This Week in Cardiology

Medscape

This podcast delivers Dr. John Mandrola's summary and perspective on top news of the week that cardiologists can't miss. This podcast is intended for US health professionals only.

  1. 13 HR AGO

    Apr 17 2026 This Week in Cardiology

    SPIRIT-HF, another spironolactone trial in HFpEF; the ESSENCE imaging study of the drug olezarsen; the SirPAD trial in peripheral artery disease; and ultrasound-guided femoral venous access are the topics John Mandrola, MD, discusses in this week's podcast. This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only. To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit: https://www.medscape.com/twic I ACC: SPIRIT-HF Trial FINEARTS-HF Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2407107 TOPCAT Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1313731 TOPCAT Americas Trial https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/circulationaha.114.013255 II A New Class of Lipid Lowering Drug Has a Dubious Debut At ACC ESSENCE-TIMI 73b Imaging Study https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.126.080012 ESSENCE-TIMI 73b Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2507227 IMPROVE IT Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1410489 III Drug-Coated Balloons Looked Quite Good in PAD interventions Sirolimus-Coated Balloon Reduces Amputation Risk in Peripheral Artery Disease https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/sirolimus-coated-balloon-reduces-amputation-risk-peripheral-2026a1000a83 SirPAD trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2600360 IV Another Vascular Story from the European Heart Rhythm Association ULYSSES Trial https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehag291 ULTRA-FAST Trial https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/eux175 You may also like: The Bob Harrington Show with the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine, Robert A. Harrington, MD. https://www.medscape.com/author/bob-harrington Questions or feedback, please contact news@medscape.net

    28 min
  2. 10 APR

    Apr 10 2026 This Week in Cardiology

    Three imaging-guided PCI trials (two with surprising results), LDL targets, an oral PCSK9 inhibitor, and another beta-blocker withdrawal trial are the topics John Mandrola, MD, discusses in this week's podcast. This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only. To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit: https://www.medscape.com/twic I IVUS-Guided PCI OPTIMAL Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2600440 IVUS-CHIP Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2601521 ILUMIEN IV Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2305861 DKCRUSH VIII Trial https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2026.01.081 II Ez-PAVE Trial — Low vs Very Low LDL-targets Does Ez-PAVE Support 'Lower Is Better' for LDL-C? https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/does-ez-pave-support-lower-better-ldl-c-2026a1000akx Ez-PAVE Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2600283 2026 ACC/AHA Lipid Guidelines https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001423 III CORALreef AddOn CORALreef AddOn Trial https://www.jacc.org/doi/abs/10.1016/j.jacc.2026.03.036 This Week in Caardiology 2-6-26 https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/1003240 CORALreef Lipids Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2511002 IV Another Post-MI Beta-blocker Withdrawal Study: SMART-DECISION SMART-DECISION Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2601005 ABYSS Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2404204 You may also like: The Bob Harrington Show with the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine, Robert A. Harrington, MD. https://www.medscape.com/author/bob-harrington Questions or feedback, please contact news@medscape.net

    32 min
  3. 3 APR

    Apr 03 2026 This Week in Cardiology

    John Mandrola offers an ACC recap of 5 big trials—Hi-PEITHO, PROTAVI, ORBITA-CTO, CHIPS-BCIS3 and CHAMPION AF This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only. To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit: https://www.medscape.com/twic I Catheter Based Fibrinolysis of Pulmonary Embolism –Hi PEITHO Fibrinolysis Treatment Validated in Large Trial for Acute Intermediate-Risk PE https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/fibrinolysis-treatment-validated-large-trial-acute-2026a10009im Ultrasound-Facilitated, Catheter-Directed Fibrinolysis for Acute Pulmonary Embolism (HI PEITHO) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2516567 National Early Warning Score (NEWS) https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/clinical-policy/sepsis/nationalearlywarningscore/ II PRO-TAVI trial Deferral of percutaneous coronary intervention in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (PRO-TAVI) 10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00308-9 External Link PCI in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic-Valve Implantation (Notion 3) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2401513 III ORBITA CTO Sham vs PCI for Angina Relief Tightly Blinded Trial Confirms PCI Reduces Angina in Obstructive Occlusion https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/tightly-blinded-trial-confirms-pci-reduces-angina-2026a10009ob A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Stable Angina - ORBITA-CTO https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2026.03.027 ORBITA 1 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32714-9 External Link ORBITA 2 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2310610 DECISION CTO https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.031313 EuroCTO https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehy220   IV CHIPS BCIS3 Impella Supported High-Risk PCI Adoption Before Evidence: CHIP-BCIS3 Humbles Impella https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/adoption-before-evidence-chip-bcis3-humbles-impella-2026a10009jh Left Ventricular Unloading in High-Risk PCI (CHIP BCIS3) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2515704 Microaxial Flow Pump or Standard Care in Infarct-Related Cardiogenic Shock (DanGer Shock) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2312572 V CHAMPION AF – Watchman vs DOAC in Patients With AF CHAMPION-AF Trial Finds LAAC an Alternative for NOAC in Lower-Risk Patients https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/champion-af-trial-finds-laac-alternative-noac-lower-risk-2026a10009ij Six Reasons Why CHAMPION-AF Should Not Change Practice https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/six-reasons-why-champion-af-should-not-change-practice-2026a10009i7 Left Atrial Appendage Closure or Anticoagulation for Atrial Fibrillation (CHAMPION AF) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2517213 Left Atrial Appendage Closure or Medical Therapy in Atrial Fibrillation (CLOSURE AF) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2513310 You may also like: The Bob Harrington Show with the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine, Robert A. Harrington, MD. https://www.medscape.com/author/bob-harrington Questions or feedback, please contact news@medscape.net

    44 min
  4. 27 MAR

    Mar 27 2026 This Week in Cardiology

    Early aortic valve replacement in aortic stenosis, left atrial appendage occlusion in JAMA Cardiology, and a big preview of the upcoming American College of Cardiology meeting are the topics John Mandrola, MD, discusses in this week's podcast. This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only. To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit: https://www.medscape.com/twic I Early AVR RECOVERY Trial at 10 Years https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2511920 II Major Bleeding with Amulet and Watchman in JAMA Cardiology Amulet IDE Trial https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2847047 5-year Results From Amulet IDE  https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2024.10.101 III ACC Preview Mandrola's Top 4 Trials from ACC 2026: Details Matter https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/mandrolas-top-4-trials-acc-2026-details-matter-2026a10008ti CHIB-BCIS3 Trial https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCINTERVENTIONS.123.013367 Champion-AF Protocol https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2023.05.022 ORBITA-CTO Protocol Paper https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cardiovascular-medicine/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2023.1172763/full SPIRIT-HF Clinical Trials.gov  https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04727073 You may also like: The Bob Harrington Show with the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine, Robert A. Harrington, MD. https://www.medscape.com/author/bob-harrington Questions or feedback, please contact news@medscape.net

    26 min
  5. 13 MAR

    Mar 13 2026 This Week in Cardiology

    Beta-blocker in non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a head-to-head apixaban vs rivaroxaban RCT, diltiazem vs metoprolol combined with DOAC, and the accuracy of smart watches for AF are the topics John Mandrola, MD, discusses in this week's podcast. This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only. To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit: https://www.medscape.com/twic I Listener Feedback EMPATICC trial https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/47/9/1034/8242490 II Beta-blocker in Non-obstructive HCM BB vs Calcium Channel Blocker in Non-obstructive HCM https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2025.11.028 RCT of Metoprolol in Patients With Obstructive HCM https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2021.07.065 III Apixaban vs Rivaroxaban for Bleeding Risk COBRRA Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2510703 AMPLIFY Trial (Apixaban) https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa1302507 EINSTEIN Trial (Rivaroxaban) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1007903 IV Diltiazem vs Metoprolol When Combined with DOAC Risk for Bleeding in AF Patients Using Apixaban or Rivaroxaban With Diltiazem https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-01408 V Actual Clinical Use of Smart Watches CIRCA-DOSE Original Trial https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.119.042622 Wearable Smartwatches for AF Detection After Ablation https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euaf280 You may also like: The Bob Harrington Show with the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine, Robert A. Harrington, MD. https://www.medscape.com/author/bob-harrington Questions or feedback, please contact news@medscape.net

    32 min
  6. 27 FEB

    Feb 27 2026 This Week in Cardiology

    A superb note on CPR and DNR orders, patients' vs doctors' preferences for statins, more on GLP-1s, another LAAC story, and some closing cautionary notes on PFA are the topics John Mandrola, MD, discusses in this week's podcast. This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only. To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit: https://www.medscape.com/twic I Listener Feedback Addressing Inadequate Documentation of Unilateral DNR https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2829203 Video: Can We Talk About CPR? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTCRfY3ETvI Personal Reminiscences of CPR's Origin https://www.ajconline.org/article/S0002-9149(03)00977-9/pdf II Public Preferences for Statin Therapy Measuring Public Preferences for Statin Therapy https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2844660 III GLP-1 RA News ACHIEVE Trial https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00202-3 IV New Trial in GLP-1 for Patients with AF Seminal-AF Trial https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06499857 V Relationship between Spontaneous Echo Contrast and LAAC Outcomes OCEAN-LAAC Trial https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacep.2025.09.028 News Release on Upcoming LAAOS-4 trial  https://www.phri.ca/watchman/ Reading the "Smoke" -- Editorial on OCEAN-LAAC https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacep.2025.10.029 VI Concluding Remarks on My Talk at Western AF Delayed Myocardial Ischemia and Malignant Arrhythmias After PFA https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.125.077983 You may also like: The Bob Harrington Show with the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine, Robert A. Harrington, MD. https://www.medscape.com/author/bob-harrington

    29 min

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This podcast delivers Dr. John Mandrola's summary and perspective on top news of the week that cardiologists can't miss. This podcast is intended for US health professionals only.

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