HEART INTERNATIONAL – VOLUME 19, ISSUE 2 – 2025

Cardiovascular medicine continues to advance at a remarkable pace, driven by innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration and an ever-deepening understanding of disease mechanisms. As patient populations age and chronic conditions become increasingly complex, the field stands at the intersection of precision therapy, digital health and preventive strategy. This winter issue of Heart International reflects that transformation, highlighting […]

The Evolut Low Risk trial (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement With the Medtronic Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement System In Patients at Low Risk for Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02701283) provides reassuring evidence that transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remains non-inferior to surgery at 5-year follow-up in low-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS).1 This editorial discusses […]

Coronary artery dissection is a common occurrence during lesion preparation and after drug-coated balloon (DCB) inflation.1 Recent DCB studies focusing on coronary dissections have shown a few key findings: Their angiographic incidence varies between 35 and 60%. Non–flow-limiting dissections left untreated had no correlation with increased risk of target vessel failure (TVF) or late lumen loss.2–7 This […]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality throughout the world.1,2 While traditional risk factors are managed intensively, many individuals continue to have considerable residual risk, and emerging factors such as inflammatory mediators are being investigated.1,2 In this light, the gut microbiota is increasingly recognized as a modifiable factor that influences […]

Despite advancements in mortality rates from cardiovascular disease (CVD) over the last 50 years, it remains the leading cause of death for women and the third leading cause for women aged 18 to 44.1 A 2011 report from the American Heart Association (AHA) starkly states that one in every two women will die from a cardiovascular-related […]

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is a fat collection directly adjacent to the myocardium and coronary vasculature, lacking any separation and sharing the same circulation.1,2 This anatomy enables direct signalling between EAT and the surrounding tissue, positioning EAT as a central player in cardiovascular health and disease.1,2 While EAT volume has long been associated with metabolic risk and […]

Heart failure (HF) is a global health burden, with a 2019 prevalence of 711.90 per 100,000 population, totalling 56.19 million cases and 5.05 million years lived with disability, despite only modest declines since 1990.1 Recent years have shown an uptick in prevalence, driven by ageing populations and improved diagnostics, with disparities persisting between high- and low-sociodemographic […]

Heart failure (HF) is a complex and progressive clinical syndrome that significantly impacts morbidity, mortality and quality of life (QoL).1 On a global scale, HF has become an escalating public health concern, affecting more than 64 million individuals in 2017, and this number is still expected to continue increasing each year.1,2 Based on echocardiographic results from cohort studies […]