In this episode of the "Innovations in Cardiology" series, host Dr Dipti Itchhaporia (Hoag Heart and Vascular Institute, Newport Beach, CA, US) is joined by Dr Alexander Van Rosendael (Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, NL) to discuss the findings from the CONFIRM2 trial. Conducted from up to 50 international clinical CCTA sites with 35,000 patients, CONFIRM2 aims to improve comprehensive quantification of coronary computed tomography angiography findings using an artificial intelligence algorithm that will enable an accurate quantification of coronary artery disease, including total coronary plaque volume and low attenuation plaque volume.

Findings showed that AI-guided quantative computational tomography quantification of coronary CTA lumen diameter stenosis and the noncalcified plaque volume were most predictive of MACE and added discriminative accuracy to the Diamond and Forrester predictive model. These atherosclerotic profiles as assessed by AI-QCT could guide the tailoring of anti atherosclerotic therapies or coronary interventional procedures to reduce the instance of cardiac events.

If you have any questions or suggestions for topics to cover on the Radcliffe Podcast, please email managingeditor@ecrjournal.com.

AI in Quantitative CT Assessments: CONFIRM2 with Dr Alexander Van Rosendael

Expert interventionalists, Prof Nicolas Van Mieghem and Dr Joost Daemen (Thoraxcenter, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, NL) discuss the most anticipated hot line studies to be unveiled at ESC Congress 2025. Tune in for their in-depth analysis to get ahead of the curve.

ESC Congress 2025 Hot Line Trials Discussed:
00:25 - DOUBLE-CHOICE
03:03 - VANTAGE
05:03 - VICTOR
06:28 - VICTORIA
07:58 - DIGIT HF
10:19 DAPA ACT HF-TIMI 68
12:35 REBOOT-CNIC
14:07 BETAMI DANBLOCK
16:03 REFINE ICD
18:05 OPTION STEMI
20:43 DUAL ACS
22:46 NEO MINDSET
24:53 TARGET FIRST
26:59 OUTREACH
29:29 FIRE
31:40 AI GATEKEEPER
22:42 LAA CLOSURE

Stay tuned for Radcliffe Cardiology’s in-depth coverage of these and other pivotal trials from ESC Congress 2025.

View from the Thoraxcenter: What's Hot at ESC 25?

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 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

In this fascinating episode of Parallax, Dr Ankur Kalra sits down with Dr Alexander Fanaroff, an interventional cardiologist, clinical trialist, and behavioral economist at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr Fanaroff brings a unique perspective to cardiovascular medicine, combining his expertise in interventional cardiology with cutting-edge insights from behavioral economics to transform how we approach patient care and clinical decision-making.

Dr Fanaroff demystifies behavioral economics for the medical community, explaining how this field studies real-world decision-making beyond traditional economic models. He introduces key concepts like status quo bias, prospect theory, and the power of defaults in shaping both physician and patient behaviors. Through compelling examples, including Penn's successful intervention that increased 90-day statin prescriptions from 70% to 90% simply by changing EHR defaults, Dr Fanaroff demonstrates how small design changes can yield significant clinical improvements.

Looking beyond individual interventions, Dr Fanaroff discusses how behavioral economics can address healthcare disparities by creating system-wide improvements that lift all patients while specifically targeting underserved communities. He envisions a future where AI identifies at-risk patients from routine imaging, and where interventional cardiologists focus not just on procedural excellence but on ensuring optimal long-term medical management through thoughtfully designed care systems.

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 142: The Psychology of Patient Care: Nudges, Gamification, and the Future of Cardiology

Explore ESC 25 Top Trials with Insights from the Thoraxcenter!

Join Prof Nicolas Van Mieghem and Dr Joost Daemen from Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, for an engaging and critical analysis of the latest trials unveiled at ESC 2025.

In this comprehensive ESC wrap-up, interventional experts examine the most significant trials, providing valuable insights into their impact on current practices and future research directions.

00:15 - DOUBLE-CHOICE
04:43 - VANTAGE
07:44 - VICTOR and VICTORIA
11:29 - DIGIT-HF
14:22 - DAPA ACT HF-TIMI 68
16:55 - BETAMI-DANBLOCK and REBOOT-CNIC
22:13 - REFINE-ICD
25:34 - OPTION-STEMI
30:40 - DUAL-ACS
33:05 - NEO-MINDSET
35:58 - TARGET-FIRST
38:54 - OUTREACH
41:50 - FIRE
42:46 - AI-Gatekeeper
45:13 - POTCAST

View from the Thoraxcenter: ESC 25 Late-breaking Science Wrap-Up

In this episode of Parallax, Dr Ankur Kalra speaks with Dr Benjamin A D’Souza, Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Section Chief of Cardiac Electrophysiology at Presbyterian Medical Center. Together, they explore the challenges of mitigating sudden cardiac death and the evolving role of guideline-directed medical therapy in optimising patient outcomes.

Dr D’Souza reflects on current strategies for risk assessment and prevention, highlighting the importance of medical therapy, careful monitoring and timely use of defibrillators. He stresses that management must be tailored to individual patients, with decisions guided by evidence, imaging and multidisciplinary collaboration.

The conversation also turns to women’s cardiac health and representation in electrophysiology. Dr D’Souza highlights the persistent under-enrolment of women in clinical trials and their lower access to ablation and device therapy. He stresses the need for inclusive trial design, mentorship and acknowledgement of systemic bias to improve equity in cardiovascular care.

This series is supported by ZOLL and is intended for Health Care Professionals.

EP 143: GDMT Optimisation: Mitigating SCD Risk and Addressing Women’s Cardiac Health

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

In this essential episode of Parallax, Dr Ankur Kalra welcomes Dr Monica Tincopa, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Diego, for a crucial conversation about Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) and its profound implications for cardiovascular care.

Dr Tincopa guides listeners through the recent transformation from NAFLD to MASLD, explaining why this nomenclature change represents more than just terminology, instead reflecting a deeper understanding of metabolic health that directly impacts cardiology practice. The conversation explores practical screening strategies that cardiologists can implement immediately, including the use of FIB-4 risk stratification and recognizing incidental findings on cardiac imaging. Dr Tincopa shares insights on when to refer patients to hepatology specialists and how the shared risk factors between MASLD and cardiovascular disease create opportunities for comprehensive patient care.

This episode equips cardiologists with essential knowledge to identify at-risk patients within their existing practice, understand the cardiovascular implications of liver disease, and optimize care coordination for patients with overlapping metabolic conditions.

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 145: From NAFLD to MASLD: Unveiling the Cardiovascular Impact of Metabolic Liver Disease

At TCT 2025, Dr Nadira Hamid (Minneapolis Heart Institute, US) and Dr. Rahul P. Sharma (Stanford University, US) review the late-breaking trial data shaping the future of structural heart disease.
The discussion highlights real-world results from TRISCEND and TRILUMINATE in tricuspid disease, 7-year PARTNER 3 durability outcomes in TAVR, national prevalence insights from the PREVUE-VALVE study, and new frontiers in mitral intervention with SUMMIT MAC. Together, they examine what the evidence means for safety, durability, patient selection, and clinical adoption.
01:05 – Tricuspid Therapies
Late-breaking data from Triluminate (TriClip) and Tricend/Evoke: real-world outcomes, bleeding reduction, pacemaker trends, and patient selection.

06:40 – Aortic Valve Durability
PARTNER 7-year outcomes: TAVR vs. SAVR, valve performance over time, implications for younger/lower-risk patients, and evolving device technology.

12:55 – Valvular Disease Prevalence
Insights from the PREVUE-VALVE: first nationwide prevalence data, under-treatment of severe disease, and role of AI in early detection.

17:30 – Mitral Valve Advances
Landmark trials: SUMMIT Trial (MAC population) and first-in-human Sapien M3 transseptal TMVR. Key outcomes, screen failure rates, and implications for clinical adoption.

24:50 – Future of Structural Heart Interventions
Patient-first approach, expanding treatment options, and importance of durability and early diagnosis.

For more content from TCT 2025 head to the Late-breaking Science Video Collection.

Editor: Mirjam Boros
Videographer: Tom Green and Dan Brent

Support: This is an independent video produced by Radcliffe Cardiology.

TCT 25 Structural Interventions Highlights: Real-World Outcomes and Latest Trial Updates

In this Redcliffe Cardiology NVM reflections episode, Prof Nicolas Van Mieghem cuts through the noise from TCT 2025. Tune in to hear what the SELUTION trials mean for drug-coated balloons in de novo disease and ISR, why cost and sizing matter in calcium modification, how PE thrombectomy stacks up against anticoagulation alone, and what 7-year PARTNER 3 and 10-year NOBLE data signal for TAVR and left main PCI. Practical takeaways you can use on your next case.

Drug-coated balloons (DCB): SELUTION-ISR and the large SOLUTION DeNovo RCT show non-inferiority vs contemporary care,with ~80% of DCB cases avoiding a stent. How to size, when to escalate to DES, and why 5-year data will be decisive. We also contrast these results with CAGE-FREE-1 three-year outcomes and discuss “not all DCBs are created equal.”

Calcium strategies: SHORT-CUT and VICTORY pit cutting/high-pressure balloons against intravascular lithotripsy. Similar luminal results—but very different costs and workflow. We outline a toolbox and imaging-first algorithm for nodular/annular calcium and where atherectomy still fits.

Pulmonary embolism: STORM-PE shows catheter thrombectomy on top of anticoagulation cuts RV/LV ratio fast along with real-world procedure times, blood loss, and complications you should counsel up front.

Valves & MR: PARTNER 3 at 7 years TAVR vs surgery outcomes remain similar with reassuring valve durability; mild PVL not tied to mortality. ENCIRCLE (Sapien M3 TMVR) shows strong MR elimination but flags stroke and leaflet thrombosis prompting a rethink of antithrombotic strategy.

Coronary trials: NOBLE 10-year left main results, PROCTOR (native CTO vs SVG PCI), I-MODERN (iFR-guided complete revasc vs deferred CMR), iCABG (physiology-guided grafting), INFINITY SWEDEHEART (bioadaptor stent signals), and ANDES (post-LAAO DOAC vs DAPT).

Expect pragmatic thresholds, device selection tips, and critical review of the latest evidence with Prof Nicolas Van Mieghem.

NVM Cardiology Meeting Reflections: TCT 25 Wrap Up

The Radcliffe Cardiology Podcast brings you the latest advancements, research and best practices in the field of cardiology. Each episode features expert insights and engaging discussions with leading healthcare professionals, covering a breadth of topics in cardiovascular science. 

Our podcast aims to build on the best science, with key takeaways from the top cardiology conferences and recent publications from our journals.

AI in Quantitative CT Assessments: CONFIRM2 with Dr Alexander Van Rosendael

The Radcliffe Cardiology Podcast

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