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A Strategy for CAD, BSCI’s Batteries, and Image-Guided Procedures
March 30, 2026
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Together with
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“‘Prevention missed is prevention lost.’ We need to change the narrative around LDL and statins for young adults. It’s not about a pill; it’s about protecting a lifetime of heart health.”
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Sheila Sahni, MD
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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- 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%.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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- 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.
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