JACC This Week

Dr. Harlan Krumholz introduces a JACC issue unified around the question of how low to target blood pressure, highlighting growing evidence that aiming near 120 mm Hg improves cardiovascular outcomes without harming quality of life. Several studies from the STEP and ESPRIT trials show that intensive blood pressure control widens retinal arterioles, lowers stroke risk, enhances well-being, and remains safe even in older adults. Long-...

JACC Editor-in-Chief Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, introduces the October 21, 2025 issue of JACC, which is devoted entirely to Dr. Milton Packer's adipokine hypothesis.  Dr. Krumholz explains the rationale behind dedicating the issue to this bold conceptual framework, which proposes that dysfunctional visceral fat and its secreted adipokines drive HFpEF. We're also thrilled to present readers with 10 accompanying expert commentaries ...

This episode of JACC This Week, hosted by Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, highlights key research and perspectives from the October 14, 2025 issue of JACC. It opens with a call to modernize physician certification by distinguishing core knowledge from clinical reasoning, emphasizing continuous, engaging learning over rote memorization. Featured studies in this week's issue include the cardiovascular risks linked to clonal hematopoiesis...

In the September 30 issue of JACC, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Harlan Krumholz explores the concept of "computable quality" in healthcare, advocating for real-time, data-driven improvement in clinical care. He reviews original research on pop-up cardiovascular screenings in pharmacies and sporting events, AI-driven echocardiographic automation, and anticoagulation in pulmonary arterial hypertension. The episode also features a three-part d...

In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Harlan Krumholz explores the evolving landscape of cardiovascular medicine, beginning with a call for responsible stewardship of artificial intelligence. Highlights include a major registry study on percutaneous aspiration for right-sided endocarditis, the predictive power of polygenic risk scores in heart failure, and the diverse causes of myocardial infarction in younger ad...

In this episode, Dr. Harlan Krumholz introduces the September 16, 2025 issue of JACC, which features studies that challenge conventional clinical thinking, including a detailed ECMO physiology study showing that higher ECMO flow does not uniformly raise pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, suggesting the need for individualized management. A novel analysis of the ISCHEMIA trial revealed distinct angina symptom trajectories, emphasiz...

In this episode, Dr. Harlan Krumholz reviews the September 9, 2025 issue of JACC, covering key studies on artificial intelligence in cardiovascular research, the effects of tirzepatide in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), and how social, racial, and genetic factors influence heart failure risk. He discusses the growing burden of heart failure in the elderly, the need to disaggregate data in Asian American and ...

In the September 2, 2025 JACC This Week, Editor-in-Chief Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, FACC highlights the issue. Listen here for a summary of our latest content, including new research on cognitive dysfunction in adults with congenital heart disease, a review of calcific aortic valve stenosis, and insights into cardiologists' own lifestyle habits. We also have an article on the limitations of binary thresholds in cardiovascular risk...

In this week's issue, Dr. Harlan Krumholz highlights new science with direct clinical implications: a randomized trial showing conduction system pacing outperforms RV pacing in AV block, a pragmatic study suggesting HEPA filtration may modestly lower blood pressure, and long-term data from FLAVOR comparing FFR and IVUS-guided PCI. Also featured are a state-of-the-art review on heart failure therapy implementation, a brief report re...

In this mini focus issue of JACC This Week, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Harlan Krumholz explores the evolving landscape of cardiac amyloidosis care. From structural and biomarker findings in the HELIOS-B substudy to broader discussions on access, treatment sequencing, and multidisciplinary care, this episode highlights new momentum in ATTR-CM management.
Also covered: a sham-controlled trial on compression therapy for vasovagal syncope and...

Hosts Mitsuaki Sawano, MD, Shun Kohsaka, MD, and Nobuhiro Ikemura, MD, welcome Yuichi Saito, MD, of Chiba University Hospital, to discuss recent trends in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) among Japan's oldest populations. Using data from the All-Japan Utstein Registry, Dr. Saito and the Japanese Circulation Society Resuscitation Science Study (JCS-ReSS) Group highlight that OHCA cases in nonagenarians are steadily increasing. ...

Hosts Mitsuaki Sawano, MD, Shun Kohsaka, MD, Kentaro Ejiri, MD, and Satoshi Shoji, MD, welcome Dr. Kunihiro Matsushita of Johns Hopkins University to discuss findings from the ARIC study on cumulative cardiovascular risk and healthy arterial aging. Dr. Matsushita highlights that maintaining favorable levels of cholesterol, blood pressure, and avoiding smoking from mid- to late-life is strongly associated with the absence of coronar...

In this JACC Deep Dive, Editor-in-Chief Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, discusses a large real-world study by Min et al. examining heart failure with improved ejection fraction (HFimpEF) in over 24,000 patients. The study found that while EF improvement is common (30%), true remission is rare and relapse occurs in about 25% of cases—highlighting the need for continued guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) even after apparent recove...

In this focus issue on Heart Failure in Practice, JACC Editor-in-Chief Dr. Harlan Krumholz examines how contemporary research continues to refine and at times challenge our understanding of heart failure management. This week's episode features a first-of-its-kind trial on dual therapy with SGLT2 inhibitors and MRAs, new real-world data on heart failure with improved EF, and sobering insights into what happens when foundational the...

Cardiac electrophysiology is rapidly evolving, blending procedural expertise with innovations in pharmacotherapy, device design, and lifestyle medicine. This week's Editor's Page spotlights key studies from JACC that challenge long-standing practices—from lifestyle strategies for atrial fibrillation to the role of defibrillation testing and device comparisons. We also explore disparities in cardiac arrest outcomes and complex real-...

Interventional cardiology is rapidly evolving, with advances in imaging, devices, and techniques driving both innovation and rising expectations for safety and patient-centered outcomes. This week's editor's page highlights cutting-edge research and expert commentary on topics such as plaque vulnerability, stent performance, imaging-guided interventions, and long-term outcomes, reflecting both progress and ongoing challenges in the...

In this JACC Deep Dive, Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, FACC, discusses a new study in the July 8 issue of JACC, authored by Saket Girotra MD, SM, et al. In the study, which links national registry and Medicare data, the authors found striking hospital-level variation in cardiac arrest rates and outcomes—and identified better nurse staffing as a key factor in both preventing arrests and improving survival. Behind the scenes, the manusc...

In this JACC Deep Dive, Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, FACC reviews a study by Covani, et al that uses OCT imaging in over 1,500 ACS patients to show how increasing cardiovascular risk factor burden—like smoking, diabetes, and hypertension—is strongly associated with vulnerable plaque features such as thin caps, inflammation, and rupture. The findings were most pronounced in STEMI patients and reinforce the biological impact of cumula...