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Lifestyle Post-Ablation, DurAVR IDE, and CagriSema Succeeds
November 10, 2025
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Together with
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“Make no mistake, we would all be better off if we lived healthy lives… However, it is the height of cruel indifference to ignore realities and demand people achieve the unachievable.”
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Adam Cifu, MD
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It’s no secret that cardiac CT is having its moment in 2025, and for many cardiology practices, demand is growing fast. Watch this episode of the Cardiac Wire Show with Dr. Eric Goodman, MD and Dr. Darrin Wong, MD from Sharp-Reese Stealy Medical Group about their experience with cardiac CT and best practices for integrating it into day-to-day practice.
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Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation might be missing half its potential, after results from the ARREST-AF trial demonstrated that structured lifestyle and risk factor management significantly increases a patient’s 12-month freedom from arrhythmia while cutting recurrence risk nearly in half.
- AFib ablation outcomes usually face attrition over time and many patients experience arrhythmia recurrence despite successful pulmonary vein isolation.
- While observational studies suggest lifestyle modification reduces post-ablation recurrence, we lacked the RCT evidence to support systematic risk factor management.
That could be changing now, thanks to the ARREST-AF trial which randomized 122 patients with symptomatic nonpermanent AFib, a BMI ≥27, and additional cardiometabolic risk factors to either a structured physician-led risk factor management clinic or usual care.
After 12 months the benefits were clear…
- The study’s primary endpoint of arrhythmia freedom at 12 months was achieved by 61.3% in the lifestyle management group versus 40% with usual care.
- Recurrent arrhythmia hazard over 12 months was nearly halved with lifestyle management compared to usual care (HR 0.53).
- AFib symptom severity improved significantly with lifestyle intervention (mean difference: −2.0).
- Risk factor improvements were also substantial, including a 9kg greater weight loss, 7cm greater waist reduction, and 10.8 mmHg greater systolic BP reduction
Even with guideline-directed AFib care provided to both groups, the behavior modification approach produced dramatically better outcomes through tailored interventions targeting modifiable cardiometabolic factors such as diet and exercise.
- Both groups underwent pulmonary vein isolation with additional ablation at electrophysiologist discretion, and both received blinded guideline-directed AF management—isolating lifestyle modification as the intervention.
- The usual care group received risk factor management information but lacked enrollment in the structured clinic program, representing typical real-world practice.
Given that most AFib ablation patients have elevated BMI and other cardiometabolic risks, these findings suggest current practices underutilize a potent intervention that could nearly double long-term ablation success rates.
- The trial’s open-label design reflects real-world implementation where lifestyle programs cannot be blinded, though outcome assessment remained blinded to randomization.
The Takeaway
The results from ARREST-AF are a reminder that no amount of procedures or ablation technology improvements will ever outweigh the importance of a healthy lifestyle. They also provide yet another sign that in order for a patient’s long-term AFib outcomes to improve, their long-term health behaviors must improve too.
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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.
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5,600 Ways to Improve Your Cardiac Ultrasound Workflow
AI-powered measurements can enhance the way you acquire and interpret cardiac ultrasound. Learn how AI-powered ultrasound can help you overcome everyday limitations in echo. Read Siemens Healthineers’ white paper on how its AI software provides 5,600+ automated measurements to help improve workflow efficiency, consistency, and clinical confidence.
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GLS Analysis of Us2.ai’s Fully-Automated Software
Ten years after the first head-to-head comparison of 2D echocardiography, the latest review suggests Us2.ai is among the easiest to use and integrate. Read the study to learn about how Us2.ai’s software requires zero operator input, operates without human intervention, and leads to high agreement with traditional semi-automated speckle- tracking software solutions.
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- Anteris’ DurAVR Notches IDE: Anteris received FDA IDE approval to begin the PARADIGM global clinical trial for evaluating its DurAVR transcatheter heart valve in patients with severe aortic stenosis. The randomized controlled trial will enroll approximately 1,000 patients across the U.S., Europe, and Canada, comparing DurAVR to other commercially available TAVR devices. The study aims to demonstrate non-inferiority in safety and effectiveness at one year, supporting future FDA Premarket Approval submissions.
- ACC Guidance on ATTR-CM: A new ACC Concise Clinical Guidance report advises that patients should start treatment early in symptomatic ATTR-CM disease. The guidance emphasizes four key challenges: maintaining diagnostic suspicion, conducting proper evaluation, individualizing management, and acknowledging evolving evidence. It includes diagnostic algorithms stressing early exclusion of light chain amyloidosis and provides recommendations for disease-modifying therapies such as tafamidis, acoramidis, and vutrisiran.
- Stratification Improves MINOCA Outcomes: New results from the PROMISE trial were so strong that researchers terminated it early due to the clear benefits of intervention and etiology-guided management of MINOCA patients. The study compared stratified treatment based on comprehensive diagnostic workups versus standard care in 92 patients, finding that stratified treatment significantly improved angina-related health status measured by Seattle Angina Questionnaire scores (mean difference +9.38). Major adverse cardiovascular events were also lower in the comprehensive diagnostic group but the difference was not statistically significant.
- Queen of Hearts Aces Triage Trial: A recent JACC study suggests PMcardio’s Queen of Hearts AI model for AI-based ECG analysis and STEMI triage significantly outperforms standard triage methods. Across 1,032 emergent cardiac catheterization laboratory activations, Queen of Hearts significantly outperformed standard triage, achieving 92% sensitivity versus 71%, and reducing false-positive activations from 41.8% to 7.9%. The AI also demonstrated consistent performance across challenging presentations including atrial fibrillation and bundle branch blocks, correctly reclassifying 91% of false-positive cases.
- Healthy Living is the Best Prevention for PAD: A new UK Biobank study suggests controlling patient risk factors could reduce peripheral artery disease (PAD) risk in patients with T2D. Researchers examined 14.5k T2D patients matched with 56.9k controls over 11.9 years and found that controlling more risk factors (smoking cessation, physical activity, healthy diet, guideline-recommended metabolic targets) reduced PAD incidence by approximately 23% per factor. T2D patients controlling ≥6 factors showed no excess PAD risk versus non-diabetic controls (HR 0.82), while those controlling ≤2 factors had 2.5x the risk.
- Viz.ai’s HCM Model Shines: Viz.ai announced new clinical data on its Viz HCM AI-ECG software for detecting hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. First, a University of Texas study showed the system identified 48 new HCM cases in five months, reducing diagnosis time to 37 days versus historical years-long delays. A separate University of Virginia study found that Viz would have enabled 34% of HCM patients could have been identified up to 16.3 years earlier.
- Novo’s CagriSema Flexes BP Potential: Post-hoc analyses of the REDEFINE 1 trial showed that Novo Nordisk’s CagriSema (investigational cagrilintide/semaglutide combination) can significantly reduce systolic BP. According to the subanalyses, CagriSema reduced systolic blood pressure by 10.9 mmHg over 68 weeks, enabling 40% of participants to reduce or discontinue blood pressure medications. CagriSema also demonstrated nearly 70% reduction in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (compared to 55.4% with semaglutide alone) and fewer participants remained at intermediate-to-high 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk.
- Naples CH and Caristo: Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH) became the first U.S. hospital to deploy both of Caristo’s CaRi-Plaque and CaRi-Heart AI-powered technologies to help predict heart attack risk up to 10 years before symptoms. The FDA-cleared CaRi-Plaque analyzes coronary CT angiography scans to identify high-risk plaque, while CaRi-Heart (under FDA review) detects coronary inflammation before visible plaque develops. As part of the integration, NCH will analyze all qualifying patients’ scans with CaRi-Plaque and launch a preventive self-pay program.
- Midwest Cardiovascular Integrates Basata: Midwest Cardiovascular Institute (MCI) partnered with Basata to implement Voice AI technology for streamlining patient communications across its Chicagoland practices. The platform automates common communication workflows including appointment scheduling, patient inquiries, and care team connections, reducing call center hold times while maintaining compliance and personalized service. MCI is also planning to expand beyond call centers to enhance patient access in additional departments.
- Stem Cells for MI Recovery: Researchers developed a minimally invasive stem cell patch for heart attack recovery, implanted through a small incision without open-heart surgery. The adhesive patch helps regenerate dead heart tissue that typically cannot heal naturally, and rat studies have already shown improved heart function, reduced scarring, and decreased inflammation. Although human trials remain years away, researchers envision future treatments using patients’ own reprogrammed cells to provide options for severe HF patients too fragile for open-heart surgery.
- Tulyp Blossoms from Stealth: French medtech startup Tulyp Medical emerged from stealth to seek FDA clearance for its perfusion device that manages blood flow during vascular procedures. The technology maintains patient blood pressure within 80-120 mmHg while prioritizing pressure-controlled perfusion over flow for optimal tissue oxygenation. Developed by veteran cardiologists, the device aims to improve access to complex procedures while reducing complications. Tulyp Medical operates within the Sofinnova MD Start accelerator and is led by the team behind preCARDIA (acquired by Abiomed/J&J in 2021).
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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.
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Merge Hemo Expands to Puerto Rico
Merge partnered with Alpha Biomedical to bring Merge Hemo to Puerto Rico, marking the software’s first expansion outside the 50 U.S. states. Read more about the work Merge is doing to expand access to its award winning solutions beyond the United States.
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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.
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- 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.
- 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 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.
- 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.
- Explore Vitrea Advanced Visualization: Discover Canon Medical Healthcare IT’s suite of advanced imaging workflows designed to increase efficiency in cardiovascular imaging, and facilitate the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. These cutting-edge tools support the delivery of faster, more accurate care while integrating seamlessly into clinical workflow.
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