In this special NAIDOC Week episode of The Meaning of Health podcast, Ingrid is joined by Associate Professor Aunty Vicky Wade and Professor Bep Uink for a discussion about the importance of heart health among Noongar women and Aboriginal communities more broadly. Together, they explore the central role of Noongar women as matriarchs, healers, and cultural leaders, and how these responsibilities connect deeply with physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.

Aunty Vicky shares her journey as a Noongar woman and cardiac nurse with over 40 years of experience, highlighting the significant burden of cardiovascular disease on Aboriginal women, who face much higher risks of heart disease and early death than non-Aboriginal women. Bep talks about her background in social and emotional wellbeing research and being appointed as the first woman and first Aboriginal Director of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet. Together they discuss how cultural safety involves recognising different worldviews and building genuine connections between healthcare providers and patients.

Aunty Vicky and Bep share their hope and optimism for the future as part of this year’s NAIDOC theme The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy, and how they are inspired by the resilience and strength of Noongar women and the growing leadership of younger generations. They encourage Aboriginal women to prioritize their own health and seek heart health checks, reinforcing that knowledge and empowerment are key to creating lasting change.

Listeners can explore NAIDOC week history and activities at naidoc.org.au

The Australian CVD risk calculator discussed can be found at https://www.cvdcheck.org.au/calculator

The heart age calculator is available at https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/heart-age-calculator
The 2025 guidelines for the diagnosis and management of rheumatic heart disease can be found here:  https://rhdaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Australian-ARF-RHD-Guideline-2025.pdf

As always, if you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can contact us at: meaningofhealth@outlook.com
Instagram Twitter/X  Bluesky @healthmeanswhat
FaceBook @MeaningofHealth
Or visit our website: www.meaningofhealth.com.au


Episode 128 - Keeping Hearts Strong: Noongar Women, Culture and Cardiac Health with Prof Aunty Vicky Wade and Prof Bep Uink

In this essential episode of Parallax, Dr Ankur Kalra is joined by Dr Carolyn Ho, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Medical Director of the Cardiovascular Genetics Program at Brigham and Women's Hospital, for a comprehensive discussion on how genetic testing is reshaping hypertrophic cardiomyopathy management.

The conversation explores the VANISH HCM trial results, which showed that valsartan can slow disease progression in young, asymptomatic individuals with early sarcomeric HCM. Dr Ho discusses how this evidence influenced the 2024 HCM guidelines and created new opportunities for disease-modifying therapy before clinical symptoms appear. The episode also examines emerging gene-based therapeutics, from current adeno-associated virus approaches to future CRISPR technologies that could address the underlying genetic causes of HCM.

Dr Ho addresses practical considerations for clinicians, including when to initiate genetic testing, how to manage family screening, and the promise of AI-assisted screening tools. The discussion highlights both current therapeutic options and the evolving landscape of precision medicine in inherited cardiovascular disease.

Questions and comments can be sent to "podcast@radcliffe-group.com" and may be answered by Ankur in the next episode. Host: @AnkurKalraMD and produced by: @RadcliffeCardio
Parallax is Ranked in the Top 100 Health Science Podcasts (#48) by Million Podcasts.

EP 139: The Genetic Revolution in HCM: Mapping Family Risk to Targeted Treatment

In this compelling episode of Parallax, Dr Ankur Kalra sits down with Dr Anandita Kulkarni, preventive cardiologist at Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, for an eye-opening conversation about addressing cardiovascular disparities in South Asian populations through the innovative Dilwale registry.

Dr Kulkarni tells the story of returning to her Texas community to serve South Asian patients and her determination to create meaningful change through data. What started as a local initiative grew into something much larger: a comprehensive registry of over 31,000 South Asian patients that's revealing critical insights about heart disease in this underserved population.

Beyond the clinical data, this episode delves into the practical challenges of culturally informed preventive care. Dr Kulkarni shares insights on addressing barriers to physical activity within South Asian communities, helping patients navigate dietary changes while respecting cultural food traditions, and the delicate work of motivating lifestyle modifications in a population already facing higher cardiovascular risks. Her patient-centered approach demonstrates how combining population-level research with deep cultural understanding can fundamentally improve both individual outcomes and community health.

Questions and comments can be sent to "podcast@radcliffe-group.com" and may be answered by Ankur in the next episode. Host: @AnkurKalraMD and produced by: @RadcliffeCardio

Parallax is Ranked in the Top 100 Health Science Podcasts (#48) by Million Podcasts

EP 140: Breaking Barriers in South Asian Heart Health: The Dilwale Registry Revolution

In this episode, Craig chats with Dr Juliana de Oliveira Costa, Research Fellow at the Medicines Intelligence Research Program, UNSW Sydney. Juliana is a pharmacist and pharmacoepidemiologist who uses big health data to study and improve medicine use across populations. 

They discuss SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists—modern type 2 diabetes medicines now known for heart, kidney, and weight-loss benefits. Juliana explains how cardiovascular benefits were discovered by accident, leading to major changes in treatment guidelines and PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) access. 

Topics include how these medicines work, recent PBS changes enabling earlier use in high-risk patients to be cheaper for patients, medication costs, private prescribing, and research showing underuse—especially in older adults—despite strong evidence of benefit. They also touch on safety concerns, long-term use, and the value of real-world data in guiding policy and practice. 

Learn more about Juliana’s work here and get contact details for the cardio-metabolic team: https://www.unsw.edu.au/medicine-health/our-schools/population-health/research/transforming-health-systems/medicines-intelligence/cardiometabolic-medicines 

Learn more about Juliana: https://www.unsw.edu.au/staff/juliana-de-oliveira-costa  

As always, if you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can contact us at: meaningofhealth@outlook.com 
Instagram Twitter/X  Bluesky @healthmeanswhat 
FaceBook @MeaningofHealth 
 
Or visit our website: www.meaningofhealth.com.au 

Episode 130 – Diabetes Medication to Prevent Heart Problems with Dr. Juliana De Oliveira Costa [medicines series]

In this essential episode of Parallax, Dr Ankur Kalra welcomes Dr Shelley Zieroth, Professor of Medicine, clinician-scientist, and advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist in Winnipeg, Canada. As we mark the 10-year anniversary of the landmark EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial, Dr Zieroth provides a comprehensive update on how SGLT2 inhibitors have revolutionized cardiovascular care.

Dr Zieroth takes us through the remarkable journey from the initial 2015 trial that transformed SGLT2 inhibitors from anti-diabetic agents into cardiovascular powerhouses, delivering highly significant reductions in cardiovascular death and heart failure hospitalization. She explores how these medications have become fundamental pillars of cardio-kidney-metabolic medicine, with evidence spanning the entire ejection fraction spectrum.

Dr Zieroth discusses prescribing these agents in heart failure - including the straightforward 10-mg daily dosing, monitoring strategies, and crucial patient selection criteria. She shares insights from the recent EMPULSE trial on safe in-hospital initiation, addresses important considerations for diabetic patients, and highlights key contraindications like indwelling catheters that clinicians must recognize.

Beyond the basics, Dr Kalra and Dr Zieroth examine the evolving role of SGLT2 inhibitors in valvular disease and diastolic dysfunction, tackle the ongoing reimbursement challenges across different healthcare systems, and discuss the critical importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in the cardio-kidney-metabolic space. They also look ahead to exciting combination therapies on the horizon that promise to further advance heart failure prevention and treatment.

Questions and comments can be sent to "podcast@radcliffe-group.com" and may be answered by Ankur in the next episode.

Host: @AnkurKalraMD and produced by: @RadcliffeCardio
Parallax is Ranked in the Top 100 Health Science Podcasts (#48) by Million Podcasts.

EP 141: From EMPA-REG to Clinical Practice: Mastering SGLT2 Inhibitors in Modern Cardiology

Audio roundup of selected biopharma industry content from Scrip over the business week ended September 5, 2025. In this episode: the US MASH market after Wegovy’s approval; AstraZeneca and Mineralys in close hypertension race; United Therapeutics’ Phase III win in IPF; Corsera aims to predict and prevent cardiovascular disease; and Ionis’s RNA-targeted win in severe hypertriglyceridemia.   
https://insights.citeline.com/scrip/podcasts/scrips-five-must-know-things/quick-listen-scrips-five-must-know-things-RKP4E4CFGFGGXBRVXTI73V27U4/

This episode was produced with the help of AI text-to-voice and voice emulation tools.

Playlist: soundcloud.com/citelinesounds/sets/scrips-five-must-know-things

Scrip's Five Must-Know Things - September 5, 2025

Hello and welcome to the podcast where we unpack the most pressing public health challenges. I’m your host, Silvana Luciani and today we’re diving into a critical issue: noncommunicable diseases — or NCDs — and the urgent call to action coming from the Fourth High-Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on NCD Prevention, Control, and Mental Health Promotion, also known as HLM4.

Joining us today is Dr Anselm Hennis, Director of the Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health at the Pan American Health Organization.

On the road to the High-Level meeting: NCDs and Mental Health in a changing world

Dr. Leonard Egede, Dr. Rebekah Walker, and Dr. Obinna Ekwunife from the Department of Medicine at the University of Buffalo, NY, describe their #research paper #published in Volume 17, Issue 8 of Aging-US, entitled “Longitudinal relationship between social and CVD risk factors in older adults with prediabetes: the HRS 2006-2016.”
#interview #authorinterview #aging #prediabetes #cardiovascular #health #openaccess #openscience #peerreviewed #journal #publication #publishing #meded

DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206308

Corresponding author - Leonard E. Egede - legede@buffalo.edu

Video interview - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MSTk3GQAGA

Video transcript - https://aging-us.net/2025/10/08/behind-the-study-social-and-cardiovascular-risk-factors-in-older-adults-with-prediabetes/

Abstract

Background: This study examines how multiple social risk factors influence cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk control over time in older adults with prediabetes using a nationally representative cohort.

Methods: Data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) included 5,086 U.S. adults aged 50+ with prediabetes. Five social risk domains (economic stability, environment, education, healthcare, and social context) were examined as independent variables, while CVD risk factors included glycemic control (HbA1c), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and cholesterol ratio (total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein). Mixed-effects models assessed relationships between social risk factors and CVD outcomes, adjusting for age, gender, race, and marital status.

Results: The sample had an average age of 68.6 years, with 60.2% female, and 70.97% identifying as non-Hispanic Black. Average HbA1c was 5.7, SBP 129.4, and cholesterol ratio 3.85. Limited education was consistently associated with increased CVD risk—HbA1c (β = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.01–0.06, p < 0.001), SBP (β = 4.34, 95% CI: 2.96–5.71, p < 0.001), and cholesterol ratio (β = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.01–0.16, p < 0.05) —in the fully adjusted model. Medication cost-related non-adherence was significantly associated with higher HbA1c levels (β = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.002–0.06, p < 0.05). Difficulty paying bills and lack of health insurance were both significantly associated with higher cholesterol levels (β = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.002–0.06, p < 0.05) and (β = 0.22, 95% CI: 0.15–0.30, p < 0.001), respectively.

Conclusions: Social risk factors, particularly limited education, significantly impact CVD risk in older adults with prediabetes.

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Keywords - aging, prediabetes, social determinants of health, health equity, cardiovascular health, population health

To learn more about the journal, visit https://www.Aging-US.com​​ and connect with us on social media at:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/
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Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/
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Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1X4HQQgegjReaf6Mozn6Mc

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Aging-US

Behind the Study: Social and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Older Adults with Prediabetes

Cereno Scientific CEO Sten Sörensen discusses how his company is repurposing a 60-year-old epilepsy drug as a potential game-changer for pulmonary arterial hypertension and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Learn about their promising Phase IIa results that showed improved heart function and reduced mortality risk, the FDA fast track designation they recently received, and their strategy for advancing two rare disease programs toward pivotal trials. A fascinating look at drug repurposing, epigenetic modulation, and the challenges of developing therapies for high unmet need patient populations.

Cereno Scientific Turns To Old Drug For Rare Cardiopulmonary Diseases

In this evidence-packed episode of Parallax, Dr Ankur Kalra welcomes back Dr Purvi Parwani, Associate Professor of Medicine at Loma Linda University Health, for a comprehensive review of groundbreaking trials presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress.

Dr Parwani guides listeners through what she describes as a "tectonic shift" in post-MI care with the REBOOT and BETAMI-DANBLOCK trials. These studies challenge the routine use of beta blockers after heart attack, revealing that patients with preserved ejection fraction above 50% may not benefit, while those with EF between 40-49% show significant risk reduction from continued therapy.

The discussion moves to heart failure management, exploring the POTCAST trial's approach to optimising potassium levels in high-risk patients and the DIGIT-HF trial's examination of digitoxin as a potential option for patients who cannot tolerate modern four-pillar therapy. Dr Kalra and Dr Parwani conclude with the evolving role of aspirin in cardiovascular care. They discuss findings from NEO-MINDSET, TARGET-FIRST, and the AQUATIC trial, which together are reshaping antiplatelet strategies from the immediate post-PCI period through long-term management of stable coronary disease in patients requiring anticoagulation.

Questions and comments can be sent to "podcast@radcliffe-group.com" and may be answered by Ankur in the next episode.

Host: @AnkurKalraMD and produced by: @RadcliffeCardio
Parallax is Ranked in the Top 100 Health Science Podcasts (#48) by Million Podcasts.

EP 144: ESC 25 in Review with Dr Purvi Parwani

Citeline places biopharma and medical device professionals, and those who focus on these industries, at the forefront of knowledge and insight, by providing the perfect combination of news and information together with penetrating insight and analysis. Citeline is a leader in the field of healthcare industry information.

Aging-US is dedicated to advancing our understanding of the biological mechanisms that drive aging and the development of age-related diseases. Our mission is to serve as a platform for high-quality research that uncovers the cellular, molecular, and systemic processes underlying aging, and translates these insights into strategies to extend healthspan and delay the onset of chronic disease.

Read about the Aging (Aging-US) Scientific Integrity Process: https://aging-us.com/scientific-integrity

‘Parallax’ (/ˈparəlaks/)-noun: the effect whereby the position or direction of an object appears to differ when viewed from different positions. Join Ankur Kalra, MD as he shows you a different side to cardiovascular care, management and science. Listen to Ankur’s conversations with legendary cardiologists, critical reviews of key congresses and late-breaking trials, and concise summaries. Published every second Monday of the month, this is your fix of reliable updates on all things cardiology by someone from a non-traditional background, who is always trying to look at it from new angles! Dear cardiologists, we want to make this podcast about you, and for you! Please email us critical thoughts, comments and questions for Ankur at podcast@radcliffe-group.com.

A podcast that explores a range of health and health-related issues that affect people in the community. We sit down with lived experience, academic, and practitioner experts to take a deep dive into many different areas of health. We are based at the School of Population and Global Health at the University of Western Australia.

New tracks tagged #Cardiovascular