JACC Podcast

In this episode, Dr. Valentin Fuster presents new research revealing that fewer than one-third of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome survive 35 years without a transplant, though many adults report good to excellent quality of life after stage reconstructive surgery. Highlighting expert insights, he underscores the urgent need for innovative treatments and dedicated care teams to improve long-term outcomes in this high-risk congenital heart disease.

In this JACC podcast, Dr. Valentin Fuster presents five key studies, including new insights into arterial aneurysms in genetic aortopathies like Loeys-Dietz, Ehlers-Danlos, and Marfan syndromes, the implications of post-exercise troponin elevations in athletes, and 35-year outcomes of staged surgery for hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The episode also features a state-of-the-art review on heart failure with improved ejection fraction, highlighting emerging challenges and clinical strategies in this evolving phenotype.

In this episode, Dr. Valentin Fuster discusses a landmark study from the Montalcino Aortic Consortium revealing how genetic differences in Marfan syndrome, Loeys-Dietz syndrome, and vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome distinctly influence the risk and location of arterial events. The findings highlight gene-specific patterns—thoracic aortic complications in Marfan and Loeys-Dietz, and peripheral arterial issues in Loeys-Dietz and Ehlers-Danlos—paving the way for personalized surveillance and management strategies.

In this episode, Dr. Valentin Fuster discusses a major study on Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS), revealing that extra-aortic arterial aneurysms are both common and clinically significant across a broad vascular spectrum. The findings emphasize the need for comprehensive, head-to-pelvis imaging in LDS patients to detect and monitor potentially life-threatening aneurysms beyond the thoracic aorta.

In this episode, Dr. Valentin Fuster discusses a study showing that elevated cardiac troponin levels after intense exercise in middle-aged recreational athletes are common but not linked to hidden coronary artery disease. The findings raise important questions about the origin and significance of these elevations, highlighting the need for long-term follow-up.