Sheila Sahni, MD

Cardiology Policy

A Plan to Tackle CAD Mortality by 2050

Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of cardiovascular death throughout the world, and a Lancet commission just released a new statement about what it will take to significantly reduce CAD deaths by 2050.

• The commission’s original recommendation was to reclassify coronary disease as atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (ACAD). 
• Now the field is moving away from a traditional focus on the late-stage CAD symptoms and acute cardiac events towards the disease process itself.

Based on four core pillars, the statement tackles the epidemiology of ACAD, current management strategies, gaps in our scientific knowledge, and a look at the incentives that drive our system.

For epidemiology, the authors clarified that although U.S. ACAD outcomes have substantially improved since 1960, with mortality being cut in half, we still have work to do…

• There will be over 450k ACAD deaths in the year 2050.
• A quarter of all Americans are expected to have an ACAD event at some point.
•  Over 1 million of those Americans will have a heart attack each year.

When it comes to applying what we already know, the statement argues that we need more…

• Smoking cessation, lipid-lowering and blood pressure-lowering therapies.
• Glucose-lowering agents, revascularization procedures, and cardiac rehabilitation.
• And finally a recognition that high-sugar foods and beverages need to be limited.

While we know a lot about tackling CAD, there are also some knowledge gaps to consider–

• For starters, a long-term connection between lower noncalcified plaque and improved CV outcomes has yet to be made.
• Polygenic risk scores and early-detection imaging still need validation.

And of course, no U.S. healthcare discussion would be complete without mentioning incentives.

• For example, the current payment models don’t incentivize population-level strategies. 
• Despite two decades of value-based initiatives, the authors also contend there is no clear evidence that these programs improve care quality or outcomes.

So what to do with this statement? The Lancet’s commission argues that if these pillars are all considered, implemented, and addressed it could help reduce ACAD deaths by >350k per year by 2050.

The Takeaway

Every month we seem to get foreboding forecasts that tell a grim tale about America’s CVD burden. This statement is different, since it outlines the real steps needed to get more serious about population-level prevention while finding a way to make it attractive to a profit-driven healthcare system.

AHA Scientific Sessions Discussion: Heart Failure Treatment Developments and Impact on Women

Women with heart failure with preserved and mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFpEF and HFmrEF, respectively) often present with different symptoms than men, leading to underrecognition. Moreover, the incidence of HFpEF in women is increasing more than in men. Watch Dr. Martha Gulati discuss prevalence and changing treatment options.

9 Merge Cardio Features to Change Your Cardiology Workflows

Having the right tools is essential for efficient cardiology imaging workflows and delivering exceptional patient care. Read this article on how Merge Cardio can make the biggest difference to your imaging workflows, care team user experiences, and patient care delivery.

The Benefits of Outsourced Post-Processing

Using an outsourced cardiac image post-processing solution doesn’t have to mean sacrificing control of the results. Discover how PIA’s customizable post-processing workflow can help you get the most out of your images.

The Wire

• Battery Woes for BSCI: A New York Times investigation revealed that Boston Scientific allegedly had pacemaker battery problems for years. Per the Times, quality tests at Boston Scientific’s battery factory near Minneapolis showed its batteries unexpectedly failing from 2019-2023. In December 2024, BSCI issued a notice over problems with its Accolade, Proponent, Essentio, Altrua 2, Visionist, and Valitude pacemakers due to high battery impedance turning on “Safety Mode,” which can be dangerous. The FDA eventually designated the recall as serious in February 2025, disclosing 832 injuries.

• Alzheimer’s Drug for AFib: Results from a recent Phase 2 trial demonstrated that AbbVie’s NMDA receptor antagonist, memantine, significantly suppresses symptomatic premature atrial contractions by targeting the cardiac glutamatergic system. Despite originally being an Alzheimer’s drug, memantine achieved a 52.4% responder rate and reduced new-onset atrial fibrillation (4.8% vs. 23.9%) compared to placebo. As a safe, non-ion channel-based approach, this drug application could offer patients a new therapeutic strategy for reducing atrial ectopy and preventing tachyarrhythmias.

• FFR-Guided CABG Outcomes: The FAVOR IV-QVAS trial out of China suggests that physiologically guided CABG using angiography-derived FFR significantly improves outcomes for patients undergoing concomitant valve surgery. Compared to anatomical guidance, the FFR-based strategy reduced 30-day major adverse events (7.8% vs. 13.4%) and long-term complications. By focusing only on hemodynamically significant lesions, this selective approach minimized unnecessary grafting while improving patient safety in combined valvular and coronary disease cases.

• QFR-Guided PCI Outcomes: Interim results from the PIONEER IV trial showed that QFR-guided PCI is non-inferior to usual care in an “all-comer” population. At 12 months, the patient-oriented composite endpoint was 6.9% in the QFR arm versus 6.8% for usual care. Crucially, no safety signals regarding spontaneous myocardial infarction were observed, validating QFR-based functional assessment and post-stenting optimization as a safe alternative to standard invasive physiology.

• AI-ECG for MI Detection: New research suggests AI-based ECG interpretation significantly outperforms standard diagnostic pathways in detecting occlusive myocardial infarction for patients lacking traditional ST elevation. In a 1.5k patient study, the AI algorithm achieved 84% accuracy and a 98% negative predictive value, compared to just 42% accuracy for human interpretation. This tool could ultimately facilitate earlier recognition of “silent” occlusions, ensuring timely emergency intervention when standard markers like troponin are unhelpful.

• ULTA’s AFib Impact: Adagio Medical’s next-generation ultra-low temperature ablation (ULTA) technology could have the potential to improve ventricular arrhythmia treatment. Reaching -170°C, the 8.5 French cryoablation catheter creates 12.5mm deep lesions in 120 seconds, reducing ablation time by up to 75%. Pre-clinical results show improved maneuverability and efficiency, potentially shortening procedures by 30 minutes. This system also maintains deep, titratable lesions while matching the handling of standard RF catheters.

• Cleerly’s INVICTUS Registry: Findings from the INVICTUS registry validated Cleerly’s AI-based CCTA quantification (AI-QCT) as a reliable non-invasive alternative to invasive IVUS. In the multicenter study, AI-QCT showed strong correlations for plaque volume (r=0.833) and lumen volume (r=0.943), with a minimal mean difference of -0.09% in atheroma burden. These results support using AI-QCT for comprehensive atherosclerosis assessment, shifting clinical focus from just ischemia to detailed plaque composition.

• Thesis’ Series A: Thesis Care raised $45M in Series A funding to expand its AI-powered clinical capacity platform. By combining AI agents with expert “clinicians-in-the-loop,” the platform automates complex workflows like cardiovascular care management without disrupting existing staff processes. Thesis has already partnered with major CV organizations like U.S. Heart & Vascular with the aim of reducing staffing shortages and providing end-to-end clinical operations support.

• Who Should Read CCTA Scans? Who’s better at interpreting coronary CT angiography scans – radiologists or cardiologists? In a study presented at ACC 2026, researchers tracked outcomes for 303k patients who got CCTA scans from 2018 to 2022. There was no statistically significant difference in MACE, but cardiologists had higher follow-up rates of FFR-CT, invasive angiography, and percutaneous coronary intervention (HR = 1.56, 1.55, and 1.48, respectively). Higher reader volume was associated with lower PCI and MACE risk (HR = 0.88).

• Philips AI Guides Valve Repair Devices: Philips received FDA clearance for AI-powered software that tracks and visualizes mitral valve repair devices during transcatheter interventions. EchoNavigator 5.0 with DeviceGuide tracks mitral valve repair devices from Edwards Lifesciences during transcatheter procedures guided by Philips’ EchoNavigator technology, which fuses echocardiography and angiography images on a single screen. Philips and Edwards worked together in developing DeviceGuide.

• Philips’ IntraSight Plus Launch: Philips also introduced IntraSight Plus, an integrated interventional guidance platform that combines IVUS, physiology (iFR/FFR), and angiography into a single, tri-registered interface for the U.S. and European markets. By consolidating separate diagnostic and treatment-planning tools onto one screen, the system allows clinicians to virtually plan interventions and verify stent deployment without leaving the sterile field, resulting in system operation time savings of up to 47%.

Tempus Receives FDA 510(k) Clearance for Tempus ECG-Low EF

Tempus announces the expansion of its Tempus ECG-AI portfolio with Tempus ECG-Low EF, software intended for use to analyze 12-lead ECG recordings and detect signs associated with having a low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF less than or equal to 40%) in patients 40 years of age or older at risk of heart failure. It is not intended as a stand-alone diagnostic and positive results may suggest the need for further clinical evaluation. For Full Indications for Use, visit here.

From Fetal to Adult Cardiovascular Ultrasound

Continuity of care is critical when it comes to a patient’s cardiovascular health. That’s why cardiologists across America are picking Fujifilm’s Lisendo 880 cardiovascular ultrasound for its versatility and precise imaging starting at a patient’s fetal development to adulthood.

The Power of AI in Cardiovascular Imaging

Cardiac labs are under more pressure than ever to deliver more with greater speed and precision. Hear from Tony Gallagher, Director of Noninvasive Cardiology at Baptist Health Lexington about how Siemens Healthineers’ ACUSON Origin is reshaping daily practice and transforming the future of echocardiography.

The Resource Wire

• Harnessing the Power of AI to Improve Patient Care: Endeavor Health is one of the first healthcare providers in the Midwest to use AI in the echocardiography lab. Learn how they are harnessing echo AI’s tremendous potential to improve diagnoses in this report from Us2.ai.

• The Largest Registry on Plaque Analysis in CAD: What if 50% of your CCTA patients could benefit from an adjustment to their treatment plan? Read more about Heartflow’s DECIDE registry that demonstrates how Heartflow Plaque Analysis using its Plaque Staging software empowers physicians with clinical insights that lead to real-world impact.

• The Hidden Costs of Delaying Cardiac MRI Adoption: Despite being the gold standard for functional cardiac imaging, many hospitals remain slow to adopt it. From missed revenue to lost patients, the impact goes far beyond the scan. Read about the real clinical and financial risks of falling behind.

• RoR in the Real World with Monebo and UNCG: Strenuous exercise can significantly reduce people’s heart relaxation reserve, putting them at risk without preliminary warning signs. Find out how Monebo’s new Reserve of Relaxation technology provides a crucial tool for anyone looking to enhance their physical performance without harm.

• Beyond the Calcium Score with Circle CVI: The coronary artery calcium score has been the non-invasive gold standard for a quick look at heart disease risk, but it only tells part of the story. Learn more about how Circle Cardiovascular Imaging is using AI-enabled coronary plaque analysis to redefine heart risk beyond what a CAC score can tell us.

The Industry Wire

1. Justice Department sues NewYork-Presbyterian in latest hospital antitrust case.
2. Meta and YouTube found negligent in landmark social media addiction case.
3. White House delays CDC director nomination.
4. Advertising to doctors – okay or not?
5. 10M people could lose Medicaid coverage due to new rules.
6. House Democrats accuse CMS official of misleading Congress under oath.
7. HHS and CMS form healthcare advisory committee.
8. Stryker restores most manufacturing after cyberattack.
9. Stakeholders react to White House national AI policy framework.
10. Express Scripts gets hit with class action lawsuitfor racketeering.

Dr. Ben Bikman’s much-criticized X post on what drives testing targets.

ICYMI: If you missed Cardiac Wire’s latest webinar with Dr. Udo Hoffman, Dr. Brittany Weber, and Dr. Kashif Shaikh, you can now watch the full session on demand! Hosted by Cardiac Wire in partnership with Cleerly, we explored how AI-powered plaque analysis is different across unique patient populations. You can watch it on-demand here.

Cardiac Imaging

What Can Fat Around the Heart Tell Us?

We all know by now that too much body fat isn’t good for your heart, and new research suggests that the fat directly around your heart could play a role in your risk of coronary artery disease (CAD).

• Fat around the heart is also known as epicardial adipose tissue (EAT).
• While studies have looked at overall body fat burden as a clinical risk factor, none have tried to quantify the risk of a fatty heart until the PARADIGM registry.

Drawing data from PARADIGM, researchers followed 773 patients for eight years after they underwent serial CCTA imaging and categorized them into three EAT volume categories: low (≤ 77 cm3), moderate (77-113 cm3), and high (> 113 cm3).

• Nearly all patients (83.7%) saw their plaque volume progress, while a third of them developed new plaque after starting a zero.
• Progression of total plaque volume (including calcified and non-calcified) was consistently greater for the highest EAT volume category. 
• Additionally, plaque progression rates (78.9% vs. 83.9% vs. 88.5%) increased across all three EAT categories.

There’s a serious caveat to these results though, since researchers determined that EAT volume measured with CCTA was not independently associated with major adverse cardiovascular events.

• Only when the fat volume readings were considered alongside a patient’s plaque progression data did it influence 10-year MACE risk predictions.
• However, high EAT volume was independently associated with CAD presence and progression.

So what does this mean for paying attention to fat around the heart?

• For one, it can still be a useful non-invasive biomarker for following statin and GLP-1 therapy impacts on the heart, since both can reduce EAT.
• Moreover, enlarged fat cells release proinflammatory cytokines that could contribute to localized inflammation of the heart tissue, ultimately contributing to heart disease.
• EAT could also eventually find a place among other CAD risk factors like cholesterol, Lp(a), and CAC.

The Takeaway

Fat around the heart isn’t random nor harmless, and while this study does suggest keeping an eye on it can provide some useful information, it’s still unclear how we’ll use that data for clinical decisions.

Personalized Plaque Analysis Now With Medicare Coverage

Heartflow’s Plaque Analysis is now reimbursable thanks to Medicare’s new coverage for AI-enabled plaque analysis of eligible patients with coronary artery disease.

The Power of AI in Cardiovascular Imaging

Cardiac labs are under more pressure than ever to deliver more with greater speed and precision. Hear from Tony Gallagher, Director of Noninvasive Cardiology at Baptist Health Lexington about how Siemens Healthineers’ ACUSON Origin is reshaping daily practice and transforming the future of echocardiography.

How Vista AI Helps Solve the Technologist Shortage

Fewer than 2% of MRI scanners are routinely used for cardiac imaging—mainly due to a shortage of trained technologists amid rising demand. Vista AI addresses this challenge by automating CMR scanning, empowering technologists of all experience levels to deliver high-quality cardiac exams consistently and efficiently.

The Wire

• OmniaSecure Earns FDA Approval: Medtronic’s OmniaSecure received FDA approval, becoming the first defibrillation lead for left bundle branch area placement. This expansion supports Medtronic’s conduction system pacing (CSP) and LOT-CRT technologies, mimicking natural physiology to avoid pacing-induced cardiomyopathy. Validated by the LEADR LBBAP trial, this ultra-slim, lumenless lead could provide a reliable solution for adults and adolescents requiring both resynchronization and protection against sudden cardiac arrest.

• DASI’s TAVR Planning at CC: Cleveland Clinic and DASI Simulations partnered to enhance TAVR procedures using AI-driven predictive modeling. The PrecisionTAVI platform allows clinicians to simulate valve deployment, personalizing care by anticipating risks like coronary obstruction. The collaboration aims to evolve AI from a pre-procedural planning tool into a real-time execution resource, ensuring optimal lifetime management for structural heart patients.

• GLP-1s Post-MI: The “GLP-1 revolution” has officially moved into the acute care setting. An analysis of over 280k patients without diabetes showed that initiating tirzepatide (Zepbound/Mounjaro) within 14 days of a heart attack or stroke significantly improves two-year clinical outcomes. While the study found no difference in total MACE, patients on early tirzepatide therapy experienced a significantly lower risk of heart failure hospitalization, acute kidney injury, and recurrent ischemic stroke.

• DCD vs. DBD Hearts: Single-nuclei RNA sequencing of organ donor hearts suggests that there are distinct molecular differences in hearts donated after brain death (DBD) versus circulatory death (DCD). DCD hearts show significant ischemic stress and proinflammatory signaling, while DBD hearts have superior metabolic efficiency despite some endothelial inflammation. This means there could be specific cellular targets for therapies aimed at reducing preservation-induced injury and improving long-term graft longevity in heart transplantation.

• A New Infant Stent: Starlight Cardiovascular announced the world’s first implantation of its Lifeline Ductus Arteriosus Stent System in an 8-day-old baby at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. The hospital’s cardiac team performed the procedure on an infant with a condition known as “double inlet left ventricle and pulmonary atresia,” using the purpose-built device to maintain pulmonary blood flow. The stent is designed specifically for infant ductal anatomy, offering improved flexibility and precision compared to adapted adult stents and is currently being studied under FDA IDE.
  
• CVAUSA’s Heartflow Integration: Cardiovascular Associates of America will deploy Heartflow’s AI diagnostic platform across its network of over 460 physicians to modernize its coronary artery disease workflow. By utilizing the Heartflow One platform (including FFRCT and Plaque Analysis) CVAUSA clinicians can generate personalized 3D digital models from non-invasive coronary CT scans to assess specific plaque composition and its impact on blood flow. This strategic rollout aims to provide more precise insights for the 1.3M patients CVAUSA serves annually.

• CCP’s Bedside AI Revolution: Cardiology Consultants of Philadelphia plans to integrate AISAP’s AI-enabled cardiac diagnostic platform across its independent cardiovascular practice. AISAP’s platform uses point-of-care ultrasound devices to provide automated assessments of valvular pathologies and heart failure metrics (like LVEF and ventricular dimensions) directly at the patient’s bedside. This rollout aims to create an “upstream triage” that allows clinicians to identify asymptomatic or early-stage heart disease in real-time while reducing reporting times.

• Africa’s Clinical Trial Gap: A systematic review of leading medical and cardiovascular journals from 2019 to 2024 revealed that African countries are severely underrepresented in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The study found that only 3.9% of RCTs in top general medical journals and a staggering 0.6% in leading CV journals were conducted exclusively in Africa, with Central Africa seeing almost no representation and Africa-only trials focusing heavily on infectious diseases (75.9%).

• Cardiac Amyloidosis Partnership: Faster diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis is the focus of a new partnership between Viz.ai and RNAi CA drug maker, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals. Viz.ai will develop an AI-based care pathway within its Viz Cardio Suite for identifying cardiac amyloidosis earlier that leverages echocardiography AI algorithms developed by Us2.ai. The combination will identify at-risk patients from echo exams, then enable confirmatory testing, patient referral, and track follow-up.

• Repeat CAC Scans Guide Cardiac Risk Assessment: More research confirms the value of repeat testing with CT-derived coronary artery calcium scans. In a new AJPC paper, researchers acquired CAC scores for 4.2k people from the CLARIFY study and followed them for almost six years. People with CAC scores of 0 at baseline had no increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, but those whose CAC scores increased faced nearly double the risk of MACE (HR = 1.96), an effect found across CAC severity levels.

• Stronger Fluoro Radiation Standards: As the U.S. government considers relaxing occupational radiation exposure standards, a coalition of cardiac and interventional medical groups is recommending that they be strengthened in one area, catheterization labs. A new report from the coalition recommends the adoption of ALARA+, an updated set of safety guidelines for fluoroscopy-guided procedures that includes better radiation protection technologies, real-time radiation monitoring, better radiation education and training, and stronger regulatory and accreditation standards.

cvi42’s Real World Results

Consistency of measurements over time is of utmost importance for clinical interpretation and follow-up. Read about how cardiac imagers are using Circle Cardiovascular Imaging’s cvi42 platform to dramatically reduce manual segmentation by up to 60%.

RoR in the Real World with Monebo and UNCG

Strenuous exercise can significantly reduce people’s heart relaxation reserve, putting them at risk without preliminary warning signs. Find out how Monebo’s new Reserve of Relaxation technology provides a crucial tool for anyone looking to enhance their physical performance without harm.

How Us2.ai Improves CA Screening

Cardiac amyloidosis may not be as rare as previously thought, with early and accurate detection becoming increasingly critical for treatment. Read about how the AI-SCREEN-CA study implemented Us2.ai’s automated CA reporting and AI-based pattern recognition analysis, leading to better disease screening at scale.

The Resource Wire

• Earlier Detection, Better Outcomes: When it comes to heart disease, early detection is crucial to a patient’s long-term health. Learn more about how Fujifilm helps clinicians achieve that with the Lisendo 880 cardiovascular ultrasound system’s unique solutions that detect early abnormalities seen in heart failure, while offering insight into cardiac functions and groundbreaking hemodynamic analysis.

• Making the Leap to Outsource Post-Processing: Interested in how to outsource cardiac image post-processing, but not sure where to start? PIA walks you through how to assess and compare vendors, understand pricing models and payment options, and outline your requirements to identify vendors who meet your clinical needs.

• Heart Failure Hospitalization Doubles Risk of Cardiovascular Death: 21% of patients with symptomatic heart failure escalate to hospitalization for heart failure or cardiovascular death, and 25% of those who experience hospitalization are readmitted due to heart failure within one year of discharge. Watch Bayer’s Dr. Alanna Morris-Simon discuss heart failure hospitalizations and when to assess care plans.

• Merge Hemo Ranks 2026 Best in KLAS: Merge Hemo ranked 2026 Best in KLAS for cardiology hemodynamics, marking the 14th year it’s been named a category leader. Find out more about why Merge’s strategy of a modular, unified imaging solutions portfolio continues to dominate the KLAS rankings, year in, year out.

• Identify and Treat Cardiovascular Disease: Complex care pathways make getting patients to the next step a challenge. See how Tempus Next, an AI enabled care pathway platform, helps providers identify and reduce under treatment in cardiovascular disease by adding an intelligent layer onto their routinely generated EHR data.

The Industry Wire

1. White House unveils AI legislative framework.
2. Sutter Health will acquire Allina Health in hospital mega-merger.
3. AHA amplifies FBI warning of Iranian hacks via Telegram app.
4. Healthcare roles least and most vulnerable to AI.
5. NYC Health + Hospitals reports major data breach.
6. CMS unveils new pediatric care model.
7. CHS to offload 9 hospitals for more than $1.2B.
8. The 54 medications listed on TrumpRx.
9. FTC strikes agreement with CVS over PBM market manipulation.
10. Bon Secours Mercy Health names newChief AI Officer.

Adam Cifu, MD

Women’s Cardiac Health

The CV Risks of Premature Menopause

Keeping a close eye on women’s reproductive health could give insights into their future cardiovascular risk after a new JAMA study found that women who experience premature menopause face higher lifetime risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).

• The average age for menopause for most women is 51, with premature menopause occurring in women under 40.
• Current cardiovascular risk assessment doesn’t really incorporate reproductive history factors despite early estrogen loss influencing ASCVD progression.
• It also hasn’t been clear how premature menopause impacts women of different racial/ethnic backgrounds.

To answer these questions, researchers followed 10k postmenopausal women (65% White, 35% Black) free of baseline coronary heart disease from 1964-2018, finding that lifetime risk calculations revealed concerning patterns…

• Premature menopause increased lifetime CHD risk by 40% between the two groups with a hazard ratio of 1.41 for Black women and 1.39 for White women.
• However, PM occurred over three-fold more frequently in Black women (15.5%) versus White women (4.8%), leading to higher absolute CHD burden despite similar risk.

These results suggest that premature menopause is an important risk-enhancing factor for women, so adding it into the consideration is important, but it also serves as a stress test for a woman’s body.

• That’s because menopause at any age changes a woman’s body in drastic ways, with lipids and BP often increasing, while energy and muscle mass decrease.
• This ultimately leads to a less active lifestyle and the compounding of cardiovascular risk factors like increased body fat, hypertension, and hormonal changes.

The Takeaway

As the research on women’s cardiovascular health expands, one thing becomes increasingly clear – cardiologists cannot evaluate and treat the female heart the same as the male. Special considerations are needed for women whose bodies drastically change from fertility, to pregnancy, to eventually menopause.

Discover The Monebo Advantage

Need complex ECG monitoring algorithms for use in a variety of applications? Here are just a few reasons why companies across the healthcare spectrum rely on Monebo to power their ECG monitoring and analysis.

PIA’s Post-Processing Solution

Advanced cardiac imaging often calls for a time-consuming post-processing step, requiring costly software, hardware, and training. See how PIA provides this post-processing at lower cost, improved consistency, and greater efficiency.

Fujifilm’s Ultrasound for every Cardiovascular Ultrasound Environment

From academia to clinical diagnostics, versatility in cardiac ultrasound is essential. Discover why clinicians are choosing Fujifilm’s LISENDO 880 for exceptional image quality, comprehensive strain analysis, stress imaging, and innovative Virtual Contrast technology — all while delivering outstanding value.

The Wire

• Taking Tirzepatide Before TAVR: TAVR and tirzepatide? It sounds catchy, but a recent study found that obese patients taking Eli Lilly’s GLP-1 faced better outcomes following valve replacement. Researchers randomized 260 patients with an obese BMI score to either take tirzepatide for four weeks before (plus 12 months after) their TAVR or standard care. Patients on the GLP-1 had a 61% relative risk reduction of leaflet thickening and a 58% lower risk of paravalvular leak. It’s unclear what drove these benefits (likely weight loss).

• HEARTio’s Funding Start: HEARTio closed a $4.25M seed financing round to advance ECGio, its AI-driven platform that aims to predict coronary occlusion using a standard electrocardiogram. ECGio uses AI to analyze standard 12-lead ECGs to detect coronary artery disease by interpreting subtle, often-missed ECG signals. It’s already been validated in a study of over 16k patients, and the newly secured funds will act as the primary catalyst for the company’s upcoming pivotal study as it seeks FDA clearance.

• Triple G Agonist for T2D: Eli Lilly already one-upped its tirzepatide with triple hormone agonist, retatrutide, for T2D. The U.S. pharma titan released topline results from the TRANSCEND-T2D-1 trial that showed the GLP/GIP/Glucagon agonist led to an average decrease in HbA1c from baseline of 1.7% to 2.0% and body weight decreases of 11.5% to 16.8% depending on the dose amount. The drug also improved other CV risk factors like non-HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and systolic blood pressure.

• CM Genes and AFib: A massive meta-analysis of over 655k individuals from the UK Biobank and All of Us cohorts revealed that genetic variants linked to cardiomyopathies (DCM, HCM, and ARVC) are also potent independent drivers of atrial fibrillation. Remarkably, this increased risk (HR 1.73) persists even in patients who have not developed overt ventricular disease or heart failure. The study highlights that “cardiomyopathy genes” often have an equal or greater impact on atrial health, suggesting that AFib may be a major manifestation.

• TAVR vs. SAVR Similarities: Confirming what we already know, the PARTNER 3 trial found that patients feel the same seven years after TAVR or SAVR for severe aortic stenosis. The latest read out of the trial now suggests that although TAVR seemed better in the early years, seven-year outcomes for either procedure were equally likely to show a KCCQ-OS score of >60 without a decline of more than 10 points from baseline. However, the analysis showed statistically significant lower mental component scores at years 4 and 5 with TAVR, but no difference by years 6 and 7.

• CV Healthcare is Still Unaffordable: What good are cardiovascular meds if no one can afford them? As part of a JACC special issue, investigators examined data from 4k adults with various forms of CVD and found that patient contributions to insurance premiums plus spending on CV medical care and medicines increased from $4.8k to $5.3k from 2007 to 2022. That increase was driven by a rise in insurance premiums ($3.3k to $3.9k) and 34% of patients spent more than 10% of their income on those premiums.

• Echo Surveillance Improves AS Outcomes: Guideline-directed echocardiographic surveillance for aortic stenosis is effective, but still not optimally applied across the United States. A JAHA study followed 20.5k patients with AS who hadn’t received AVR over a 5.2-year follow-up, finding patients with guideline directed care had lower death rates (28.8% vs. 42.2%), and higher AVR rates (26.6% vs. 14.5%). Guideline adherence for echo surveillance was 74% for mild AS ranging as low as 49% for severe AS.

• Wolters Kluwer & the AHA: In a move that could improve access to high-quality research, Wolters Kluwer and the AHA partnered on a new journal publication platform that will offer CV and brain research in both a subscription-based and Open Access model. The duo believes the new platform will provide access to quality resources that will support clinicians, researchers, and policymakers worldwide. The AHA studies published by Wolters Kluwer will now be featured in the Lippincott portfolio of medical and scientific journal publications.

• MyOme’s PRS Results: Whole-genome analysis company, MyOme, announced research showing that integrating polygenic scores (PRSs) with clinical risk factors produces more precise coronary artery disease predictions than either approach alone. Per the study, combining PRS with traditional tools like the PREVENT-ASCVD equation for individual-level predictions led to more accurate long-term prognosis of a patient’s CAD risk. That means these findings are most relevant to patients who are near guideline-relevant thresholds for medications like statins or other lipid lowering treatments.

• The Consequences of Inaction: An Alabama judge awarded a $50M verdict to the family of a man who died in his sleep at home following a heart catheterization. After complaints of pain and cardiac testing, his cardiologist performed a catheterization, and found a blockage. Instead of treating it with blood thinners, he sent him home from the hospital, cleared him for an elective eye surgery a week later, and instructed him to begin blood thinners after the surgery, leading to his death. The family’s lawyers argued that this was a failure to meet the required standard of care.

• The Risk of CHIP: A large-scale analysis of over 360k participants from two major U.S. biobanks confirmed that clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) is a significant risk factor for pericarditis. The study found that individuals with CHIP have a 1.65-fold increased risk of developing incident pericarditis, an association primarily driven by the DNMT3A gene variant. While the link to myocarditis showed a similar positive trend, it did not reach statistical significance, likely due to a smaller number of events.

What Every Cardiologist Needs to Watch for in Heart Failure

Patients with preserved (HFpEF) or mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF) face a high risk of hospitalization for heart failure and cardiovascular death, even with guideline-directed medical treatment. Hear from Bayer’s Dr. Alanna Morris-Simon as she shares common heart failure signs to look out for.

Identify and Treat Cardiovascular Disease

Complex care pathways make getting patients to the next step a challenge. See how Tempus Next, an AI enabled care pathway platform, helps providers identify and reduce under treatment in cardiovascular disease by adding an intelligent layer onto their routinely generated EHR data.

9 Merge Cardio Features to Change Your Cardiology Workflows

Having the right tools is essential for efficient cardiology imaging workflows and delivering exceptional patient care. Read this article on how Merge Cardio can make the biggest difference to your imaging workflows, care team user experiences, and patient care delivery.

The Resource Wire

• The Largest Registry on Plaque Analysis in CAD: What if 50% of your CCTA patients could benefit from an adjustment to their treatment plan? Read more about Heartflow’s DECIDE registry that demonstrates how Heartflow Plaque Analysis using its Plaque Staging software empowers physicians with clinical insights that lead to real-world impact.

• Diagnosing Cardiac Amyloidosis Using Echo AI: Catching cardiac amyloidosis early is critical to giving patients the best possible outcome. Read Us2.ai’s latest paper in Circulation to learn how their echocardiography AI solution and new Us2.ca model helped clinicians diagnose cardiac amyloidosis with higher sensitivity and specificity.

• The Power of AI in Cardiovascular Imaging: Cardiac labs are under more pressure than ever to deliver more with greater speed and precision. Hear from ACUSON Origin customer, Tony Gallagher about how Siemens Healthineers’ cardiovascular ultrasound system is improving exam efficiency and showing positive impact on ROI.

• Beyond the Calcium Score with Circle CVI: The coronary artery calcium score has been the non-invasive gold standard for a quick look at heart disease risk, but it only tells part of the story. Learn more about how Circle Cardiovascular Imaging is using AI-enabled coronary plaque analysis to redefine heart risk beyond what a CAC score can tell us.

• Vista AI Grows CMR Volume: Are your patients waiting weeks or months for cardiac MRIs? See Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s real-world results showing how Vista AI’s software for automated MRI scanning led to 50% more scan slots, without adding more scanners or staff.

The Industry Wire

1. Scientists take on psychedelic antidepressant hype.
2. What to know about the new Alzheimer’s blood tests.
3. An unexpected organ could play a role in longevity.
4. One in ten 2025 ACA enrollees are now uninsured.
5. 10K Corewell Health nurses authorize labor strike.
6. Providence considering sale of health plan.
7. 24 profitable health systems in 2025.
8. MedArrive acquires tech assets from Inbound Health.
9. Perplexity launches consumer-focused AI health tool.
10. Verily banks $300M to fuel AI, separates from Alphabet.

John Mandrola, MD

Population Health

Ultraprocessed Foods are Bad for Everyone and Worse for Some

We already know that what you put in your body is directly related to your overall health, including cardiovascular risk, but a new JACC study suggests your ethnic background could impact just how much damage ultraprocessed foods do to your body.

• There still isn’t 100% consensus on what an “ultraprocessed” food is, but industrial products like frozen pizza, energy drinks, soda, and cereals tend to fit the bill.
• That’s because they’re engineered to maximize the reward pathway effects in our brains while providing energy-dense, high-sugar, high-sodium, and low-fiber nutrition.
• Prior studies have already linked ultraprocessed food diets to higher ASCVD risk, but research was mostly on white participants or homogeneous non-U.S. populations.

Bringing plenty of new data to the table, the MESA analysis followed 6.5k diverse adults ( 39% white, 27% Black, 22% Hispanic, 12% Chinese) without baseline clinical disease consuming an average of 4.38 daily ultraprocessed food servings, finding some substantial risk associations…

• Each additional daily serving of ultraprocessed food led to a 5.1% relative CVD risk increase for a composite of nonfatal MI, cardiac arrest, CHD death, and stroke death.
• People in the highest category of ultraprocessed consumption had a 66% higher CVD risk than those in the lowest, with risk increasing steadily across the middle categories.
• It’s worth noting these results remained consistent when calculating ultraprocessed food as a percentage of total daily calorie intake.

There were also some finer details worth considering, with the ethnic background of a person greatly impacting CVD risk.

• For example, Black participants experienced a severe risk interaction with 12.3% CVD risk increase per 10% ultraprocessed percentage increase. 
• Meanwhile this risk increase was only 7.9% in non-Black participants.
• Curiously, researchers didn’t find an interaction between ultraprocessed food consumption and sex or income.

Whether or not this increased risk is due to genetic factors or biological differences is unclear, since the study simply examined data rather than analyzing the relationship between food consumption and population risk across each ethnic category.

The Takeaway

More and more data and studies keep confirming that ubiquitous ultraprocessed foods are driving CVD risk and ultimately burden. This study now confirms that the burden is unequal, and while it’s still unknown why, it’s all the more reason to take a stand against industrial food.

Merge Hemo Ranks 2026 Best in KLAS

Merge Hemo ranked 2026 Best in KLAS for cardiology hemodynamics, marking the 14th year it’s been named a category leader. Find out more about why Merge’s strategy of a modular, unified imaging solutions portfolio continues to dominate the KLAS rankings, year in, year out.

Heartflow Plaque Analysis: Accurate CAD Assessment Now Covered Across the US

HeartFlow’s Plaque Analysis is now reimbursable thanks to Medicare’s new coverage for AI-enabled plaque analysis of eligible patients with coronary artery disease.

Merge & Us2.ai for Accessible Cardiac AI

AI isn’t the future anymore, it’s an irreplaceable feature for cardiac imaging. Dive deeper into how Merge & Us2.ai are integrating FDA-cleared algorithms with advanced imaging systems to help clinicians focus on what matters most – their patients.

The Wire

• The New Lipid Guidelines: The ACC and AHA, released a comprehensive update to the dyslipidemia guidelines with a central shift to the PREVENT-ASCVD risk calculator for 10 and 30-year estimates. Policymakers now emphasize “lower for longer” LDL-C targets, recommending a goal of <55 mg/dL for very high-risk secondary prevention and <70 mg/dL for high-risk primary prevention. The new guidelines also mandate at least one Lp(a) measurement in adulthood and encourage the use of CAC scores to resolve treatment uncertainty.

• Antidepressants and the Heart: A Danish cohort study of 4.3M residents unveiled a significant association between the long-term use of antidepressants and the risk of sudden cardiac death. The risk appears to be both duration- and recency-dependent since patients using antidepressants for six or more years faced a 74% higher risk compared to non-users, while current users showed a higher risk than those who had used the medications in the remote past. Notably, these findings remained consistent across major drug classes, including SSRIs and tricyclic antidepressants.

• PCI Can Be Done a Little Later: Analysis from the Madras Medical College STEMI Registry suggests that extending the window for PCI to 3–48 hours after fibrinolysis is a safe and effective strategy for patients with STEMI. The study found that clinical outcomes, including in-hospital complications and one-year mortality, were comparable between patients receiving primary PCI and those undergoing an extended pharmacoinvasive approach. These findings provide a revascularization solution for resource-limited or geographically remote regions where timely access to primary PCI is often unavailable.

• The Value of CAC: A recent analysis of four U.S. prospective studies found that while elevated Lp(a) (>50 mg/dL) and a CAC score >0 are independent risk factors for ASCVD, the predictive power of CAC is still robust even when Lp(a) is high. Notably, for individuals with a CAC of 0, the absolute risk of a cardiac event remains low (4.9 per 1,000 person-years) even if their Lp(a) is elevated, so it seems CAC scoring is still a reliable tool for risk stratification.

• CSP vs. BiVP for LBBB: Results from the PhysioSync-HF trial suggest that conduction system pacing (CSP) is inferior to conventional biventricular pacing (BiVP) for patients with heart failure and left bundle-branch block (LBBB). Over 12 months of follow-up, patients randomized to CSP experienced a significantly higher rate of death, HF hospitalizations, and urgent clinic visits. While CSP was more cost-effective (reducing medical expenses by ~$7,000 per patient) it failed to match the improvements in LVEF seen with BiVP (35% vs. 39%). 

• Atria and Stern for Private Cardiology: Amidst a trend where over 70% of cardiologists are employed by hospitals or health systems, Atria Health and Stern Cardiovascular entered a strategic partnership to scale the “independent practice” model. Stern, a 106-year-old physician-led group, will leverage Atria’s PE-backed structure that allows cardiology practices to off-load start-up and operational costs to remain independent while it expands across the southern United States. This could help bridge care gaps by introducing PET/CT and cardiac rehabilitation to the Memphis, TN market.

• JenaValve’s FDA Win: JenaValve achieved a landmark milestone with the FDA approval of its Trilogy Transcatheter Heart Valve System, making it the first TAVR device specifically indicated for symptomatic, severe aortic regurgitation. While previous TAVR technologies have relied on calcified “anchors” found in aortic stenosis, the Trilogy system utilizes proprietary locator technology to securely clip onto the valve leaflets even in the absence of calcium. Supported by the ALIGN-AR trial results, this approval shifts the treatment paradigm for high-risk AR patients, moving away from off-label use of stenosis-focused valves.

• M-TEER Durability Questions: A systematic review of 33 studies revealed that while Mitral Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair (M-TEER) is an effective minimally invasive treatment, its durability begins to decline significantly after three years. By the study’s five-year mark, the average MR recurrence rate reached 17%, and the rate of reintervention rose to 9%. These failures are notably more frequent in primary MR (degenerative) compared to secondary MR (functional), with 41% of primary MR patients experiencing recurrence or reintervention within five years.

• CARPOOL for PVI: Early results from the CARPOOL study suggest that radial-to-peripheral (R2P) access is a viable alternative to traditional femoral access for peripheral vascular interventions (PVI). While the femoral approach still led to a higher technical success rate, both methods showed comparable 30-day outcomes for Major Adverse Limb Events. Notably, the radial approach significantly improved healthcare efficiency by reducing median hospital stays from 24 hours to just five hours, however randomized controlled trials are still required to shift clinical guidelines.

• Apixaban’s Safety Strength: New insights from the COBRRA trial, published in NEJM, resolved a long-standing clinical “toss-up” by demonstrating that apixaban (Eliquis) is significantly safer than rivaroxaban (Xarelto) for treating acute venous thromboembolism (VTE). In a head-to-head comparison of 2.7k patients, apixaban reduced the risk of clinically relevant bleeding by more than 50% without any trade-off in preventing recurrent clots. The findings should help reduce the risk of unnecessary bleeding while preventing potentially life-threatening VTE clots.

• Another GLP-1 Contender? In what could be the makings of the next best oral GLP-1, Structure Therapeutics announced results that put its drug, aleniglipron, ahead of the incumbent competition. Per the company’s Phase 2 trial, researchers found that aleniglipron helped obese patients lose as much as 15% of their body weight over 44 weeks. The treatment was also associated with a lower rate of study discontinuations than earlier trials, since Structure incorporated slower step-ups in dosing for the Phase 2 design.

The Power of AI in Cardiovascular Imaging

Cardiac labs are under more pressure than ever to deliver more with greater speed and precision. Hear from Tony Gallagher, Director of Noninvasive Cardiology at Baptist Health Lexington about how Siemens Healthineers’ ACUSON Origin is reshaping daily practice and transforming the future of echocardiography.

Circle CVI’s Cardiac CT Expansion

Watch this Cardiac Wire interview with Circle Cardiovascular Imaging’s Chief Product Officer, Scott Galbari as he sheds light on Circle CVI’s history with cardiac MRI and how the company is tackling the coming demand for cardiac CT.

CMR Access Is Broken — Here’s How to Fix It

Cardiac MRI is one of the most powerful tools for diagnosing heart disease, yet it’s still out of reach for many patients. Download Vista AI’s new infographic to see what’s holding CMR adoption back—and how AI and automation can help make gold-standard imaging more accessible than ever.

The Resource Wire

• Relieving The Burden of Post-Processing: With the advent of advanced imaging technologies like CCTA come added burdens to technologists and diagnostic imaging centers. See how PIA can relieve the burden of post-processing, saving you time while helping your bottom line.

• A Cardiovascular Ultrasound Platform You Can Trust: Being able to provide premium diagnostic information for your pediatric patients every day, all day, is vital. Find out why cardiac imagers trust Fujifilm’s Lisendo 880, and how its premium imaging quality, efficiency tools, and reliability you can trust, have helped change workflows for clinicians and technologists alike.

• Changes in Heart Failure Management: Heart failure is a complex condition with high heart failure hospitalization and cardiovascular mortality rates, especially among patients with HFpEF and HFmrEF, for whom treatment options have been limited. Read how Bayer’s Dr. Alanna Morris-Simon discusses the changing treatment landscape and strategies for improving patient outcomes.

• Tempus Receives FDA 510(k) Clearance for Tempus ECG-Low EF: Tempus announces the expansion of its Tempus ECG-AI portfolio with Tempus ECG-Low EF, software intended for use to analyze 12-lead ECG recordings and detect signs associated with having a low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF less than or equal to 40%) in patients 40 years of age or older at risk of heart failure. It is not intended as a stand-alone diagnostic and positive results may suggest the need for further clinical evaluation. For Full Indications for Use, visit here.

• RoR in the Real World with Monebo and UNCG: Strenuous exercise can significantly reduce people’s heart relaxation reserve, putting them at risk without preliminary warning signs. Find out how Monebo’s new Reserve of Relaxation technology provides a crucial tool for anyone looking to enhance their physical performance without harm.

The Industry Wire

1. People don’t need to buy a meningitis vaccine.
2. Mass AI job replacement? Not in healthcare.
3. Highmark’s pharmacy partnership with Free Market Health.
4. Stopping GLP-1s raises risk of heart attack, stroke and death.
5. Medicinal cannabis doesn’t help anxiety or depression.
6. Colorectal cancer deaths rise in the US for people under 50.
7. Highmark Health, BCBS Kansas City affiliation moves ahead.
8. Health insurance bankruptcies ticked up in 2025.
9. Sutter Health and Allina Health want to unite.
10. Physicians still concerned about AI accuracy amid rapid adoption.

Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM Editor-in-Chief, JACC

Population Health

Where We’ve Been, and Where We’re Going in CV Health

JACC released its inaugural Cardiovascular Statistics 2026 report covering a wide spectrum of major CV risk factors and conditions, and despite the medical advancements in the last ten years, it’s clear we still have a lot of work left to do.

• The report covers five risk factors and six conditions that account for most cardiovascular deaths and disability.
• It is meant to serve as a comprehensive snapshot of CV health in the U.S. to inform patients, clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and the public.

As part of its process, JACC synthesized data from multiple national sources and evaluated trends in disease epidemiology, quality of care, and morbidity and mortality across risk factors and conditions.

When it came to CV risk factors, the report focused on each one’s prevalence from 2009-2023 and found that…

• Half of all Americans have hypertension.
• Diabetes rose steadily, with only half of diabetics achieving glycemic control.
• Obesity reached epidemic proportions (>40% of adults).
• The majority of high-risk adults do not achieve LDL guideline targets.
• Smoking declined substantially in the past 15 years (-5.8%).

For cardiovascular conditions, JACC focused on the trend and impact for six of the most common diseases and found…

• Coronary artery disease prevalence declined for 25 years, then began rising in 2019, though CAD mortality decreased by 50% in the same period.
• Acute MI hospitalizations went from 3 per 1,000 in 2004 to 2.3 per 1,000 by 2010, remaining stable since.
• Approximately 6.7M U.S. adults have HF, and HF-related mortality has risen since 2011.
• Lower extremity PAD is common, underdiagnosed, affecting 1 in 14 adults.
• Stroke affects nearly 7.8M U.S. adults, and accounted for ~160k deaths in 2023.

So what to do with this behemoth amount of data?

• Prevalence data can help the broader CV societies and policymakers prioritize public health initiatives.
• The report could also help unite the American healthcare system across these broad cardiovascular problems due to how interconnected the risks and conditions are.

The Takeaway
You can’t fix what you don’t know about, so the Cardiovascular Statistics 2026 report’s biggest benefit is its wealth of information, and as JACC’s Editor-in-Chief, Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, wrote, “The data tell a story—but what we do next will define its course.”

How Vista AI Helps Solve the Technologist Shortage

Fewer than 2% of MRI scanners are routinely used for cardiac imaging—mainly due to a shortage of trained technologists amid rising demand. Vista AI addresses this challenge by automating CMR scanning, empowering technologists of all experience levels to deliver high-quality cardiac exams consistently and efficiently.

From Fetal to Adult Cardiovascular Ultrasound

Continuity of care is critical when it comes to a patient’s cardiovascular health. That’s why cardiologists across America are picking Fujifilm’s Lisendo 880 cardiovascular ultrasound for its versatility and precise imaging starting at a patient’s fetal development to adulthood.

Tempus Receives FDA 510(k) Clearance for Tempus ECG-Low EF

Tempus announces the expansion of its Tempus ECG-AI portfolio with Tempus ECG-Low EF, software intended for use to analyze 12-lead ECG recordings and detect signs associated with having a low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF less than or equal to 40%) in patients 40 years of age or older at risk of heart failure. It is not intended as a stand-alone diagnostic and positive results may suggest the need for further clinical evaluation. For Full Indications for Use, visit here.

The Wire

• Bringing Ablation to ASCs: ACCESS GPO announced a multi-year agreement with Medtronic to expand the availability of the Affera Mapping and Ablation System with the Sphere-9 Catheter in U.S. ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). The Sphere-9 is a versatile, “all-in-one” catheter capable of both high-density mapping and dual-energy ablation (radiofrequency and pulsed field). The partnership will focus also on physician governance to accelerate the adoption of PFA technology in the outpatient setting.

• Sword Pulse Debut: AI clinical oversight provider, Sword Health, debuted in the cardiometabolic care segment with its new Sword Pulse platform. The technology is an always-on AI solution built to support hypertension, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and weight management in a single integrated experience. The move puts Sword into the GLP-1 arena and may help lay the foundation for the company’s IPO.

• Digitally Guiding Antihypertensive Therapy: An experiment on Australian physicians revealed that access to digital health data (like home BP and wearable metrics) significantly increases the likelihood of prescribing antihypertensive therapy for elderly patients. While factors like frailty and history of falls typically drive clinical inertia, the study found that remote monitoring provides doctors the reassurance needed to pursue aggressive hypertension targets. Additionally, pill burden proved to be a critical barrier, with nearly half of physicians favoring intensive treatment only if delivered via low-tablet regimens.

• Online CAD Management: Managing patients with complex coronary artery disease using online heart team meetings during angiography could be a safe and efficient alternative to conventional face-to-face meetings. Researchers randomized 490 CAD patients to either be managed remotely or in person and found that the online approach significantly reduced the median waiting time for therapy from 5 days to 2 days, slashed recatheterization rates by over 85%, and lowered PCI hospitalization costs by 18%.

• An AI for SCD Detection: Researchers developed an AI model capable of predicting sudden cardiac death (SCD) using EHR data from over 17M drug prescriptions and 1.6M diagnoses. Validated across cohorts in Paris and Seattle, the model successfully detected 26% and 33% of all SCD high-risk individuals in each set, even when cardiovascular symptoms were absent (a scenario present in 25.7% of SCD cases). By incorporating non-cardiovascular medications and diagnoses alongside traditional risk factors, the model achieved an AUC of 0.81 in validation.

• ARR, AFib and Stroke: Fresh results from the ARIC study confirm that a higher aldosterone-renin ratio (ARR) is independently linked to an increased risk of atrial fibrillation and ischemic stroke. Researchers examined 3.5k elderly patients over a 9-year follow-up, finding that elevated ARR served as a significant marker for subclinical primary aldosteronism, even in those without baseline cardiovascular disease. Interestingly, the study found no association between ARR and MI or HF hospitalization, so it sees aldosterone only drives arrhythmogenic and cerebrovascular risks.

• Hemodynamics and QoL After TAVR: Why do 20% to 30% of patients remain symptomatic after successful TAVR? The DEFINE-TAVR study looked at exercise-induced valve gradients and may have found the answer. The study used supine bicycle stress echocardiography to compare self-expanding valves (SEV) and balloon-expanding valves (BEV) and found that SEVs were associated with lower resting mean gradients, particularly in patients with small annuli. This means that hemodynamics during bodily exertion, beyond resting blood flow, may be the key to understanding post-procedural quality of life.

• A Genetic Cure for HF? Scientists developed a novel gene therapy designed to treat heart failure by targeting telomere (the ends of a cell’s chromosomes) shortening in cardiomyocytes. The therapy used modified human telomerase to successfully reverse cardiac dysfunction and fibrosis in mouse models by blocking telomeric DNA damage responses, suppressing chronic inflammation, and restoring mitochondrial structure and ATP production. By stabilizing telomeres, this “pan-HF” approach addresses the cellular roots of cardiomyocyte failure, offering a potential cure for a currently incurable condition.

• Sarcomeric HCM’s Unique Risks: In more HF genetics news, the SHaRe registry highlighted two distinct prognoses for sarcomeric (genotype-positive) and nonsarcomeric (genetically elusive) hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Per the study, sarcomeric HCM patients were diagnosed significantly younger (median age 38 vs. 54) and faced a higher AFib, LV systolic dysfunction, and ventricular arrhythmia burden. While all-cause mortality rates were similar, sarcomeric patients died younger and experienced higher HCM-related mortality. AFib emerged as the strongest disease modifier for HF and death, especially in the sarcomeric group.

• Semaglutide Helps PAD Patients’ STRIDE: A post hoc analysis of the STRIDE trial confirmed that once-weekly semaglutide (1.0 mg) consistently improves walking capacity in patients with peripheral artery disease and T2D, regardless of disease severity or age. The study evaluated high-risk subgroups, including those with CKD, prior peripheral revascularization, and polyvascular disease, finding that semaglutide demonstrated significant improvements in both maximum and pain-free walking distances across all patient types.

• Troponin as a Vascular Biomarker: Findings from the CISCO-19 study suggest that troponin-I elevation in patients hospitalized with viruses like COVID-19 may be a sign of systemic vascular injury rather than myocardial damage. While a “high likelihood” of myocarditis was found in only 13.2% of participants, plasma proteomics revealed a significant correlation between troponin-I and smooth muscle myosin light chain proteins. This association was independent of cardiac MRI findings and natriuretic peptides, suggesting that troponin can serve as a biomarker for vascular smooth muscle stress or injury during acute illness.

Why Competitors Benchmark Against Monebo’s ECG Algorithm

In the world of cardiac monitoring, it’s a big deal when your competitors use your technology as their benchmark for success. Learn why Monebo Technologies’ ECG analysis algorithm has been the  “predicate device” of at least 13 other companies FDA 510(k) clearance regulatory filings and what this means for providers and their patients.

The Power of AI in Cardiovascular Imaging

Cardiac labs are under more pressure than ever to deliver more with greater speed and precision. Hear from Tony Gallagher, Director of Noninvasive Cardiology at Baptist Health Lexington about how Siemens Healthineers’ ACUSON Origin is reshaping daily practice and transforming the future of echocardiography.

Heart Failure Places Enormous Strain on our Healthcare Systems and Patients

There are 3.7 million US patients with HFpEF or HFmrEF, with prevalence only expected to rise. To learn more about the heart failure landscape and Bayer’s commitment to addressing patient unmet need, watch the video here.

The Resource Wire

• Why Merge Hemo is the Cardiology Hemodynamics Leader: Thanks to feedback from its customers, Merge Hemo has been named the 2026 Best in KLAS for cardiology hemodynamics for the 14th time. Join Merge for a free virtual discussion on March 18th to hear the factors behind their win and the latest innovations in hemodynamics.

• Diagnosing Cardiac Amyloidosis Using Echo AI: Catching cardiac amyloidosis early is critical to giving patients the best possible outcome. Read Us2.ai’s latest paper in Circulation to learn how their echocardiography AI solution and new Us2.ca model helped clinicians diagnose cardiac amyloidosis with higher sensitivity and specificity.

• Making the Leap to Outsource Post-Processing: Interested in how to outsource cardiac image post-processing, but not sure where to start? PIA walks you through how to assess and compare vendors, understand pricing models and payment options, and outline your requirements to identify vendors who meet your clinical needs.

• The All in One Cardiac Imaging Solution: Ready for an all-in-one solution that supports all of your MR and CT needs? See how Circle Cardiovascular Imaging’s cvi42 can streamline your core reading and reporting workflows within a single, customizable platform.

• The Largest Registry on Plaque Analysis in CAD: What if 50% of your CCTA patients could benefit from an adjustment to their treatment plan? Read more about Heartflow’s DECIDE registry that demonstrates how Heartflow Plaque Analysis using its Plaque Staging software empowers physicians with clinical insights that lead to real-world impact.

The Industry Wire

1. Cardiac groups say statins could start as young as age 30.
2. Dr. Oz touts agentic AI for healthcare at HIMSS 2026. 
3. Microsoft launches Copilot Health for personal health data. 
4. Dark money group linked to Medicare Advantage comments.
5. MedPAC: Feds will overpay MA plans $76B this year.
6. Is the Trump administration backing away from “vaccine reform?”
7. TV show’s hospital ransomware attack reveals cybersecurity threat.
8. Are payors loosening purse strings for prior authorization?
9. Arizona cardiologists settle charges of unnecessary vein ablations. 
10. Silicosis lung disease hits workersin countertop industry.

Andrew J. Sauer, MD

Understanding coronary CTA and plaque morphology has become critical for treating coronary artery disease. Tune in to this exclusive Cardiac Wire webinar on March 24th at 2:00pm ET to hear from Kashif Shaikh, MD, Brittany Weber, MD, PHD, and Udo Hoffman, MD, MPH, about the key findings from Cleerly’s CONFIRM2 registry and how it can improve clinical decision-making while supporting more equitable cardiovascular care.

Cardiac Imaging

IVI or Angiography for Complex PCI Guidance?

New follow-up data from the RENOVATE-COMPLEX-PCI trial suggests that intravascular imaging continues to provide better clinical outcomes for patients with complex coronary lesions five years after their PCI procedure.

• Intravascular imaging (IVI) refers to catheter-based invasive technologies used to visualize the inside of coronary arteries in real-time.
• The two IVI modalities are intravascular ultrasound and optical coherence tomography, providing cross-sectional images of the vessel wall to guide stent placement.

The RENOVATE-COMPLEX-PCI trial originally randomized 1.6k patients with complex coronary lesions to receive either IVI or angiography guided PCI and found that IVI led to a 36% relative reduction in composite target lesion failure (TLF) compared to angiography after a two year follow-up.

• More specifically, target-vessel MI or cardiac death was reduced by 37%, and cardiac death alone decreased by 53%.

For this latest analysis, researchers followed up after five years and found that…

• The primary TLF endpoint was still significantly lower when intravascular imaging was used to guide PCI (10.5% vs. 14.9%).
• Meanwhile, the composite of cardiac death or target-vessel MI occurred in 7.6% of the imaging group and 10.7% of the angiography group. 

Landmark analysis of the data also revealed that most of IVI’s advantages occurred within the first two years following PCI, with no significant difference between the two groups in the years after.

However, due to cost and education, IVI has yet to be widely adopted in the United States despite guidelines giving the methodology a class 1A indication for guiding PCI in chronic and acute coronary syndromes.

• For example, the median cost of hospitalization for single-vessel PCI using IVUS or OCT was approximately $23k from 2016-2018, compared to $19k without these imaging technologies.
• That said, RENOVATE-COMPLEX-PCI’s evidence stands out, since prior studies of IVI PCI did not always show significant decreases in mortality and target vessel MI.

The Takeaway

While the initial two year results of RENOVATE-COMPLEX-PCI were strong, the five year results now provide a robust argument for making intravascular imaging the go-to when it comes to PCI guidance. The even better news is that outcomes like these may be enough to overcome the initial cost of implementing IVI.

The Benefits of Outsourced Post-Processing

Using an outsourced cardiac image post-processing solution doesn’t have to mean sacrificing control of the results. Discover how PIA’s customizable post-processing workflow can help you get the most out of your images.

Harnessing the Power of AI to Improve Patient Care

Endeavor Health is one of the first healthcare providers in the Midwest to use AI in the echocardiography lab. Learn how they are harnessing echo AI’s tremendous potential to improve diagnoses in this page from Us2.ai.

Personalized Plaque Analysis Now With Medicare Coverage

Heartflow’s Plaque Analysis is now reimbursable thanks to Medicare’s new coverage for AI-enabled plaque analysis of eligible patients with coronary artery disease.

The Wire

• Suspended Lead Suits Reduce Radiation: Echocardiographers who used Biotronik’s Zero-Gravity suspended lead radiation protection suit were exposed to less radiation than those who wore traditional lead aprons during interventional cardiology procedures. In a JAMA Network Open study, 60% of Zero-Gravity users had no detectable radiation exposure across 95 procedures, compared to a median dose of 11 microSieverts for those wearing lead aprons for 30 procedures. Ceiling-suspended aprons and shields provide radiation protection without adding extra weight for operators.

• Philips Gets Cardiac MRI Software Clearance: The FDA cleared Philips’ SmartHeart software for planning cardiac MRI exams. SmartHeart automates 14 standard and advanced cardiac views in less than 30 seconds, enabling single-click CMR workflow. Philips believes this may help reduce the complexity of cardiac MRI and ultimately increase the technology’s adoption. It’s also worth noting that SmartHeart’s AI engine was trained on 1.2k cardiac MRI datasets.

• Tenaya & Alnylam’s Validation Partnership: Tenaya Therapeutics and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals agreed to collaborate on researching new cardiovascular disease treatments through gene target validation. As a part of the agreement, Tenaya will validate up to 15 gene targets for Alnylam in exchange for an upfront payment of $10M with the potential for a milestone payment schedule that could be as high as $1.13B. The collab seems like a match made in heaven given Alnylam’s experience in RNAi therapies which are most effective when targeting a specific gene.

• Shockwave’s New IVL: Shockwave Medical shared early data in JACC from its new intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) catheter that is designed to deliver treatments to the coronaries twice as fast as its current 1-Hz device. Researchers enrolled 145 patients and treated them with Shockwave’s new 2-Hz IVL platform finding that the procedure achieved a 98.6% procedural success rate. Meanwhile, 97.9% of patients remained free from MACE or target vessel revascularization at 30-days.
  
• Biome’s Cardio Reporting: Biome Analytics introduced the Biome Strategy Board and Biome Presentation Builder, two software solutions designed to automate reporting and initiative tracking for cardiovascular service lines. With healthcare staff spending an estimated 28 hours per week on administrative tasks, these tools aim to eliminate manual data preparation and formatting. By streamlining reporting workflows and providing real-time accountability, Biome claims the platform allows administrators to shift their focus from clerical documentation to patient outcomes with a focus on value-based care.

• HeartBeam and Mount Sinai’s AI-ECG Collab: HeartBeam announced a strategic collaboration with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai to accelerate the joint development of next-generation AI-ECG algorithms. The collaboration will leverage HeartBeam’s ECG platform while marking a significant milestone in the company’s long-term strategy to build an ecosystem around its technology. The duo believes combining HeartBeam’s continuously expanding dataset and Mount Sinai’s clinically annotated 12-lead ECG information will result in a data engine that can support the development of increasingly personalized algorithms.

• Emboline’s Growth Funding: Emboline closed $20M in growth capital to support its upcoming commercial launch and the continued development of its embolic protection technology. The company’s Emboliner Embolic Protection System is designed to provide full cerebral and systemic embolic protection by capturing and removing embolic debris released during transcatheter heart procedures. The funds may also be used to advance Emboline’s aortic embolic protection technologies, including full-body embolic filtration and aortic deflection approaches.

• Cathworks’ ADP vs. Angiography: The first-ever Medicare study of angiography-derived physiology (ADP) suggests that CathWorks FFRangio yields clinical outcomes similar to invasive pressure wire-guided PCI. Analyzing over 4,000 patients from 2019 to 2024, the study found a 2-year MACE rate (death, MI, or repeat revascularization) of 24.8% for ADP versus 23.5% for traditional wires. With ADP utilization growing eightfold in five years, these data support FFRangio as a safe, non-invasive alternative that streamlines clinical workflows without compromising long-term patient safety.

• Codexis’ Cardio siRNA Contract: Codexis entered into an agreement with an unnamed pharmaceutical company to manufacture 50 grams of small interfering RNA (siRNA) to support development of a new cardiovascular therapy. Under the terms of the agreement, Codexis will produce siRNA material using its proprietary ECO Synthesis method to support its partner’s preclinical program. This partnership represents an important demonstration for Codexis’ ability to deliver meaningful quantities of RNA material beyond early research volumes and establishes a potential pathway to further scale-up and manufacturing.

• Adderall and CV Health: While we already know of Adderall’s CV risks, new research suggests that a single 25mg dose of unprescribed amphetamine can trigger significant cardiovascular surges in healthy, drug-naive individuals. Per a Mayo Clinic study, people who took Adderall without a prescription experienced a mean 10mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure, a 10 bpm rise in heart rate, and a 40% jump in plasma norepinephrine. The study also revealed “dramatic” orthostatic instability, nearly doubling the heart rate response upon standing.

• The Return of the Ross: The Ross procedure is experiencing a resurgence, accounting for 6.7% of surgical aortic valve replacements in adults under 60 as of 2023. A new JACC study found that while high-volume centers maintained a low operative mortality (~1%), a small uptick in overall mortality (to 2.5%) occurred due to procedures at low-volume sites where the risk of death is three times higher. Experts cautioned against “casual” Ross surgeons and advocated for concentrating these complex cases in specialized centers to ensure patient safety.

cvi42’s Real World Results

Consistency of measurements over time is of utmost importance for clinical interpretation and follow-up. Read about how cardiac imagers are using Circle Cardiovascular Imaging’s cvi42 platform to dramatically reduce manual segmentation by up to 60%.

CMR Access Is Broken — Here’s How to Fix It

Cardiac MRI is one of the most powerful tools for diagnosing heart disease, yet it’s still out of reach for many patients. Download Vista AI’s new infographic to see what’s holding CMR adoption back—and how AI and automation can help make gold-standard imaging more accessible than ever.

Earlier Detection, Better Outcomes

When it comes to heart disease, early detection is crucial to a patient’s long-term health. Learn more about how Fujifilm helps clinicians achieve that with the Lisendo 880 cardiovascular ultrasound system’s unique solutions that detect early abnormalities seen in heart failure, while offering insight into cardiac functions and groundbreaking hemodynamic analysis.

The Resource Wire

• AHA Scientific Sessions Discussion: Heart Failure Treatment Developments and Impact on Women: Women with heart failure with preserved and mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFpEF and HFmrEF, respectively) often present with different symptoms than men, leading to underrecognition. Moreover, the incidence of HFpEF in women is increasing more than in men. Watch Dr. Martha Gulati discuss prevalence and changing treatment options.

• Cracking the Code of ECG Analysis with Monebo’s AI Genetic Algorithm: How do you teach a computer to recognize the complex patterns in an ECG signal? Discover how Monebo found the answer by blending human expertise and a little evolutionary magic in this article that breaks down the advantages of genetic algorithms in ECG analysis.

• Tempus Receives FDA 510(k) Clearance for Tempus ECG-Low EF: Tempus announces the expansion of its Tempus ECG-AI portfolio with Tempus ECG-Low EF, software intended for use to analyze 12-lead ECG recordings and detect signs associated with having a low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF less than or equal to 40%) in patients 40 years of age or older at risk of heart failure. It is not intended as a stand-alone diagnostic and positive results may suggest the need for further clinical evaluation. For Full Indications for Use, visit here.

• The Power of AI in Cardiovascular Imaging: Cardiac labs are under more pressure than ever to deliver more with greater speed and precision. Hear from ACUSON Origin customer, Tony Gallagher about how Siemens Healthineers’ cardiovascular ultrasound system is improving exam efficiency and showing positive impact on ROI.

• Why Merge Hemo is the Cardiology Hemodynamics Leader: Thanks to feedback from its customers, Merge Hemo has been named the 2026 Best in KLAS for cardiology hemodynamics for the 14th time. Join Merge for a free virtual discussion on March 18th to hear the factors behind their win and the latest innovations in hemodynamics.

The Industry Wire

1. Healthcare AI agents spreading faster than evidence.
2. Can medical evidence keep up with AI developments?
3. Startup Radial to put $500M to work for AI-funded science.
4. Should healthcare execs rediscover their “pandemic mindset”?
5. Primary care docs team up to boost market power.
6. How physicians can preserve their “soft skills” for patients.
7. Pressure on rural hospitals sparks innovation.
8. Tenet sees success with commercial rate updates. 
9. AHA says hospital expenses rose 7.5% in 2025.
10. Stryker cyberattack linked topro-Iran hacking group.

Eduardo Marban, MD, PhD, Executive Director, Smidt Heart Institute

Whether a patient is in the center of a city or far out in the countryside, cardiologists need a safe, reliable way to help their patients manage heart failure. In the latest episode of the Cardiac Wire Show we sat down with Yousef Hindi, MD from Honor Health to find out how he uses Abbott’s CardioMEMS device to make sure his patients get intervention when they need it most.

Heart Failure

Barostim Boosts QoL and LVEF, but Mortality Benefit Still Unknown

Strong results from two separate studies on CVRx’s Barostim baroreflex activation therapy suggest the technology might offer symptomatic relief even though its mortality benefit is still up in the air.

• Abnormal baroreflex signaling causes neurohormonal issues that drive heart failure progression, so Barostim is intended to help reverse this while combined with GDMT.
• The FDA approved Barostim in 2019 based on the BeAT-HF trial which showed improved quality of life and exercise capacity, but long-term outcomes remained uncertain.
• Barostim is very unique among cardiac therapies, since it’s an implantable neuromodulator that treats HF by stimulating carotid artery baroreceptors.

The first of two Barostim studies discussed at THT 2026, the REBALANCE registry enrolled 435 patients with a low average baseline LVEF, mostly NYHA class III symptoms, and high average NT-proBNP levels to evaluate the nerve therapy’s functional improvements.

• Following the therapy, the average LVEF increased significantly from 26.8% at baseline to 29.9% at 6 months, 30.8% at 1 year, and 33.7% at 2 years.
• Meanwhile 49.8% of patients achieved a clinically meaningful ≥5% LVEF rise.
• NYHA functional class improved significantly with 34% advancing at least one class at 6 months.

In parallel, the separate COSMOS database analysis of 1.5k patients showed year-over-year reductions in HF hospital burdens.

• This manifested as a 14.4% drop in all-cause hospitalizations, 29.1% decrease in HF-related hospitalizations, and 26.8% lower HF-related ED visits.
• An 18.3% increase in all-cause ED visits also occurred but was attributed to the generally poor health of the cohort.

Despite these demonstrated functional and hospitalization benefits, the studies still can’t tell us how much long-term survival is improved by giving patients Barostim.

• Since Barostim is like an add-on therapy that improves symptoms and isn’t intended to directly treat HF, rather manage symptoms, we’ll need more years of data to find out.

The Takeaway

The good news about Barostim? It’s safe and effective for improving an HF patient’s quality of life while reducing burden on the healthcare system. The bad news? It’s still too early to know if this therapy extends lifespan in the patients who receive it.

Fujifilm’s Ultrasound for every Cardiovascular Ultrasound Environment

From academia to clinical diagnostics, versatility in cardiac ultrasound is essential. Discover why clinicians are choosing Fujifilm’s LISENDO 880 for exceptional image quality, comprehensive strain analysis, stress imaging, and innovative Virtual Contrast technology — all while delivering outstanding value.

Heart Failure Places Enormous Strain on our Healthcare Systems and Patients

There are 3.7 million US patients with HFpEF or HFmrEF, with prevalence only expected to rise. To learn more about the heart failure landscape and Bayer’s commitment to addressing patient unmet need, watch the video here.

The Efficiency of the Kinetic Rhythms ECG Algorithm

See how you can interpret up to twenty-nine distinct rhythms by embedding the Kinetic Rhythms ECG Algorithm on your device or software suite. Ensure precise ECG interpretations regardless of whether they’re taken at the bedside or in an ambulatory setting.

The Wire

• Beta Blockers Bad for nHCM: New research suggests the beta blocker, bisoprolol, reduces quality of life and peak oxygen consumption compared to verapamil in patients with nonobstructive HCM. Each of the study’s 32 patients underwent three treatment periods with 7.5mg bisoprolol, 360mg verapamil, and placebo. While on bisoprolol, patient pVO2 and QoL decreased but when they switched to verapamil, their exercise capacity and myocardial function improved and NT-proBNP levels dropped. This challenges the current guidelines by suggesting that beta-blockers may be detrimental in nonobstructive HCM.

• HBR in MI Patients: Large-scale registry data from the UK and Sweden revealed that 39% of acute MI patients meet high bleeding risk (HBR) criteria. A deeper dive into the data suggests these patients face significantly worse outcomes regardless of treatment strategy, with nearly triple the risk of MACE and double the risk of major bleeding compared to non-HBR patients. Experts are now calling for dedicated trials to determine the best antiplatelet duration for medically managed HBR populations.

• HeartBeam’s First Commercial Partner: HeartBeam officially went commercial through a strategic partnership with ClearCardio, a preventive cardiology practice. ClearCardio will integrate HeartBeam’s cable-free 3D ECG technology, which synthesizes clinical-grade 12-lead readings, into its screening programs for remote arrhythmia assessment. Targeting the growing direct-pay and executive health segments, this subscription-based model allows patients to capture cardiac data whenever symptoms occur, potentially bridging the gap between home monitoring and clinical intervention.

• AFTX-201 on the Fast-Track: The FDA granted Fast Track designation to Affinia Therapeutics’ AFTX-201 gene therapy for BAG3-associated dilated cardiomyopathy. The move comes just one week after Affinia earned an Orphan drug designation in the EU. The therapy is currently being evaluated in the UPBEAT Phase 1/2 trial to test its one-time intravenous delivery method and to see if it can restore cardiac function. It’s a pretty big win for a small, high-risk patient population whose only other option is a heart transplant.

• NORM’s News Results: The FUTURE-HFII study suggests that patient self-management of heart failure symptoms using FIRE1’s NORM implantable IVC sensor is safe and feasible. By receiving smartphone-delivered care plans from the NORM sensor, patients performed significantly more proactive diuretic adjustments (10.4 vs. 2.8) and achieved greater quality-of-life improvements than clinician-managed cohorts. As a result, this signal-driven approach seems to empower patients to manage their HF condition and congestion more effectively than traditional symptom-based strategies.

• Inflo’s Cardiac Offerings: Inflo Health launched a cardiology suite in an effort to bridge the gap between diagnostic detection and completed care. The new software suite will target aortic aneurysms, heart failure, and coronary artery calcium by acting as a safety net within EHRs to ensure incidental imaging and diagnostic findings trigger follow-up. Inflo believes this approach will help clinicians act on AI-driven insights without increasing burnout, potentially improving outcomes and capturing downstream revenue through timely preventive care.

• The First ATLAS for AVR: Cardiologists in Israel successfully performed the first ATLAS (Anchoring via Trans-Leaflet Apposition Stent) procedure for a noncalcified aortic valve. To treat severe aortic regurgitation, a Palmaz stent was deployed in the noncoronary cusp and crushed by a Sapien 3 valve, creating a stable anchor. This “hybrid” approach overcomes the fixation challenges typical of pure AR, and could be a critical breakthrough for high-risk patients while also underscoring the need for dedicated, AR-specific TAVR technologies.

• BSCI’s Expanded PFA CE Mark: Boston Scientific secured an expanded CE mark for the Farapulse PFA system, making it now available for persistent AFib in the EU. The expansion is backed by the ADVANTAGE AF study, which demonstrated a 99.7% procedural success rate and 85.3% freedom from symptomatic AFib at one year. BSCI’s EU approval now aligns European clinical indications with the recent FDA expansions for Farapulse in the persistent AFib population.

• ASCEND Enters Pediatric CHD: ASCEND Cardiovascular launched a new pediatric cardiology platform designed for lifelong congenital heart disease (CHD) management. The platform  includes interactive, SVG-based Mullins diagrams for patient-specific anatomy and “Catalyst” telepresence for real-time remote consultations. ASCEND also integrated the Ventripoint AI software into the new platform, which generates MRI-accurate 3D heart models from 2D echoes, offering a critical diagnostic alternative for CHD patients. This platform design will enable data transitions from fetal diagnosis through adulthood.

• Humana’s Cardio-VBC Expansion: Humana announced new partnerships with Karoo Health, US Heart and Vascular, and Chamber Cardio in a bid to expand into value-based cardiac care for Medicare Advantage members. Building on its existing collaboration with CVAUSA’s Novocardia, the program provides 24/7 hotline access, remote monitoring of vitals, and coordinated care teams. Humana claims this approach will improve clinical outcomes for chronic heart conditions by incentivizing evidence-based cardiac care management across 16 states and D.C.

• LVAD vs. Transplant 2-Year Results: A real-world study from Helsinki University Hospital found that elective LVAD implantation and heart transplantation offer similar 24-month survival (93.4% vs. 84.0%) at comparable costs in advanced heart failure patients. However, urgent LVAD procedures, usually for patients on ECMO, resulted in significantly lower survival (62.5%) and higher initial healthcare expenses (+$300k). These findings emphasize the clinical and economic benefits of early, elective intervention before multi-organ failure or right ventricular deterioration leads to emergency support.

Identify and Treat Cardiovascular Disease

Complex care pathways make getting patients to the next step a challenge. See how Tempus Next, an AI enabled care pathway platform, helps providers identify and reduce under treatment in cardiovascular disease by adding an intelligent layer onto their routinely generated EHR data.

Why Merge Hemo is the Cardiology Hemodynamics Leader

Thanks to feedback from its customers, Merge Hemo has been named the 2026 Best in KLAS for cardiology hemodynamics for the 14th time. Join Merge for a free virtual discussion on March 18th to make sure you’re getting the most out of your hemodynamics solution.

The Power of AI in Cardiovascular Imaging

Cardiac labs are under more pressure than ever to deliver more with greater speed and precision. Hear from Tony Gallagher, Director of Noninvasive Cardiology at Baptist Health Lexington about how Siemens Healthineers’ ACUSON Origin is reshaping daily practice and transforming the future of echocardiography.

The Resource Wire

• Vista AI Grows CMR Volume: Are your patients waiting weeks or months for cardiac MRIs? See Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s real-world results showing how Vista AI’s software for automated MRI scanning led to 50% more scan slots, without adding more scanners or staff.

• A Single Cardiac Service Line Platform: Transitioning across multiple imaging platforms is a daily reality for many cardiologists, but it doesn’t have to be. See how three leading cardiac imagers are leveraging Circle CVI’s unified multi-modal software across their diverse caseloads, without switching to other platforms.

• Heartflow Plaque Analysis: Accurate CAD Assessment Now Covered Across the US: Heartflow’s Plaque Analysis is now reimbursable thanks to Medicare’s new coverage for AI-enabled plaque analysis of eligible patients with coronary artery disease.

• Diagnosing Cardiac Amyloidosis Using Echo AI: Catching cardiac amyloidosis early is critical to giving patients the best possible outcome. Read Us2.ai’s latest paper in Circulation to learn how their echocardiography AI solution and new Us2.ca model helped clinicians diagnose cardiac amyloidosis with higher sensitivity and specificity.

• PIA Medical Processes It All: Need an analysis like calcium scoring, strain or even FFR? PIA Medical began as a Core Lab and can handle creative cardiac research and clinical trials along with the full breadth of clinical analyses available today.

The Industry Wire

1. Oracle lays off thousands due to AI datacenter pressure.
2. HHS gets serious on information blocking enforcement.
3. TrumpRx falls short of promises one month in.  
4. Americans trust scientists over federal agencies.
5. Mayo Clinic rides admissions gains to higher net revenue.
6. Mystery emerges about Epstein’s involvement in Harvard genetics study.
7. MUSC Health acquires primary care group for $111M.
8. Who owns ambient AI documentation errors?
9. AI models aggressively prescribe opioids to marginalized groups.
10. Medical schools update their approach to nutrition education.

Sujith J. Kalathiveetil, MD, FACC on how Merge Cardio fits into the TAVR workflow.

With transcatheter therapies and cardiac imaging guided interventions on the rise, it’s more important than ever to have an image management platform that can handle multiple modalities. Watch the latest episode of The Cardiac Wire Show to hear from Sujith J. Kalathiveetil, MD, FACC, about his experience with Merge Cardio and how it has changed his patient workflows in the clinic.

Cardiology Testing

What NT-proBNP Can Tell Us About TEER Outcomes

New research presented at THT 2026 suggests that the NT-proBNP biomarker could give us a glimpse into which patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) will benefit the most from transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER).

• NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) is a key blood biomarker used to diagnose, rule out, and manage heart failure by measuring cardiac stress.
• TEER for severe TR is proven to improve symptoms and reduce heart failure hospitalizations, but predicting treatment success has been difficult.

Using data from the EuroTR registry, researchers evaluated 2.2k patients undergoing TEER, and organized them into three NT-proBNP categories (≤1,674, 1,675-3,743, >3,743 pg/mL) to compare baseline levels plus 30-day trajectory changes, finding that…

• Higher baseline NT-proBNP was associated with a greater 2-year composite mortality or first HF hospitalization risk (aHR: 1.62).
• Patients in the highest NT-proBNP category showed less functional improvement and less procedural success (81.4% in the highest vs. 86.3% in the lowest).

The 30-day NT-proBNP levels also predicted outcomes in patients who started at high baseline and saw their levels increase more than 30%. 

• Patients like these faced a 36% event-free survival rate versus 76% in the low NT-proBNP group.

While the study demonstrated NT-proBNP’s prognostic value, it also raised questions about the study population, since the extremely elevated baseline NT-proBNP levels suggest patients might not have been on optimal GDMT prior to TEER.

• Only 26% of patients received SGLT2is despite guidelines, while 43.9% were on MRAs and 57.4% were on RASis.

The Takeaway

When it comes to a complex procedure like transcatheter edge-to-edge repair for severe TR, being able to predict a patient’s response to treatment is invaluable. This study suggests that NT-proBNP could help do that, so long as physicians know a patient’s GDMT history.

The Power of AI in Cardiovascular Imaging

Cardiac labs are under more pressure than ever to deliver more with greater speed and precision. Hear from Tony Gallagher, Director of Noninvasive Cardiology at Baptist Health Lexington about how Siemens Healthineers’ ACUSON Origin is reshaping daily practice and transforming the future of echocardiography.

The Hidden Costs of Delaying Cardiac MRI Adoption

Despite being the gold standard for functional cardiac imaging, many hospitals remain slow to adopt it. From missed revenue to lost patients, the impact goes far beyond the scan. Read about the real clinical and financial risks of falling behind.

Circle CVI’s CAD-RADS Rundown

Ever wondered how CAD-RADS enhances the communication of coronary artery disease findings from imaging studies? Check out this guide from Circle Cardiovascular Imaging about the evolution of CAD-RADS and how to incorporate it into your practice.

The Wire

• Squeezing Limbs to Protect Hearts: One of the most effective cancer drug classes, anthracyclines, can cause serious heart damage but that drawback could be avoidable. A recent mouse experiment showed that the heart can be protected during anthracycline treatment using a technique known as remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) without reducing chemotherapy effectiveness. RIC consists of short controlled interruptions of blood flow to a limb by applying a pressure cuff. This activates protective mechanisms that help the heart better withstand stressors like those from chemotherapy.

• Relief’s Relieving FIH: Bringing us closer to a true medtech therapy for congestive heart failure, Relief Cardiovascular announced positive 90-day results from its RELIEF-FIH study at THT 2026. The “smart” valve-and-sensor implant, which sits in the inferior vena cava, successfully improved patients’ venous pressure with 100% procedural success, zero device-related adverse events, and highly accurate hemodynamic sensing. The system can also provide on-demand renal flow enhancement through a cloud-based platform, offering a device-based alternative to traditional diuretics.

• A Chest Pain Reducer: Early clinical data published in JSCAI suggests that VahatiCor’s A-Flux Reducer System is safe and effective for patients with stubborn chest pain. The self-expanding nitinol device achieved a 100% procedural success rate with no adverse events and patients experienced improvements in angina class and quality-of-life scores at six months. The A-Flux reducer uses a recapturable design and low-profile delivery system to minimize dislodgement risks while promoting healthy tissue healing and device patency.

• Ralinepag’s PAH Potential: Results from the Phase 3 ADVANCE OUTCOMES study of United Therapeutics’ ralinepag found that the drug significantly reduces the risk of worsening pulmonary artery hypertension. Ralinepag is a prostacyclin that helps keep blood flowing to the lungs and showed a 55% risk reduction of worsening PAH compared to placebo. The drug also led to 47% greater odds of clinical improvement alongside gains in six-minute walk distance and NT-proBNP levels. United plans an NDA submission to the FDA by late 2026.

• CardioMEMS’ HEROic Upgrade: Abbott received FDA approval for its CardioMEMS HERO, a next-generation remote reader for the CardioMEMS HF System that helps monitor and manage heart failure patients. The device is 60% lighter and more compact than its predecessor which improves portability and adherence while detecting worsening heart failure before symptoms appear. Past studies have shown that this approach can reduce hospitalizations by up to 57% by catching the delicate changes in pulmonary artery pressure before causing HF symptoms.

• Surgery for MR and TV: A new analysis suggests that the vast majority of mitral regurgitation and tricuspid valve disease patients remain free from reintervention or disease following surgery. The study found that 92% of patients with degenerative MR and TV disease stayed alive and free from reoperation or severe MR at 2 years following surgical MVR. Two-year mortality was 3.5% and only 1.4% had severe MR. While transcatheter MVR is gaining traction, it seems like surgery works fine for those who can get it.

• JUXTAPID for Kids: The FDA expanded Chiesi’s JUXTAPID (lomitapide) to include pediatric patients aged two years and older with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) since this ultra-rare genetic disorder causes dangerously high LDL-C from birth. In clinical trials, JUXTAPID demonstrated a 49% mean reduction in LDL-C when added to standard-of-care therapies. The approval provides a critical early intervention to mitigate the risk of severe, early-onset atherosclerosis in young children living with this condition.

• Hello Heart and The ACC: Hello Heart partnered with the ACC as part of a new initiative to evaluate its cardiovascular monitoring and coaching technology. The ACC will assemble an independent clinician workgroup to determine the quality and applicability of Hello Heart’s technology for clinician reporting and EMR integration. Hello Heart also joined the ACC’s Industry Advisory Forum in a bid to contribute to future public policy and AI integration into cardiovascular care.

• Lying Doesn’t Just Break Hearts: A cardiologist surrendered his medical license after getting caught in a web of elaborate deceptions. He was first fired from Cookeville Regional Medical Center after faking a penile cancer diagnosis to conceal his extramarital affair and fabricating training credentials, including fraudulent letters of recommendation from the Cleveland Clinic. He continued to falsify records and references while working at Baptist Health Lexington and now seems to have given up the gambit completely. He’ll be eligible to request reinstatement in two years.

• No Holds Barred for Intellia: The FDA removed the clinical hold on Intellia Therapeutics’ Phase 3 MAGNITUDE trial of nexiguran ziclumeran (nex-z) for ATTR-CM. Originally paused in October 2025 due to liver safety concerns, the study will resume with enhanced safety protocols, including intensified liver monitoring, short-term steroid guidance, and refined patient exclusion criteria (such as history of cardiovascular instability or low ejection fraction). Intellia is now focused on completing enrollment for both the MAGNITUDE and MAGNITUDE-2 trials.

• PFO’s 20-Year Proof: After 20 years, it’s safe to say that patent foramen ovale closure is safe. A recent 20-year longitudinal study of 130 patients confirmed that transcatheter PFO closure led to a stroke recurrence rate of less than 1% and only 13% of patients experienced bleeding events (predominantly women and those on antithrombotic therapy). Since no ischemic events occurred in patients who discontinued antithrombotic treatment, researchers reiterated that personalized therapy is needed to reduce bleeding risks after successful closure.

Heartflow Roadmap Analysis For Efficient Care

As Coronary CT scan volumes increase, your entire reading team needs to deliver efficient and consistent reads. Good thing Heartflow’s Roadmap Analysis can help you maintain accuracy and increase CCTA read speeds by up to 25%, with even level 3 readers seeing real efficiency benefits.

Diagnosing Cardiac Amyloidosis Using Echo AI

Catching cardiac amyloidosis early is critical to giving patients the best possible outcome. Read Us2.ai’s latest paper in Circulation to learn how their echocardiography AI solution and new Us2.ca model helped clinicians diagnose cardiac amyloidosis with higher sensitivity and specificity.

PIA’s Post-Processing Solution

Advanced cardiac imaging often calls for a time-consuming post-processing step, requiring costly software, hardware, and training. See how PIA provides this post-processing at lower cost, improved consistency, and greater efficiency.

The Resource Wire

• Tempus Receives FDA 510(k) Clearance for Tempus ECG-Low EF: Tempus announces the expansion of its Tempus ECG-AI portfolio with Tempus ECG-Low EF, software intended for use to analyze 12-lead ECG recordings and detect signs associated with having a low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF less than or equal to 40%) in patients 40 years of age or older at risk of heart failure. It is not intended as a stand-alone diagnostic and positive results may suggest the need for further clinical evaluation. For Full Indications for Use, visit here.

• Why Merge Hemo is the Cardiology Hemodynamics Leader: Thanks to feedback from its customers, Merge Hemo has been named the 2026 Best in KLAS for cardiology hemodynamics for the 14th time. Join Merge for a free virtual discussion on March 18th to hear the factors behind their win and the latest innovations in hemodynamics.

• Cracking the Code of ECG Analysis with Monebo’s AI Genetic Algorithm: How do you teach a computer to recognize the complex patterns in an ECG signal? Discover how Monebo found the answer by blending human expertise and a little evolutionary magic in this article that breaks down the advantages of genetic algorithms in ECG analysis.

• Heart Failure Hospitalization Doubles Risk of Cardiovascular Death: 21% of patients with symptomatic heart failure escalate to hospitalization for heart failure or cardiovascular death, and 25% of those who experience hospitalization are readmitted due to heart failure within one year of discharge. Watch Bayer’s Dr. Alanna Morris-Simon discuss heart failure hospitalizations and when to assess care plans.

• A Cardiovascular Ultrasound Platform You Can Trust: Being able to provide premium diagnostic information for your pediatric patients every day, all day, is vital. Find out why cardiac imagers trust Fujifilm’s Lisendo 880, and how its premium imaging quality, efficiency tools, and reliability you can trust, have helped change workflows for clinicians and technologists alike.

The Industry Wire

1. Breaking down the healthcare talk in Trump’s State of the Union.
2. Claude back online after “unprecedented demand” from DoD clash.
3. New rules for ACA plans would shift more healthcare costs to Americans.
4. Oracle faces executive exodus in health division.
5. Rural patients bypass local hospitals but get lower quality care elsewhere.
6. FDA plans bonuses for scientific staff that speeds up drug reviews.
7. Behind the scenes of a hospital’s 9-day cyberattack response.
8. Football is (still) bad for your head.
9. 2 dead, 2 wounded during multiple hospital shootings in Wisconsin.
10. States move to limit access toHIV treatment.

John P Erwin III, MD on a question from his compassionate colleague.

Cardiology Testing

Two Cardiac Troponins Don’t Tell the Same Story

There might be a bigger difference between the types of cardiac troponin assays, after a recent JACC analysis found that the type of troponin could help us better understand the kind of damage occurring after a heart attack.

• Cardiac troponin I and troponin T are currently used interchangeably in clinical practice with guidelines assuming they reflect identical myocardial damage. 
• Currently, most practices measure one type or the other but not both.
• Early studies have suggested that the cTnI/cTnT ratio may differ between acute necrotic versus chronic or non-necrotic myocardial injury, but that was uncertain till now.

As part of a multicohort validation, researchers examined 9.7k patients who were marked as having no known, chronic, or acute cardiac disease, and then measured their hs-cTnI and hs-cTnT concentrations to see what cTnI/cTnT ratio could tell them about the injury type.

• The cTnI/cTnT ratio proved highest in acute cardiac disease (2.06).
• This was approximately 4-fold greater than the ratio found in patients with chronic disease (0.66) and no known cardiac disease (0.50).
• Incorporating the cTnI/cTnT ratio alongside individual troponin values made it easier to tell between type 1 and type 2 acute myocardial infarction (AUC: 0.73 vs 0.70).

Experimental cardiomyocyte models were also used to replicate the clinical findings, with researchers discovering that mild nonlethal injury produced cTnT-dominant release, while lethal injury led to cTnI-dominant release.

Given that current practice assumes cTnI and cTnT reflect identical pathophysiology, these findings could challenge single-troponin measurement strategies and guideline recommendations that treat the biomarkers as interchangeable.

• The good news is that implementing this information would require minimal additional cost, since physicians can measure both troponins rather than choosing one.
• The ratio’s ability to distinguish type 1 from type 2 MI could also help guide decision-making about invasive coronary angiography versus medical management.

The Takeaway

It seems like a method for better classifying and triaging cardiac damage was under our noses the whole time. On the bright side, thanks to this study, physicians will no longer have to scratch their heads on which assay to use, since the answer is both.

Making the Leap to Outsource Post-Processing

Interested in how to outsource cardiac image post-processing, but not sure where to start? PIA walks you through how to assess and compare vendors, understand pricing models and payment options, and outline your requirements to identify vendors who meet your clinical needs. 

Identify and Treat Cardiovascular Disease

Complex care pathways make getting patients to the next step a challenge. See how Tempus Next, an AI enabled care pathway platform, helps providers identify and reduce under treatment in cardiovascular disease by adding an intelligent layer onto their routinely generated EHR data.

What Every Cardiologist Needs to Watch for in Heart Failure

Patients with preserved (HFpEF) or mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF) face a high risk of hospitalization for heart failure and cardiovascular death, even with guideline-directed medical treatment. Hear from Bayer’s Dr. Alanna Morris-Simon as she shares common heart failure signs to look out for.

The Wire

• A Path to Xenotransplantation: Two decades after its first ISHLT report, cardiac xenotransplantation (animal hearts in humans) has evolved from a theory to an actual clinical experience with two human heart recipients. While both cases ultimately ended in graft failure due to antibody rejection and other complications, they provided a vital roadmap for the field. The current ISHLT consensus now emphasizes that future success will need refined gene-editing of pigs hearts, better immunosuppression protocols (focusing on CD40/CD40L pathway blockade), and preventing animal-borne infections.

• Echo AI Aids Cardiac Amyloidosis Detection: Us2.ai’s echocardiography AI solution helped clinicians diagnose cardiac amyloidosis in a new Circulation study. In 5.8k patients, Us2.ai-generated measurements were added to an established multiparametric echo scoring system, producing sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 82%. In a separate test, a more automated model called Us2.ca was tested on single-view echo videos, achieving sensitivity of 97% and specificity of 96%. Both techniques could be integrated into clinical practice for automated cardiac amyloidosis screening.

• CagriSema vs. Tirzepatide: Novo Nordisk announced new weight loss results from the REDEFINE 4 Phase 3 trial that compared its CagriSema combo drug (a 2.4mg formula of cagrilintide/semaglutide) to Eli Lilly’s 15mg tirzepatide dose. Among the study’s 809 people with obesity, CagriSema achieved 23% weight loss at 84 weeks versus 25.5% with tirzepatide, failing to meet the non-inferiority primary endpoint. Novo plans on higher dose trials to see if it can meet non-inferiority cutoffs.

• GSK’s PAH Play: GSK announced it will acquire 35Pharma, gaining the rights to its HS235 molecule, a potentially best-in-class activin signaling inhibitor for cardiopulmonary diseases. HS235 has already completed Phase 1 trials with studies starting in pulmonary arterial hypertension and pulmonary hypertension due to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. The investigational medicine is designed with enhanced selectivity to reduce bleeding risk compared to existing therapies while offering metabolic benefits including fat-selective weight loss, lean mass preservation, and improved insulin sensitivity.

• A New Pharma Spinoff: Atrium Therapeutics launched as a spinout from Avidity Biosciences four months after Novartis acquired Avidity for $12B. Atrium will now focus on developing RNA medicines for rare heart conditions using technology that delivers drugs to cardiac muscle tissue. The company will start with $270M in funding and two preclinical programs for PRKAG2 syndrome and PLN cardiomyopathy, plus two undisclosed research targets. The cardiac-focused work was originally excluded from the Novartis acquisition, which centered on Avidity’s neuromuscular disease programs and muscle-targeted RNA technology.

• Rethinking Transplant Referral: New data suggests that the classic threshold of peak VO2 < 12 mL/kg/min for heart transplant referral is outdated. Researchers examined 8k patients and found that measuring ventilatory efficiency (VE/VCO2 slope) and exercise oscillatory ventilation offered superior risk stratification over peak VO2. Many patients previously deemed transplant-eligible now show survival rates comparable to transplant recipients, so clinical guidelines might need to be updated to reflect modern heart failure management.

• New VTE Biomarkers: Curious about catching venous thromboembolism earlier? A recent Circulation study suggests that there could be 23 different VTE plasma protein biomarkers. Among the study’s 59.8k participants, researchers found 15 new biomarkers including TAGLN, SVEP1, and TIMP4 among the eight that were already known. According to the study’s methods, these proteins may be involved in biological pathways beyond traditional clotting, such as extracellular matrix regulation, immunity, and vascular senescence, providing new potential targets for VTE risk stratification and prevention.

• AFib Post-Transplant: While many worry about graft rejection or hemodynamics after a heart transplant, new research suggests developing AFib could be a risk as well. In a study of 1,072 patients, 11% developed AFib after heart transplantation, correlated with lower 5-year survival (72% vs. 86%). The study’s authors think early AFib is linked to donor age and procedural factors, while later AFib is driven by rejection and vasculopathy.

• Radiotracers and Structural Heart: Cardiac radiotracers could be even better for diagnosing structural heart issues than previously thought. A cohort study of 76 patients revealed that [18F]-sodium fluoride PET can identify distinct thoracic aortopathy phenotypes. Unexpectedly, low uptake was associated with faster aortic growth and poorer structural integrity, while high uptake reflected a stiffer, slower-growing wall. This noninvasive imaging could significantly improve risk stratification for bicuspid aortic valve patients, helping clinicians determine the best timing for prophylactic aortic surgery.

• Traditional Medicine in Cardiology: Traditional Chinese medicine might be onto something after researchers found that adding Tongxinluo capsules to statins significantly stabilizes coronary plaques in ACS patients. Over 12 months, the Tongxinluo group showed increased minimum fibrous cap thickness (115.0 μm vs 80.0 μm) and a greater reduction in lipid arc compared to placebo. Additionally, patients experienced improved angina symptoms, though MACE risk was the same. Tongxinluo consists of Panax ginseng, Borneolum syntheticum, scorpion, cockroach, and centipede among other things and could help with STEMI.

• AFib on the Rise in Denmark: A recent Danish nationwide study suggests that atrial fibrillation incidence in the country will increase while heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke incidences decrease, though prevalence will still rise for all four conditions. Projections to 2040 estimate AFib incidence will rise 28% to 26k new cases annually and prevalence will increase 56% to 274k cases. Among adults aged 65-94, new AFib cases are projected to surpass combined new cases of HF, MI, and stroke by 2040.

A Solution for Your Entire Cardiology Service Line

The pace of change in healthcare can be dizzying, creating new and more complex challenges for cardiology departments to overcome. See how Merge Cardio and Merge Hemo can turn those challenges into opportunities for greater workflow efficiency and improved care.

Fujifilm’s Ultrasound for every Cardiovascular Ultrasound Environment

From academia to clinical diagnostics, versatility in cardiac ultrasound is essential. Discover why clinicians are choosing Fujifilm’s LISENDO 880 for exceptional image quality, comprehensive strain analysis, stress imaging, and innovative Virtual Contrast technology — all while delivering outstanding value.

Discover The Monebo Advantage

Need complex ECG monitoring algorithms for use in a variety of applications? Here are just a few reasons why companies across the healthcare spectrum rely on Monebo to power their ECG monitoring and analysis.

The Resource Wire

• Diagnosing Cardiac Amyloidosis Using Echo AI: Catching cardiac amyloidosis early is critical to giving patients the best possible outcome. Read Us2.ai’s latest paper in Circulation to learn how their echocardiography AI solution and new Us2.ca model helped clinicians diagnose cardiac amyloidosis with higher sensitivity and specificity.

• How Vista AI Helps Solve the Technologist Shortage: Fewer than 2% of MRI scanners are routinely used for cardiac imaging—mainly due to a shortage of trained technologists amid rising demand. Vista AI addresses this challenge by automating CMR scanning, empowering technologists of all experience levels to deliver high-quality cardiac exams consistently and efficiently.

• Assessing CAD with Circle CVI: Did you know that Circle CVI offers a suite of cardiac CT tools for the assessment of coronary artery disease? See how Circle combines heart function segmentation, automated plaque analysis, CAC scoring, reporting, and viewing in a single dedicated Cardiac CT package.

• The Largest Registry on Plaque Analysis in CAD: What if 50% of your CCTA patients could benefit from an adjustment to their treatment plan? Read more about Heartflow’s DECIDE registry that demonstrates how Heartflow Plaque Analysis using its Plaque Staging software empowers physicians with clinical insights that lead to real-world impact.

• The Power of AI in Cardiovascular Imaging: Cardiac labs are under more pressure than ever to deliver more with greater speed and precision. Hear from ACUSON Origin customer, Tony Gallagher about how Siemens Healthineers’ cardiovascular ultrasound system is improving exam efficiency and showing positive impact on ROI.

The Industry Wire

1. Measles outbreaks are costing the U.S. millions of dollars.
2. Independent physicians are fighting back against rising costs.
3. Medicare Advantage enrollment declines for the first time in 7 states.
4. Trump admin halts $259M in Medicaid funds to Minnesota.
5. Cigna’s Evernorth acquires hospital pharmacy CarepathRx.
6. Carelon president exits Elevance Health.
7. Centene urges CMS to cut red tape for fraud crackdowns.
8. Walgreens launches virtual GLP-1 clinic.
9. Teladoc projects lower membership amid ACA subsidy lapse.
10. Eli Lilly launches a new form of Zepbound.

Karen E. Joynt Maddox, MD, MPH, FAHA

Cardiovascular Disease

Women’s CVD Will Keep Rising by 2050

Imagine an America where two out of three women suffer from cardiovascular disease. What would it look like for your mother, sister, or daughter? The American Heart Association says you won’t have to imagine for long, with its latest scientific statement painting a grim picture of women’s cardiovascular health by 2050.

• This latest statement builds on prior projections of the future CVD prevalence among women and the economic burden it could cause.
• More than 62M women in the U.S. are already living with some type of cardiovascular disease and that comes with a price tag of at least $200B.

Over the next 25 years, the report found that the number of women living with CVD in the U.S. could rise sharply, with nearly 60% facing high blood pressure by 2050, up from about 50% reported for 2020. That report also found that…

• Nearly a third of women aged 22-44 will have CVD by 2050, up from 1 in 4 currently.
• Diabetes rates for that same age group will more than double, from 6% to nearly 16%.
• More than a third of those women will have high blood pressure, an increase of +11%.
• More than 1 in 6 women will become obese, an increase of more than 18%.

The report attributes the rising cardiovascular toll on women’s health to surging rates of obesity and diabetes, but that’s like saying it’s going to rain because it’s cloudy. The truth is, it’s not just a bad weather forecast, it’s the climate.

• Several studies have already tied rising CVD risk, obesity, and diabetes rates in the U.S. to ultraprocessed foods, sedentary lifestyles, food deserts, and lacking nutrition education.
• Beyond this, other studies have already outlined the disproportionately worse outcomes that women face from diseases like CAD, AS, and ASCVD.

What the report does remind us of is the severity of the situation, because women’s health is about more than any one person, it’s the health of humanity’s future.

• Mothers struggling with diabetes, obesity, and ultimately CVD will have a harder time giving birth to healthy children and healthily raising those children.

The Takeaway

The AHA’s report is a sobering reminder of the population level burden of CVD in women and where we’re headed as a species. If we don’t reverse the current trend, it will echo through the future generations of mothers and children in America and abroad.

Diagnosing Cardiac Amyloidosis Using Echo AI

Catching cardiac amyloidosis early is critical to giving patients the best possible outcome. Read Us2.ai’s latest paper in Circulation to learn how their echocardiography AI solution and new Us2.ca model helped clinicians diagnose cardiac amyloidosis with higher sensitivity and specificity.

Vista AI Grows CMR Volume

Are your patients waiting weeks or months for cardiac MRIs? See Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s real-world results showing how Vista AI’s software for automated MRI scanning led to 50% more scan slots, without adding more scanners or staff.

Why Merge Hemo is the Cardiology Hemodynamics Leader

Thanks to feedback from its customers, Merge Hemo has been named the 2026 Best in KLAS for cardiology hemodynamics for the 14th time. Join Merge for a free virtual discussion on March 18th to make sure you’re getting the most out of your hemodynamics solution.

The Wire

• Cardiac Imaging Radiation Dose Varies: Radiation dose from cardiac imaging varies greatly, by modality and in different geographic regions. A new analysis in JAMA found that across 19.3k patients worldwide, dose ranged from as low as 1.2 mSv for CAC scoring to 7.4 mSv for CCTA exams. Median radiation dose was lowest for nuclear cardiology and CCTA in Western Europe (4.8 and 4.6 mSv, respectively), and highest in Latin America for nuclear cardiology (7.8 mSv) and Africa for CCTA (25.2 mSv).

• Bacterial Metabolites and the Heart: The Max Delbrück Center identified a new “gut-brain-heart” axis that regulates cardiac stiffness and blood pressure. Using zebrafish models, the team discovered that the bacterial metabolite indole-3 acetic acid (IAA) inhibits overactive neurons in the hypothalamus. When IAA is deficient, these neurons trigger signals causing the heart muscle to stiffen. Clinical data confirmed that hypertensive patients, particularly women, have significantly lower IAA levels, suggesting that boosting this metabolite through diet or probiotics could help treat heart failure and hypertension.

• Bridging the Heart Disease Gap: A recent survey by HeartFocus of over 2,000 Americans revealed that even though heart disease is more lethal than cancer, public perception of its risks are far milder. Despite this gap, 94% of respondents reported increased motivation for preventive care once informed of the actual risks. The data also highlighted the need for accessible technology, with 98% of patients saying they trust cardiac ultrasound and 92% expressing confidence in primary care providers who offer same-day heart scans.

• MBS’ Superior Long-Term Protection: GLP-1s might not be the best option for weight loss after a meta-analysis published in Obesity Surgery found that metabolic and bariatric surgery offers significantly better long-term cardiovascular protection. Analyzing data from 20k patients, researchers reported a 52% relative risk reduction in MACE and mortality for surgery over medication. While GLP-1s are an important non-surgical option, the study suggests the multifactorial impact of surgery provides a far greater magnitude of benefit for patients with T2D and obesity.

• Biotronik’s Physiologic Pacing Innovation: Biotronik received FDA approval for the Solia CSP S, the first pacing lead specifically engineered for left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP). Unlike traditional leads adapted for the technique, the stylet-driven platform features a specialized fixed helix and screw design. Supported by the BIO-CONDUCT IDE trial, the device enables electrical resynchronization by targeting the heart’s natural conduction system.

• Analysis of Post-PCI Mortality: As it turns out, PCI is incredibly safe, with one of the lowest mortality risks of any CV procedure. A study in AJC found that the risk of death following percutaneous coronary intervention is remarkably low, occurring in only 0.5% of cases. Analyzing 22,000 patients over a decade, researchers found that the majority of deaths (78.3%) occurred more than 24 hours post-procedure, often driven by acute myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, or infection. High-risk factors included older age, chronic kidney disease, and heart failure, with most fatalities linked to the initial severity of the patient’s presentation.

• Accelerating Small-Molecule Discovery: Chemify and Sanacor announced a collaboration to develop oral small-molecule inhibitors for diabetic cardiovascular disease. The partnership combines Chemify’s “Chemputation” platform, which uses AI-driven design and robotic synthesis, with Sanacor’s research on mitochondrial dysfunction. By targeting poorly regulated mitochondria, the teams aim to restore vascular function in diabetic patients.

• Heart Valve Disease Awareness: A survey by Edwards Lifesciences suggests that even though 12M Americans have heart valve disease, one in three older adults remains unaware of their condition. The findings highlight a dangerous trend of deprioritizing heart health, as many adults over 65 dismiss fatigue and breathlessness as “just aging.” Experts emphasize that severe aortic stenosis can be asymptomatic and as deadly as certain cancers, urging proactive screenings and doctor discussions even when patients feel “fine” to prevent rapid, life-threatening progression.

• Retinal Imaging for Hypertension: A study in BMJ Innovations suggests that AEYE Health’s AI technology can estimate systolic and diastolic blood pressure from a single, non-dilated retinal image. Trained on 100k patient images, the deep learning model matched the accuracy of traditional arm cuffs while providing a more stable reflection of chronic hypertensive burden. By analyzing retinal microvasculature, the AEYE-X platform could potentially become a multi-diagnostic tool for cardiovascular health monitoring and systemic disease prediction.

• Expanding High-Frequency OCT Access: Gentuity entered a commercial collaboration with GE HealthCare to expand the reach of its HF-OCT Imaging System and Vis-Rx PRIME Micro-Imaging Catheter in the United States. The collab will allow GE HealthCare to connect its cardiac catheterization lab customers with Gentuity’s high-frequency intravascular imaging tools, designed to provide the precise visualization necessary for complex PCI. The new commercial agreement is part of a broader partnership the two companies launched in August of 2025.

• FDA Clears CTA Guidance Platform: The FDA reviewed software from CARA Medical for guiding cardiac interventional procedures using data from CT angiography. The CARA System includes the CARA Metis Simulator and CARA Atlas Navigator. Metis helps plan procedures involving the cardiac conduction system, while Atlas is an intraprocedural guidance platform that overlays the patient’s conduction system on live fluoroscopy images for interventional use. CARA System was cleared through the FDA’s Breakthrough Device program.

The Largest Registry on Plaque Analysis in CAD

What if 50% of your CCTA patients could benefit from an adjustment to their treatment plan? Read more about Heartflow’s DECIDE registry that demonstrates how Heartflow Plaque Analysis using its Plaque Staging software empowers physicians with clinical insights that lead to real-world impact.

The Power of AI in Cardiovascular Imaging

Cardiac labs are under more pressure than ever to deliver more with greater speed and precision. Hear from Tony Gallagher, Director of Noninvasive Cardiology at Baptist Health Lexington about how Siemens Healthineers’ ACUSON Origin is reshaping daily practice and transforming the future of echocardiography.

Circle CVI’s CAD-RADS Rundown

Ever wondered how CAD-RADS enhances the communication of coronary artery disease findings from imaging studies? Check out this guide from Circle Cardiovascular Imaging about the evolution of CAD-RADS and how to incorporate it into your practice.

The Resource Wire

• The Benefits of Outsourced Post-Processing: Using an outsourced cardiac image post-processing solution doesn’t have to mean sacrificing control of the results. Discover how PIA’s customizable post-processing workflow can help you get the most out of your images.

• Identify and Treat Cardiovascular Disease: Complex care pathways make getting patients to the next step a challenge. See how Tempus Next, an AI enabled care pathway platform, helps providers identify and reduce under treatment in cardiovascular disease by adding an intelligent layer onto their routinely generated EHR data.

• Changes in Heart Failure Management: Heart failure is a complex condition with high heart failure hospitalization and cardiovascular mortality rates, especially among patients with HFpEF and HFmrEF, for whom treatment options have been limited. Read how Bayer’s Dr. Alanna Morris-Simon discusses the changing treatment landscape and strategies for improving patient outcomes.

• From Fetal to Adult Cardiovascular Ultrasound: Continuity of care is critical when it comes to a patient’s cardiovascular health. That’s why cardiologists across America are picking Fujifilm’s Lisendo 880 cardiovascular ultrasound for its versatility and precise imaging starting at a patient’s fetal development to adulthood.

• Cracking the Code of ECG Analysis with Monebo’s AI Genetic Algorithm: How do you teach a computer to recognize the complex patterns in an ECG signal? Discover how Monebo found the answer by blending human expertise and a little evolutionary magic in this article that breaks down the advantages of genetic algorithms in ECG analysis.

The Industry Wire

1. Massive Kaiser Permanente strike ends.
2. Scientists discover the keys to SuperAging.
3. UCHealth selects systemwide AI scribe.
4. Medicare Advantage forced disenrollments on the rise.
5. Medtronic diabetes spinoff MiniMed seeks $784M in IPO.
6. How ASCs make pulsed field ablation work financially.
7. Many rare disease patients struggle to navigate care.
8. Veradigm avoids enforcement action in SEC probe.
9. Big Beautiful Bill could erase 12 years of Medicare solvency.
10. Hims & Hers downplays regulatory scrutiny.