This Week in Cardiology

Apr 03 2026 This Week in Cardiology

John Mandrola offers an ACC recap of 5 big trials—Hi-PEITHO, PROTAVI, ORBITA-CTO, CHIPS-BCIS3 and CHAMPION AF This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only. To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit: https://www.medscape.com/twic I Catheter Based Fibrinolysis of Pulmonary Embolism –Hi PEITHO * Fibrinolysis Treatment Validated in Large Trial for Acute Intermediate-Risk PE https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/fibrinolysis-treatment-validated-large-trial-acute-2026a10009im * Ultrasound-Facilitated, Catheter-Directed Fibrinolysis for Acute Pulmonary Embolism (HI PEITHO) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2516567 * National Early Warning Score (NEWS) https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/clinical-policy/sepsis/nationalearlywarningscore/ II PRO-TAVI trial * Deferral of percutaneous coronary intervention in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (PRO-TAVI) 10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00308-9 External Link * PCI in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic-Valve Implantation (Notion 3) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2401513 III ORBITA CTO Sham vs PCI for Angina Relief * Tightly Blinded Trial Confirms PCI Reduces Angina in Obstructive Occlusion https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/tightly-blinded-trial-confirms-pci-reduces-angina-2026a10009ob * A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Stable Angina - ORBITA-CTO https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2026.03.027 * ORBITA 1 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32714-9 External Link * ORBITA 2 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2310610 * DECISION CTO https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.031313 * EuroCTO https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehy220 * IV CHIPS BCIS3 Impella Supported High-Risk PCI * Adoption Before Evidence: CHIP-BCIS3 Humbles Impella https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/adoption-before-evidence-chip-bcis3-humbles-impella-2026a10009jh * Left Ventricular Unloading in High-Risk PCI (CHIP BCIS3) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2515704 * Microaxial Flow Pump or Standard Care in Infarct-Related Cardiogenic Shock (DanGer Shock) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2312572 V CHAMPION AF – Watchman vs DOAC in Patients With AF * CHAMPION-AF Trial Finds LAAC an Alternative for NOAC in Lower-Risk Patients https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/champion-af-trial-finds-laac-alternative-noac-lower-risk-2026a10009ij * Six Reasons Why CHAMPION-AF Should Not Change Practice https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/six-reasons-why-champion-af-should-not-change-practice-2026a10009i7 * Left Atrial Appendage Closure or Anticoagulation for Atrial Fibrillation (CHAMPION AF) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2517213 * Left Atrial Appendage Closure or Medical Therapy in Atrial Fibrillation (CLOSURE AF) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2513310 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

Mar 27 2026 This Week in Cardiology

Early aortic valve replacement in aortic stenosis, left atrial appendage occlusion in JAMA Cardiology, and a big preview of the upcoming American College of Cardiology meeting 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 Early AVR * RECOVERY Trial at 10 Years https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2511920 II Major Bleeding with Amulet and Watchman in JAMA Cardiology * Amulet IDE Trial https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2847047 * 5-year Results From Amulet IDE https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2024.10.101 III ACC Preview Mandrola's Top 4 Trials from ACC 2026: Details Matter https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/mandrolas-top-4-trials-acc-2026-details-matter-2026a10008ti * CHIB-BCIS3 Trial https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCINTERVENTIONS.123.013367 * Champion-AF Protocol https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2023.05.022 * ORBITA-CTO Protocol Paper https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cardiovascular-medicine/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2023.1172763/full * SPIRIT-HF Clinical Trials.gov https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04727073 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

Mar 20 2026 This Week in Cardiology

Listener feedback, the huge CLOSURE-AF trial of LAAC vs best medical therapy, previews of CHAMPION AF, and the controversial ACC/AHA lipid treatment guidelines 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 * COBRRA Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2510703 Closure AF published in NEJM * CLOSURE-AF Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2513310 * CHAMPION AF Rationale - Watchman FLX vs DOACs in Patients With AF https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37279840/ LIPID Guidelines * ACC/AHA Joint Committee Guideline on Management of Dyslipidemia https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2025.11.016 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

Mar 13 2026 This Week in Cardiology

Beta-blocker in non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a head-to-head apixaban vs rivaroxaban RCT, diltiazem vs metoprolol combined with DOAC, and the accuracy of smart watches for AF 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 * EMPATICC trial https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/47/9/1034/8242490 II Beta-blocker in Non-obstructive HCM * BB vs Calcium Channel Blocker in Non-obstructive HCM https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2025.11.028 * RCT of Metoprolol in Patients With Obstructive HCM https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2021.07.065 III Apixaban vs Rivaroxaban for Bleeding Risk * COBRRA Trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2510703 * AMPLIFY Trial (Apixaban) https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa1302507 * EINSTEIN Trial (Rivaroxaban) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1007903 IV Diltiazem vs Metoprolol When Combined with DOAC * Risk for Bleeding in AF Patients Using Apixaban or Rivaroxaban With Diltiazem https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-01408 V Actual Clinical Use of Smart Watches * CIRCA-DOSE Original Trial https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.119.042622 * Wearable Smartwatches for AF Detection After Ablation https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euaf280 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

Mar 06 2026 This Week in Cardiology

Listener feedback, urgent AF ablation, AF ablation as a stroke-reducing therapy, implantable loop recorder accuracy, and HF management in the setting of serious 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 Urgent AF ablations * Urgent vs Elective AF Ablation in the US https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacep.2025.12.030 II AF Ablation Is Not Likely a Good Therapy for Stroke Reduction * STABLED Trial https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2845745 * Catheter Ablation for AF Associated With Lower Incidence of Stroke https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehw087 III Loop Recorders * ILR Accuracy - Multicenter, Multidevice Comparison https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacep.2025.12.039 IV Heart Failure Therapy when there is Cancer * EMPATICC Trial https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf705 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