This Week in Cardiology

Feb 13 2026 This Week in Cardiology

Ticagrelor vs prasugrel, a new LAAC device, pulsed field ablation AF results, lifestyle intervention in AF, the term "provider" vs "doctor," and coffee are the topics John Mandrola, MD, discusses in this week's podcast. This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only. To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit: https://www.medscape.com/twic I TUXEDO-2 Trial * TUXEDO-2 Trial https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2844869 * ISAR-REACT 5 Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1908973 II VERITAS Study of Dual-Seal LAAO * VERITAS Study https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacep.2026.01.021 III PFA vs RF over 4 years * Advent-LTO study https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-026-04246-4 * ADVENT Study https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2307291 * SPHERE PER-AF Study https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03022-6 SINGLE SHOT CHAMPION Study https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2502280 * BEAT PAROX-AF Trial https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf1115/8436829 IV What's in a Name — Use of the Term "Provider" * Physicians Are Not Providers: The Ethical Significance of Names https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-03852 V Coffee and Dementia Risk * Coffee/Tea Intake and Dementia Risk https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2844764 * Mandrola Commentary: Enough With the Coffee Research and Other Distractions https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/883709 VI Lifestyle interventions Post AF ablation * Improving Outcomes of AF by Lifestyle Interventions https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/47/6/669/8243674 You may also like: The Bob Harrington Show with the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine, Robert A. Harrington, MD. https://www.medscape.com/author/bob-harrington Questions or feedback, please contact news@medscape.net

Feb 06 2026 This Week in Cardiology

Problems with the PREVENT score, a breakthrough in lipid-lowering therapy, a surprising benefit in stroke care, and more thoughts on statins and preventive care of heart disease are the topics John Mandrola, MD, discusses in this week's podcast. This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only. To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit: https://www.medscape.com/twic I PREVENT Score * PREVENT Equations in Young Adults https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2025.12.019 * Hospital Readmission Reduction Program for HF https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7664458/ II A New Breakthrough in LDL-C Management With an Oral PCSK9 Inhibitor https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/time-overcome-pcsk9i-inertia-new-data-future-options-2025a1000wf8 * CORALreef Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2511002 * CORALreef Outcomes Trial https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06008756 III A Win for the Factor XI Inhibitor Asundexian – OCEANIC Stroke Trial https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/first-clear-win-factor-xia-inhibitors-stroke-reduced-2026a10003t0 * OCEANIC-STROKE Slide deck https://clinicaltrialresults.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/26-02-02_ISC_OCEANIC-STROKE-primary.pdf * OCEANIC-AF Study Stopped Early https://www.bayer.com/media/en-us/oceanic-af-study-stopped-early-due-to-lack-of-efficacy/ IV Statin Side Effects * Assessment of AEs Attributed to Statins -- Meta-analysis https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)01578-8/fulltext * N-of-1 Trial to Assess AEs of Statins https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2031173 * When to Start a Statin Is a Decision About Preference -- Editorial https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.029808 V Heart Disease Statistics * CV Statistics in the US, 2026 https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2025.12.027 You may also like: The Bob Harrington Show with the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine, Robert A. Harrington, MD. https://www.medscape.com/author/bob-harrington Questions or feedback, please contact news@medscape.net

Jan 30 2026 This Week in Cardiology

Listener feedback, huge news in the rapidly expanding world of PFA AF Ablation, obesity, and a beautiful trial studying an AI-enhanced diagnostic tool in the office are the topics discussed by John Mandrola, MD, in this week's podcast. This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only. To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit: https://www.medscape.com/twic I Listener Feedback * Risk-Based TEE Omission in PVI 10.1016/j.hrthm.2025.04.056 External Link II PFA News * BEAT PAROX-AF trial https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf1115/8436829 * Life-Threatening Delayed Myocardial Ischemia and Malignant Arrhythmias Occurring After PFA https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.125.077983 * Heart Rhythm TV: Life-Threatening Delayed Myocardial Ischemia and Malignant Arrhythmias https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-npoLKmRa4 * MAUDE Adverse Event report https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfmaude/detail.cfm?mdrfoi__id=23733351&pc=QZI III Obesity trends * US State-Level Obesity Trends 1990-2022 and Forecasted to 2035 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2844495 IV New Tools in the Office * TRICORDER Trial https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02156-7/fulltext You may also like: The Bob Harrington Show with the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine, Robert A. Harrington, MD. https://www.medscape.com/author/bob-harrington Questions or feedback, please contact news@medscape.net

Jan 23 2026 This Week in Cardiology

Listener feedback, the value of procedural volume for TAVR and MTEER, ventricular arrhythmia in older athletes, and the Goldilocks time horizon for predicting and modifying CV risk are the topics John Mandrola, MD, discusses in this week's podcast. This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only. To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit: https://www.medscape.com/twic I Procedural Volume and Outcomes for TAVI and M-TEER * Operator Procedural Volumes and Outcomes for TAVR and MTEER https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2843740 II Ventricular Arrhythmia in Older Male Endurance Athletes Myocardial Fibrosis May Raise Arrhythmia Risk in Older Male Endurance Athletes https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/myocardial-fibrosis-may-raise-arrhythmia-risk-older-male-2026a10001y0 * Timing and Relationship of VA With Exercise Patterns in Older Male Endurance Athletes https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjpc/zwag021 III Predicting Cardiac Risk and Statin Use * 30-Year ASCVD Risk Among US Adults Aged 30-59 https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.125.012348 You may also like: The Bob Harrington Show with the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine, Robert A. Harrington, MD. https://www.medscape.com/author/bob-harrington Questions or feedback, please contact news@medscape.net

Jan 16, 2026 This Week in Cardiology

Some great listener feedback, one of the best studies of the year in atrial fibrillation and heart failure, imaging to exclude left atrial thrombus, and a truly amazing first cardiac procedure are the topics John Mandrola, MD, discusses in this week's podcast. This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only. To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit: https://www.medscape.com/twic I Listener Feedback On Fish Oil and AF * Links between omega-3 fatty acids and AF https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.058596 * Omega-3 and risk of AF https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2024.11.003 * DHA vs EPA in reducing vulnerability to AF https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCEP.112.971515 II Withdrawal of HF Therapy AF rhythm control The AF is Gone, the EF Is Up. Can You Stop the HF Meds? https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/af-gone-ef-can-you-stop-hf-meds-2024a1000h6o * Effect of beta-blockers in patient with HF plus AF -- meta-analysis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25193873/ * TRED HF Trial 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32484-X External Link * WITHDRAW-AF Trial https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/47/2/250/8238240 III ICE or TEE Before AF Ablation * ICE vs TEE in Atrial Fibrillation Ablation https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2839370 IV The Vector Procedure * Percutaneous Aorto-Coronary Bypass Graft: the VECTOR procedure https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCINTERVENTIONS.125.016130 You may also like: The Bob Harrington Show with the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine, Robert A. Harrington, MD. https://www.medscape.com/author/bob-harrington Questions or feedback, please contact news@medscape.net