Today, NICE recommended pulsed field ablation (PFA) for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common heart rhythm disorder, affecting around 2% of UK adults.
In this Q&A, Dr Sanghavi shares reflections on the mentors who inspired her, the personal challenges she has overcome and her hopes for a future in which sex-based differences in cardiovascular disease are better understood and acted upon.
New-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is associated with increased risk of stroke, morbidity, mortality, respiratory failure and pneumonia, with additional treatment and thus increased postoperative cost.1–3 Clinical efforts to prevent and manage life-threatening complications after cardiac surgeries, such as POAF, have posed a significant challenge.4 Despite numerous trials investigating prophylactic and treatment approaches, POAF following cardiac […]
The touchCARDIO journal Heart International has once again seen an increase in its Journal Impact Factor (JIF), rising from 1.9 in 2024 to 2.3 in 2025.
Cardiovascular medicine stands at a pivotal crossroads—shaped by rapid advances in precision therapies, a deepening understanding of disease mechanisms, and an urgent imperative to address global health disparities. As the burden of cardiovascular disease continues to evolve, so too ...
New-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is associated with increased risk of stroke, morbidity, mortality, respiratory failure and pneumonia, with additional treatment and thus increased postoperative cost.1–3 Clinical efforts to prevent and manage life-threatening complications after cardiac surgeries, such as POAF, ...
Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) is an inexorably progressive and ultimately fatal cardiomyopathy characterized by the deposition of misfolded transthyretin (TTR) in the form of amyloid fibrils within the myocardium.1 Transthyretin amyloid (ATTR) fibrils are insoluble protease-resistant beta-pleated sheets that are ...
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetic cardiac abnormality characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction, primarily attributed to mutations in genes that encode sarcomeric proteins.1,2 The disease manifests in two broad phenotypes: obstructive HCM (oHCM), defined by dynamic left ...
The foramen ovale, an obligatory channel, allows placental oxygenated blood to directly reach the fetal arterial circulation and remains patent in 25% of the adult population.1 Patency provides a potential gateway for venous emboli to reach the arterial circulation, potentially resulting ...
Physician burnout is at a critical point. In this episode, Nicky speaks with Dr Alfred Atanda about why so many physicians are burning out and what can be done to change the trend. From personal experience to system-wide solutions, Dr Atanda shares valuable insights on improving physician well-being and building a more effective healthcare culture.
Conduction system pacing (CSP) is being increasingly adopted as a more physiological alternative to right ventricular and biventricular pacing and is an integral part of the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) core curriculum for the device specialist.1–6 Left bundle branch ...
Functional status refers to an individual’s ability to carry out different levels of activities to meet the needs of daily living.1 Patients with heart failure (HF) commonly have poor functional status that is affected by a number of physical, ...
In this episode, we explore the future of continuing medical education (CME) with the team behind touchIME. Hannah Fisher and Matthew Goodwin share insights into global and US trends, the importance of patient inclusivity and how educational outcomes are evolving to better measure the direct impact of learning on clinical practice and patient care.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be the primary cause of mortality and morbidity globally with middle-aged women presenting with additional and possibly, overlooked risk factors.1 Despite several awareness programmes, there remain several gaps in the political education and representation needs ...
It is with pride and gratitude that we reflect on the remarkable 10-year journey of European Journal of Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology. With the vital contributions of all of our esteemed authors, reviewers and editorial board members, the journal has served ...
Postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) is a chronic condition, predominately affecting women between the ages of 15 and 50, and prevalence is estimated to be 0.2%.1,2 It is characterised by an abnormal response by the autonomic nervous system to changes in posture causing lightheadedness ...
Welcome to this issue of Heart International. As ever, we aim to provide our readers with the latest developments, insights, and evidence-based discussions in cardiovascular care. This edition is particularly poignant, as we begin with a heartfelt tribute to an ...
Forty-seven years ago, Andreas Gruentzig introduced ‘percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty’ (PTCA) as a new approach to treating symptomatic occlusive coronary artery disease.1 The mechanism of balloon angioplasty (BA) formed the foundation around which newer equipment and technologies were developed, including ...
Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is a frequent finding on echocardiography, with detection rates reaching up to 86% across the different ranges of severity, with moderate or greater TR being reported in at least 6–8% of patients.1–3 The prevalence of TR increases with age, ...
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). An estimated 60–80% of patients with T2DM die of cardiovascular events.1,2 A bidirectional relationship has been noted between heart failure (HF) ...
Watch a leading expert discuss the need for personalised obesity treatment including current evidence for cardiovascular outcomes.
In this engaging short animation, learn how cholesterol-lowering MTP inhibitors act to reduce cholesterol in people with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, and explore clinical data supporting their long-term hepatic safety.
Introducing the Editorial Board of Heart International, who support our mission to advance medical knowledge and practice by ensuring the integrity, relevance, and impact of the content we publish. Together, we strive to foster a vibrant academic community and contribute to the continuous improvement of healthcare worldwide.
Interventional Cardiology
Chairman, Department of Cardiology and Chief Medical Executive of Holy Spirit Cardiovascular Institute at Holy Spirit Hospital, Camp Hill, PA, USA
Dr. Rajesh Davé is a recognized leader in cardiovascular intervention, and currently serves as Chairman, Department of Cardiology and Chief Medical Executive of Holy Spirit Cardiovascular Institute at Holy Spirit Hospital, Camp Hill, PA, USA. He is founder and chairman of the Complex Cardiovascular Catheter Therapeutics congress, known as C3. He is a frequent speaker for cardiovascular conferences around the world and has given hundreds of lectures. He is a pioneer in endovascular intervention, especially critical limb ischemia, limb salvage and carotid artery stenting. He has performed over 10,000 interventional procedures in his career. He has advised medical device start-ups regarding the designs of current and future products. He has served as Principal Investigator for a variety of clinical trials. He has authored many manuscripts and book chapters, and he serves on the editorial boards of numerous medical journals.
Interventional Cardiology
Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Manchester Heart Centre and Honorary Senior Lecturer, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
Dr Magdi El-Omar is a consultant interventional cardiologist at the Manchester Heart Centre and an honorary senior lecturer at the University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. He graduated from St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, UK, in 1988 and undertook his postgraduate general medical training in London and Oxford. He then completed his general cardiology training in Birmingham, Oxford and Wales before subspecializing in coronary intervention. The latter included a 2.5-year clinical/research fellowship in interventional cardiology at the Cardiovascular Research Foundation and the New York University Medical Centre, New York, NY, USA. During his time there, he worked closely with leaders in the field, including doctors Greg Stone, Martin Leon, Gary Roubin, Frederick Feit and Aaron Marcus. Dr El-Omar has been involved in research for over 25 years. He undertook a 2-year British Heart Foundation Junior Research Fellowship in basic science (diabetic cardiomyopathy in a rat model) in 1997–8, which led to the award of an MD degree from the University of London. He has since been actively involved in clinical research, especially in the fields of acute coronary syndromes and coronary intervention. He has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed articles, mostly in high-impact journals. He has been a local principal investigator for several landmark, international, multicentre trials (e.g. HORIZONS-AMI, INFUSE-AMI, TOTAL, TWILIGHT, etc.). He is actively involved in education and training and is a course co-director of the International Complex Cardiovascular Catheter Therapeutics Conference in the USA.
Interventional Cardiology
Chief of the Department of Interventional Radiology and Cardiology, Policlinico Bancario, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Dr Samaja is a distinguished cardiologist and interventional radiologist, currently serving as the Chief of the Department of Interventional Radiology and Cardiology at Policlinico Bancario in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In addition, he is the Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at “Sanatorio Colegiales” in Buenos AiresConsultant in Cardiovascular Disease at the “Dirección General de Obra Social del Servicio Penitenciario Federal” and various other public, union, and private health structures throughout Argentina.
Dr Samaja is an active member of several prestigious professional organizations, including the Sociedad Argentina de Cardiología (SAC), Colegio Argentino de Cardioangiólogos Intervencionistas (CACI), and Sociedad Latinoamericana de Cardiología Intervencionista (SOLACI). Additionally, he is a Fellow of The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) and a member of Heart International.
As a founder member of the Interventional Academy, Dr Samaja has made significant contributions to the field of interventional cardiology. He has held over fifty faculty appointments at international scientific meetings, including CIT since 2009, C3 Orlando since 2012, and has been a faculty member at EuroPCR, TCT, India Live, Egypt, and various other meetings in Argentina, South America, and overseas.
Dr Samaja has an extensive record of scholarly contributions, with more than fifty cases, abstracts, and poster presentations as an author or coauthor at scientific meetings. His expertise and commitment to advancing cardiovascular care have made him a respected leader in his field.
Cardiovascular disease
Professor of Medicine and Founding Program Director for Cardiology Fellowship, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center at Nashville, TN, USA
Dr Timir Paul is a Professor of Medicine and Founding Program Director for Cardiology Fellowship at University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center at Nashville. After receiving MD, he was awarded PhD and MPH in Cardiovascular Epidemiology by Tulane University. He has served as the Founding Co-Director of the Center for Cardiovascular Risk Research at East Tennessee State University. He has authored and coauthored more than 200 publications and book chapters. He serves as an academic editor for PLOS ONE Journal and on the Editorial Board for several Cardiology Journals including Journal of the Society of Coronary Angiography and Intervention, Catheterization and Cardiovascular Intervention, Cardiovascular Revascularization Medicine and Heart International. His research and recommendations changed the 2021 ACC/AHA 2021 and 2018 European Society of Cardiology guidelines on coronary revascularization by downgrading the use of embolic protection device in vein graft intervention from Class I to Class IIa. He received several grants including a PCORI grant and a 4.5 million dollars AHRQ grant as a co-investigator. His research interests include vein graft interventions, embolic protection devices in coronary and peripheral interventions, subclinical atherosclerosis, coronary microvascular disease, and renal artery interventions. He was recognized as SCAI-Emerging Leader Mentorship Program Circle member and Young Leader by the Cardiovascular Revascularization Technologies. He is an invitee of the 2022 and 2023 ACC Leadership Forum. He received the best teaching award given by cardiology fellows for the 4 consecutive years. He was inducted by Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society as a faculty member. He received Dean’s distinguished research award. He is an invited faculty for national and international scientific conferences including SCAI, ACC, AHA and CRT. He serves on the SCAI QI and International Committee and ACC PDGME Leadership Council.
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