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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]