular treatments.

This discussion dives into the transformative role of artificial intelligence in cardiovascular medicine, advocating for responsible practices. Listeners learn about a compelling registry study on treating right-sided endocarditis and the value of polygenic risk scores in assessing heart failure. Highlights include the multifaceted causes of myocardial infarction in younger adults, particularly among women. The conversation also tackles the impacts of blood pressure management during surgery and examines long-term strategies for antithrombotic therapy after PCI, emphasizing precision in clinical approaches.

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 personalized approach to treatment and monitoring. A landmark target trial emulation found that statins significantly reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with type 1 diabetes—filling a key evidence gap. Additional highlights include a call to redefine early cardiogenic shock, a nuanced review of moderate secondary mitral regurgitation, and an editorial reaffirming JACC's commitment to independent, transparent science in alignment with new "Gold Standard Science" principles.

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 variants in atrial fibrillation outcomes. The episode also features perspectives on clinical trial design, complex case reports, and emphasizes the need for AI submissions to meet high standards of clinical relevance, feasibility, and long-term impact.

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 the JACC journals.

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 JACC Report Card revealing persistent cardiovascular mortality disparities among Black Americans. The issue closes with reflections on equity, anatomy, and two complex case reports.

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 fibrillation. Fast-moving insights, practical takeaways, and a clear message—amyloidosis is no longer rare and mysterious, but a condition we can monitor, modify, and manage.

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 neurologically favorable survival—remain poor in this age group. The study underscores the urgent need for a national conversation on resuscitation strategies in a super-aging society.

In this insightful discussion, Dr. Kunihiro Matsushita from Johns Hopkins University dives into the findings of the ARIC study, focusing on cumulative cardiovascular risk. He highlights how maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and avoiding smoking in mid- to late-life can significantly reduce the presence of coronary artery calcium, a key marker of healthy aging. The conversation emphasizes the need for sustained control of risk factors and its critical implications for preventive cardiology and public health strategies.