The increasing burden of atrial fibrillation (AF) and significant morbidity/mortality associated with this arrhythmia encourage screening it in clinical practice, as recommended in current guidelines. It means opportunistic screening (in patients over 65 years) or systematic screening (in people above 75 years) by using clinical examination, followed by an ECG, 24-hour ECG monitoring …

Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) preventive medications are recommended for patients at high short-term CVD risk. As most younger people with multiple raised CVD risk factors levels have low short-term risk, they could be falsely reassured to take no action. Heart age—the chronological age of a hypothetical person with the same short-term absolute CVD risk as the …

The left atrial appendage (LAA) is derived from the left wall of the primary atrium, which forms during the fourth week of embryonic development. It has developmental, ultrastructural, and physiological characteristics distinct from the left atrium proper. The LAA lies within the confines of the pericardium in close relation to the free wall of the left ventricle and thus its emptying and ...

Background The relationship between atherosclerosis and endotypes of myocardial ischaemia with no obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA) is unclear. We investigated potential associations between cumulative atherosclerotic plaque burden quantified using the Gensini score, novel invasive indices of coronary microvascular function (microvascular resistance …

Each year the Heart editorial team selects the most meritorious research papers to receive the Heart Best Research Paper Award.. We are pleased to announce the winner and finalists for the Heart Best Research Paper Award 2024 in recognition of high quality and clinical impact.

Heart is an international peer reviewed journal that keeps cardiologists up to date with important research advances in cardiovascular disease. New scientific developments are highlighted in editorials and put in context with concise review articles. There is one free Editor’s Choice article in each issue, with open access options available to authors for all articles.

The frequent concurrence of elevated blood pressure (BP) and type 2 diabetes markedly elevates the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. In this review, we discuss the evidence supporting the role of BP-lowering therapies in preventing cardiovascular events in people with type 2 diabetes and the most appropriate BP treatment target in these individuals. We outline …

### Learning objectives Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide, resulting in ~18 million deaths annually.1 Atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD) accounts for four out of every five cardiovascular (CV) deaths, one-third of which are premature.1 From 2010 to 2020, there was a global increase of ~19% in CV deaths.1 The economic burden of CVD on …

Introduction. Premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) are the most common arrhythmias in daily practice. At the cellular level, ventricular myocytes spontaneously depolarise to create an extrasystole ‘out of sync’ with the cardiac cycle. 1 The prevalence depends on the characteristics and comorbidities of the population, the method by which the population is studied and the …

Calcium: the secret key? Calcification is the cardinal process driving a vicious cycle that propagates aortic valve (AV) stiffness and obstruction.3 Disruption of the endothelial layer promotes the uptake of oxidised lipids and immune cells, promoting an inflammation–calcification loop with fibrotic remodelling of the aortic leaflets.4 Activation of the valvular interstitial cells …