Beatwise The Podcast

Episode #50: Inside the RESOLVE-HCM Trial: A New Approach to Non-Obstructive HCM

In this episode of BeatWise The Podcast, I am joined by Professor Joseph Selvanayagam to explore cardiac metabolism in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the evolving treatment landscape in HCM, and the findings of the RESOLVE-HCM trial investigating perhexiline in non-obstructive disease. We explore the heterogeneity of HCM, including the differences between obstructive and non-obstructive forms of the condition, why symptoms are not always explained by LV outflow tract obstruction alone, and how treatment strategies are beginning to move beyond symptom management toward disease-modifying therapies. We also discuss the role of myocardial energetics and metabolic dysfunction in HCM, how perhexiline works as a CPT1 inhibitor to shift myocardial metabolism toward more oxygen-efficient glucose use, and why this may be particularly relevant in non-obstructive HCM where treatment options remain limited. Professor Selvanayagam takes us inside the design of the randomized, double-blind RESOLVE-HCM trial, including the use of cardiac MRI imaging and maximal LV wall thickness as the primary endpoint over 12 months. We review the trial findings, where several endpoints including diastolic function, NT-proBNP, and quality-of-life measures favored perhexiline, with mental health quality-of-life outcomes reaching statistical significance. We also explore the importance of therapeutic drug monitoring given perhexiline’s narrow therapeutic index, the risks of hepatotoxicity and neurotoxicity, and the future direction of metabolic therapies in cardiomyopathy. Key topics discussed:  * Obstructive vs non-obstructive HCM * What drives symptoms in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy * The evolution of HCM therapies * Cardiac metabolism and myocardial energetics * How perhexiline works * The RESOLVE-HCM trial * Cardiac MRI endpoints in HCM research * Therapeutic drug monitoring and safety * Disease-modifying therapies in cardiomyopathy EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 00:00 Welcome to Beatwise 00:27 Why metabolism matters 01:59 Meet Professor Selvanayagam 02:29 HCM types and symptoms 04:29 Treatment landscape update 05:42 Why RESOLVE-HCM 07:20 How perhexiline works 08:44 Trial design and imaging 12:53 RESOLVE-HCM results 14:43 Clinical use and safety 17:15 Future trials and wrap up 18:54 Final takeaways If you enjoyed this episode, please like, rate, and subscribe to Beatwise The Podcast. Your support helps me reach more listeners and continue providing valuable content. Don't forget to follow me on social media @sarah.theheartdoc [https://www.instagram.com/sarah.theheartdoc/] for the latest updates, behind-the-scenes content, and more engaging discussions. Stay connected and be part of our growing community! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Episode #49: Residual Congestion in Heart Failure: Are We Missing It?

In this episode of Beatwise The Podcast, I speak with Dr Archana Ganapathy about a problem we don’t talk about enough in heart failure: congestion that we can’t properly see. Many patients leave hospital still fluid overloaded at a tissue level - despite looking “better” clinically. And that gap is part of why readmissions and outcomes remain poor. We discuss why current tools - from clinical exam to imaging and biomarkers - often fall short, and why understanding where fluid sits in the body matters just as much as how much is there. We then explore bioimpedance: what it is, how it works at the bedside, and why it may offer a more objective way to guide treatment. Dr Ganapathy also shares early insights from the BioHF trial, including what happens when fluid management is guided by measurement rather than estimation. For further context, Dr Ganapathy’s recent review on congestion assessment in decompensated heart failure is linked here: Advances in Congestion Assessment in Decompensated Heart Failure [https://www.cfrjournal.com/articles/advances-congestion-assessment-decompensated-heart-failure?language_content_entity=en] Key issues addressed:  * Why “hidden” congestion is so common in heart failure * The limitations of weight, BNP, imaging and clinical exam * Why fluid distribution matters * How bioimpedance works in practice * Early findings from the BioHF trial If you care for patients with heart failure - or live with it - this is worth understanding. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 00:00 Hidden congestion problem 02:00 Why assessment falls short 05:05 Fluid location matters 07:02 Promise of bioimpedance 08:54 How bioimpedance works 13:06 BioHF trial design 17:16 Early findings & future impact 22:29 Recruitment & next steps 23:06 Wrap up If you enjoyed this episode, please like, rate, and subscribe to Beatwise The Podcast. Your support helps me reach more listeners and continue providing valuable content. Don't forget to follow me on social media @sarah.theheartdoc [https://www.instagram.com/sarah.theheartdoc/] for the latest updates, behind-the-scenes content, and more engaging discussions. Stay connected and be part of our growing community! Thank you to Maltron International Limited [https://maltronint.com/] for sponsoring this episode. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Episode #48: Why Coding Heart Failure Matters: From Clinic to the NHS

In this episode of Beatwise The Podcast, I speak with Helen Kilminster - Senior Pharmacist ACP and Deputy PCN Clinical Director -  about a part of heart failure care that is often overlooked: coding. We explore a part of heart failure care that is often overlooked: coding. Not as an administrative task - but as something that directly shapes patient outcomes. Because if heart failure isn’t coded accurately, it often isn’t fully visible. Patients are missed, risk isn’t under-recognised, and opportunities for earlier intervention are lost. We discuss how coding underpins everything from diagnosis to commissioning - and why small inconsistencies in how heart failure is recorded can have system-wide consequences. Helen shares how practices are identifying missed patients through NT-proBNP testing and case-finding, how coding supports risk stratification alongside comorbidities, and why clearer communication between cardiology and primary care is essential. We also explore the challenges of inconsistent terminology, and the importance of correctly coding NICE-defined heart failure subtypes - HFrEF, mildly reduced EF, and HFpEF - to ensure patients receive appropriate care. Key issues addressed: * Why heart failure coding directly affects diagnosis and outcomes * How GP coding systems work in practice * The problem of inconsistent terminology across care settings * Why NICE heart failure subtypes need to be clearly coded * Using NT-proBNP and case-finding to identify missed patients * How coding informs funding, commissioning, and service design * Tools to support better coding * The role of communication between primary and secondary care This episode is produced in collaboration with the British Society for Heart Failure. [https://www.bsh.org.uk/] EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 00:00 Why coding matters 01:40 How GP coding works 04:33 Finding missed heart failure 06:20 Sharing codes across care 08:27 Contracts and subtypes 11:49 Defining heart failure types 13:48 Tools for better coding 17:35 Funding and commissioning 23:54 NHS reform and teams 28:59 Patient impact and equity 33:23 Practical coding tips 37:05 Final takeaways FURTHER LEARNING: * NICE Guidance [https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance] * OpenPrescribing [https://openprescribing.net/] * OpenCodelists [https://www.opencodelists.org/] * British Society for Heart Failure [https://www.bsh.org.uk/] If you enjoyed this episode, please like, rate, and subscribe to Beatwise The Podcast. Your support helps me reach more listeners and continue providing valuable content. Don't forget to follow me on social media @sarah.theheartdoc [https://www.instagram.com/sarah.theheartdoc/] for the latest updates, behind-the-scenes content, and more engaging discussions. Stay connected and be part of our growing community! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Episode #47: Amplifying Patient Voices in Amyloidosis: Advocacy, Research & Earlier Diagnosis

In this episode of Beatwise The Podcast, I speak with Paul Pozzo, a leading patient advocate and former chair of Amyloidosis UK. Paul shares his experience living with wild-type amyloidosis, from the challenges of delayed diagnosis to becoming a powerful voice for patients in research and healthcare advocacy. Diagnosed in 2015 at a time when no disease-modifying drugs were available, Paul was initially treated with standard heart failure therapies before later joining clinical trials that helped stabilize his condition and improve his quality of life. Together, we explore the critical role of patient advocacy in rare diseases, the need for earlier diagnosis, and how research participation is helping transform outcomes for people with amyloidosis. We also discuss the importance of recognising early warning signs, including: * unexplained breathlessness * carpal tunnel syndrome * neuropathy * kidney problems * and the finding of a “thick heart” on cardiac imaging Beyond diagnosis and treatment, the conversation highlights the need for holistic care, including multidisciplinary support, cardiac rehabilitation, and attention to mental wellbeing. Paul also explains how patient organisations like Amyloidosis UK provide vital support through education, community connections, and advocacy, helping patients and families navigate what can often be a complex and isolating diagnosis. This episode is an important reminder that patient voices play a crucial role in shaping research, improving care pathways, and raising awareness of rare cardiac conditions. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 00:00 Welcome to Beatwise 01:01 Paul’s Diagnosis Story 03:32 Living With Limitations 06:24 Why Early Diagnosis Matters 07:36 Red Flags and Patient Voice 09:34 How the Charity Helps 11:09 Research and Clinical Trials 13:46 Symptoms and Hospital Journey 17:05 Reassurance After Diagnosis 21:01 Holistic Care and Rehab 24:11 Call to Action and Charities 30:05 Final Takeaways and Thanks If you enjoyed this episode, please like, rate, and subscribe to Beatwise The Podcast. Your support helps me reach more listeners and continue providing valuable content. Don't forget to follow me on social media @sarah.theheartdoc [https://www.instagram.com/sarah.theheartdoc/] for the latest updates, behind-the-scenes content, and more engaging discussions. Stay connected and be part of our growing community! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Episode #46: Sexism in Healthcare Exposed: Surviving in Scrubs on Harassment, Power & Real Change

In this episode of Beatwise The Podcast, I, Dr. Sarah Birkhoelzer, explore the uncomfortable but essential topic of sexism, sexual harassment, and sexual assault in healthcare. I am joined by Dr. Becky Cox and Dr. Chelcie Jewitt, founders of Surviving in Scrubs, a movement created to expose and address sexual misconduct within medical training and clinical environments. Together, we discuss the realities many healthcare professionals face behind closed doors - from everyday sexism to serious violations - and why these experiences so often go unreported. The conversation examines the scale of the problem, the systemic and cultural factors that allow it to persist, and the real consequences for staff wellbeing, workforce retention, and patient care. Dr. Cox and Dr. Jewitt also share how Surviving in Scrubs began, what the data tells us, and what meaningful change actually looks like - from safer reporting mechanisms to institutional accountability and allyship. This episode is a call to awareness, responsibility, and action for individuals, organisations, and the healthcare system as a whole. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 00:00 Introduction to Beatwise The Podcast 00:58 Meeting the founders of Surviving in Scrubs 02:38 How Surviving in Scrubs began 06:33 The scale of sexism and sexual harassment in healthcare 15:32 Impact on healthcare professionals and patient care 18:07 Progress so far and future goals 24:46 What individuals and institutions can do 30:28 Key takeaways and closing reflections If you enjoyed this episode, please like, rate, and subscribe to Beatwise The Podcast. Your support helps me reach more listeners and continue providing valuable content. Don't forget to follow me on social media @sarah.theheartdoc [https://www.instagram.com/sarah.theheartdoc/] for the latest updates, behind-the-scenes content, and more engaging discussions. Stay connected and be part of our growing community! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.