OCEAN Trial: Antithrombotic Therapy after Successful Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation
ACCEL Lite: Featured ACCEL Interviews on Exciting CV Research
Release Date: 02/24/2026
Why Can’t We Prove Revascularization Is Better Than Medical Therapy for SIHD?
ACCEL Lite: Featured ACCEL Interviews on Exciting CV Research
Randomized trials in stable ischemic heart disease (SIHD) show revascularization does not reduce death or myocardial infarction versus guideline-directed medical therapy, with benefit limited to symptom relief. This likely reflects lesion–ischemia mismatch, unclear ischemia origin, effective modern medical therapy, and trial design constraints. As a result, a prognostic advantage is difficult to demonstrate in broad SIHD populations. Exceptions where revascularization may improve outcomes include severe left main disease,...
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Top Practice-Changing Advancements in Echocardiography Since ACC.25
ACCEL Lite: Featured ACCEL Interviews on Exciting CV Research
ecent advancements in echocardiography since ACC.25 highlight a shift toward greater precision, efficiency, and consistency in cardiac imaging. Standardized echo reporting is now recognized as a key marker of quality care, improving communication and supporting more reliable clinical decisions, while artificial intelligence enhances imaging through automated measurements and diagnostic support. Together, these innovations strengthen echocardiography’s foundational role in heart disease management by improving accuracy, consistency, and overall patient outcomes. In this...
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The Case For Medically Tailored Meals
ACCEL Lite: Featured ACCEL Interviews on Exciting CV Research
The “Food is Medicine” approach is central to cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention because diet directly shapes key risk factors, making nutrition a powerful, modifiable intervention. Medically tailored meals (MTMs) are fully prepared, condition-specific meals prescribed to meet the clinical needs of patients with chronic disease. Evidence shows that MTMs can improve health outcomes, enhance diet quality, and reduce hospitalizations and costs. Together, prescribing food as part of care highlights a scalable strategy to improve individual health and drive...
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Managing Subclinical AFib Detected by Devices, Ambulatory Monitors and Wearables
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The detection of subclinical, or “silent,” atrial fibrillation (AFib) has increased substantially with the widespread use of implantable devices (e.g., pacemakers, defibrillators) and consumer wearables such as smartwatches. A key clinical question is the threshold of cumulative AFib burden—such as duration identified on device interrogation—at which anticoagulation should be considered. Additionally, clinicians should consider when consumer wearable rhythm monitoring is appropriate, such as in patients with symptoms or elevated stroke risk. Best...
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Cardiorenal Outcomes with Tirzepatide Compared with Dulaglutide in Patients with Diabetes and CVD
ACCEL Lite: Featured ACCEL Interviews on Exciting CV Research
Is tirzepatide associated with a broader reduction in cardiorenal adverse outcomes compared with dulaglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD? The SURPASS-CVOT, the first cardiovascular outcomes trial using an active incretin-based comparator, previously demonstrated that tirzepatide was noninferior to dulaglutide for major adverse cardiovascular events, including CV death, myocardial infarction, and stroke. A current analysis expands these findings by examining a wider spectrum of adverse events to...
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Impact Of Ivabradine in Post-COVID POTS: The Recover-Autonomic Trial
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The Recover-Autonomic Trial evaluates the impact of ivabradine on orthostatic intolerance, quality of life, and heart rate in patients with post-COVID postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Recognizing that POTS disproportionately affects women, the study addresses a growing clinical need for targeted management strategies in this population. It examines ivabradine as part of a broader treatment approach that combines pharmacotherapy with lifestyle modifications, which together are associated with improved patient outcomes. The trial aims to inform more effective, evidence-based...
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Prehospital Heparin Administration In Patients With STEMI Undergoing Primary PCI
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Prehospital heparin administration in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) offers a practical strategy to facilitate early restoration of blood flow in the infarct-related artery before hospital arrival. A key advantage of heparin over other agents studied for this purpose is its low cost, widespread availability, and well-established safety profile, making it highly accessible in diverse care settings. By initiating anticoagulation early, this...
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Definitions and Treatment of Iron Deficiency in HF: Feel and Function or More?
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Iron deficiency (ID) is highly prevalent in patients with heart failure (HF) and is independently associated with poorer functional status, higher hospitalization rates, and increased mortality. ID in HF is typically defined by abnormal iron indices—most commonly low ferritin and/or low transferrin saturation—and is distinct from anemia, as it may be present even when hemoglobin levels are normal. A growing body of randomized clinical trials demonstrates that treating ID, particularly with intravenous iron, improves symptoms, exercise capacity, and quality of life, with emerging...
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Key Take-Home Messages From the 2025 Sports Cardiology Guidelines
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There is increasing emphasis on shared decision-making when evaluating sports participation for competitive athletes with cardiovascular disease, reflecting a shift toward more individualized care. This approach recognizes that participation decisions should integrate clinical risk assessment with the athlete’s values, goals, and informed preferences. Current guidelines aim to thoughtfully balance the potential cardiovascular risks of intense exercise with its well-established benefits for health, performance, and quality of life. In this interview, Alison L. Bailey,...
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Insights From the CADENCE Trial
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In the CADENCE proof-of-concept study, sotatercept demonstrated meaningful improvements in pulmonary vascular and cardiac hemodynamics in patients with combined pre‑ and post‑capillary pulmonary hypertension due to HFpEF (CpcPH‑HFpEF). Investigators selected a pulmonary vascular resistance threshold of ≥4 Wood units to enrich patients with a significant pre‑capillary component, where targeting pulmonary vascular disease was most biologically relevant. Given that CpcPH‑HFpEF—including valvular‑associated HFpEF—is...
info_outlineThe OCEAN Trial found that rivaroxaban did not significantly reduce the incidence of stroke, systemic embolism, or new covert embolic events compared with aspirin in patients at high risk for stroke who had undergone catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AFib) at least one year earlier. The central question—whether patients with a successful AFib ablation can safely discontinue anticoagulation—remains unresolved. Overall, the trial reinforces the importance of individualized risk assessment rather than routine discontinuation of anticoagulation after ablation.
In this interview, Thomas F. Deering MD, FACC and Atul Verma, MD FACC discuss the “OCEAN Trial: Antithrombotic Therapy after Successful Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation”.