Presented at EHRA 2026 by Dr David Birnie, the OCEAN trial reveals low, brief atrial fibrillation recurrence rates after successful ablation - findings that may support selective anticoagulation discontinuation while reinforcing the need for ongoing follow-up.

From EHRA 2026, Dr Salik Ur Rehman discusses advances in pulsed field ablation, mapping technologies, and conduction system pacing highlight a rapidly evolving landscape in electrophysiology care.

At EHRA 2026, new research from Dr Kerollos Abdelsayed highlighted perioperative inflammation as a modifiable driver of conduction disturbances after TAVI, opening the door to novel pharmacologic and device-based solutions.

At EHRA 2026, new research presented by Professor Elaine Chew explores how music-based digital tools can enhance arrhythmia detection and enable personalized, AI-driven approaches to cardiovascular diagnosis and therapy.

At EHRA 2026, Pierre Jais presented results from the BEAT-PERS AF trial suggesting pulsed field ablation may offer a safer, effective alternative to radiofrequency ablation in persistent AF, prompting renewed focus on optimizing ablation strategies for this high-risk group.

At EHRA 2026, Ben Petrazzini discussed new research that shows AI can improve identification of sudden cardiac death in electronic health records, enabling more accurate large-scale studies and advancing prevention strategies.

At ACC26, Dr Mardi Gomberg-Maitland presented results from the CADENCE trial, showing how sotatercept significantly improves pulmonary hemodynamics in HFpEF-associated pulmonary hypertension, offering hope for the first targeted therapy in this high-risk population.

Balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) has experienced a complex evolution in clinical practice, transitioning from an early therapeutic innovation to limited use, and more recently to a redefined role in the era of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). In the first of our new practice pearls series, In Rhythm, Dr Gustavo Samaja (Sanatorio Colegiales, Buenos Aires, Argentina) shares practical insights into the contemporary role of BAV, including patient selection, procedural strategies, and its use as both a bridge and a decision-making tool. He also discusses how evolving healthcare systems and resource considerations continue to shape the balance between BAV and TAVI in everyday clinical practice.

At ACC26, William Fearon and Ajay Kirtane presented a large randomized trial, showing angiography-derived coronary physiology is noninferior to pressure wire–guided PCI, with added procedural efficiency and potential to expand physiologic assessment in routine practice.