What is the reasoning behind the porosity of data when it comes to CV outcomes in women?

Diversity, Inclusion and Equity in Cardiology hosts, Dr Mirvat Alasnag (King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, SA) and Dr Julia Grapsa (Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK) are joined by Prof Barbara Casadei (British Heart Foundation, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK) who offers her advice to young cardiologists who aren't receiving the recognition they deserve. As the first female president of the ESC, Prof Casadei discusses how to navigate challenges in leadership roles and her thoughts on recent society statements against toxic behaviours in the workplace. Lastly, she explores how to achieve gender equity in clinical trial research.

Advice for Young Colleagues and Career Pathways with Prof Barbara Casadei

This week's edition of Parallax features an illuminating conversation between host, Dr Ankur Kalra, and Dr Clif Knight. From practicing family physician to passionate advocate for systemic change, Dr Knight's remarkable career journey provides a unique lens through which to examine physician well-being in contemporary healthcare environments.

Dr Knight shares how his early observations of colleagues struggling without adequate support systems sparked his dedication to addressing the fundamental inefficiencies and structural barriers undermining physician resilience. The discussion examines how the healthcare landscape has evolved over generations, challenging simplistic narratives about millennial physicians' susceptibility to burnout by contextualizing how documentation burdens, technological implementations, and regulatory frameworks have created unprecedented complexity.

Listeners will appreciate Dr Knight's nuanced analysis of the physician ecosystem's five distinct levels and how interventions at each stage—from organizational leadership priorities to individual behavioural practices—can meaningfully enhance well-being. The episode offers actionable insights for healthcare professionals seeking to recalibrate their relationship with medical practice, while also raising important questions about how commercial influences in healthcare delivery may affect both physician autonomy and patient care.

For anyone interested in sustainable healthcare systems that support both practitioners and patients, this discussion provides essential perspective on rebuilding resilience at personal and institutional levels.

Resources:

Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience, National Academy of Medicine (https://nam.edu/our-work/programs/clinician-resilience-and-well-being/)

Taking Action Against Clinician Burnout: A Systems Approach to Professional Well-Being, National Academy of Medicine (https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25521/taking-action-against-clinician-burnout-a-systems-approach-to-professional)

Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program, AMA ASSN (https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/physician-health/joy-medicine-health-system-recognition-program)

EP 129: The Heart of Healthcare: Rebuilding Physician Resilience

How can institutions overcome toxic workplace behaviours, and why is it important?

Diversity, Inclusion and Equity in Cardiology hosts, Dr Mirvat Alasnag (King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, SA) and Dr Julia Grapsa (Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK) are joined by Prof Mamas Mamas (University of Keele, Staffordshire, UK) to discuss how we can achieve equity in the workplace. Together, they share insights on the dangers of tall poppy syndrome, how to recognise our biases, and why many feel unable to call out bullying and harassment. Prof Mamas also highlights the responsibility of institutions and leadership to implement a code of conduct, framework for independent reporting of uncivil behaviours, and implications if these are not met.

The Poppy Syndrome and Leading by Example With Prof Mamas Mamas

Join Dr Ankur Kalra on Parallax as he explores the evolving landscape of precision medicine in cardiology with Dr Calum MacCrae, Vice Chair for Scientific Innovation at Brigham and Women’s Heart and Vascular Center.

Dr MacCrae reflects on how the promise of matching treatments to individual risk and disease mechanisms has evolved, from its roots in molecular medicine to today’s data-driven aspirations, revealing why progress has lagged behind expectations. The discussion dissects the complexities of modern cardiology, challenging assumptions about therapeutic precision by examining barriers like incomplete disease understanding, flawed electronic health records, and the high cost of integrating biomarkers into practice.

Listeners will value Dr MacCrae’s incisive breakdown of precision medicine’s ecosystem, and how innovations at each level could redefine treatment strategies. The episode delivers practical insights for clinicians, while posing critical questions about how systemic inertia and fragmented healthcare delivery can impede meaningful change.

EP 130: Precision Cardiology: Promise, Barriers, and Breakthroughs

What can the transition to industry offer young cardiologists, and should they take the leap?

Diversity, Inclusion and Equity in Cardiology hosts, Dr Mirvat Alasnag (King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, SA) and Dr Julia Grapsa (Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK) engage in an inspiring discussion with Interventional Cardiologist, Dr Marta Bande (Boston Scientific Corporation, Milan, IT). The episode dives into Dr Bande's motivations to move to industry after years in clinical practise and the skills and opportunities this exposed her to. As well as providing advice for young cardiologists contemplating changing career paths, Dr Bande talks on navigating career struggles and why she actively promotes diversity for women within cardiology.

Transition of Career, Equity and Diversity in Cardiology With Dr Marta Bande

In this episode of Parallax, host Dr Ankur Kalra sits down with Dr Ambarish Pandey to explore the transformative role of GLP-1 receptor agonists in cardiovascular medicine. Beyond their well-known effects on weight management, Dr Pandey reveals how these "blockbuster drugs" are fundamentally reshaping cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment, with compelling evidence from the landmark SELECT trial.

The discussion navigates through real-world clinical scenarios where GLP-1s deliver significant cardiovascular benefits, from post-acute coronary events to established atherosclerotic disease. Dr Pandey provides nuanced, evidence-based recommendations for GLP-1 therapy across various heart failure phenotypes, while addressing common comorbidities like atrial fibrillation and obstructive sleep apnea.

Recognizing practical challenges, the conversation offers actionable strategies for medication initiation, dose optimization, and navigating insurance hurdles. The episode concludes with an exciting look toward emerging frontiers, including GLP-1 benefits in chronic kidney disease and innovative metabolic accelerators that could complement existing therapies.

For clinicians seeking to optimize cardio-metabolic care in 2025, this discussion provides essential insights into both current best practices and promising therapeutic horizons.

Disclosures: Dr Ambarish Pandey is a consultant for Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, Roche, and Rivus Pharma.

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: https://www.radcliffecardiology.com/news/parallax-podcast-ankur-kalra-recognised-among-top-medical-podcasts?language_content_entity=en

Ep 131: Beyond Weight Loss: GLP-1s as Cardioprotective Game-Changers in 2025

What advice does Dr Ritu Thamman have for female cardiologists trying to navigate power dynamics within the workplace?

Diversity, Inclusion and Equity in Cardiology hosts, Dr Mirvat Alasnag (King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, SA) and Dr Julia Grapsa (Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK) are joined by Dr Ritu Thamman (University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA, US) to discuss the challenges posed by queen bee syndrome and the importance of building networks to feel secure in leadership positions. Together, they also explore how institutions can improve lab safety for interventional cardiologists and pregnant women at higher risk of radiation exposure, and Dr Thamman highlights the huge disparities between standards of protection across the globe. Finally, Dr Thamman offers valuable advice to younger colleagues struggling to create an attainable work-life balance.




From Women, For Women and a Legacy for Future Generations with Dr Ritu Thamman

In this illuminating episode of Parallax, Dr Ankur Kalra engages with Dr Jonathan Drezner, Director of Sports Cardiology at the University of Washington, who explores the complex world of cardiovascular risk in competitive athletes.

Dr Drezner traces the evolution of sports cardiology from watershed moments involving high-profile athletes like Hank Gathers and Reggie Lewis to today's sophisticated screening protocols. The conversation reveals startling statistics about sudden cardiac death—particularly among specific athlete populations where risks are significantly higher than previously thought.

The discussion delves into the limitations of traditional screening questionnaires versus the enhanced detection capabilities of ECG testing, highlighting how proper interpretation has dramatically reduced false positives. Dr Drezner articulates the shift from universal disqualification to personalized risk assessment for athletes with cardiac conditions, emphasizing the critical elements of effective emergency action plans that can mean the difference between life and death on the playing field.

Listeners will gain valuable insights into both common and rare cardiac conditions affecting athletes, from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy to anomalous coronary arteries, while understanding the three pillars of modern sports cardiology: epidemiology, screening, and management. This episode offers essential knowledge for cardiologists, sports medicine physicians, and other healthcare professionals involved in athlete cardiac care.

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: https://www.radcliffecardiology.com/news/parallax-podcast-ankur-kalra-recognised-among-top-medical-podcasts?language_content_entity=en

EP 132: The Heart of the Game: Cardiovascular Risk in Athletes

In this compelling episode of Parallax, Dr Ankur Kalra explores South Asian cardiovascular health with preventive cardiology experts, Dr Jaideep Patel from Johns Hopkins, and Dr Romit Bhattacharya from Massachusetts General Hospital.

The conversation begins with both specialists sharing personal motivations behind their focus on South Asian heart health, from family losses to scientific curiosity about potential genetic and metabolic distinctions. They examine whether South Asians truly face different cardiovascular risks - discussing observations of earlier disease onset, unique lipid patterns, and metabolic dysfunction at lower BMIs - while emphasizing that fundamental prevention strategies remain effective across populations.

The episode culminates with powerful closing insights on prevention as an investment—how small, consistent lifestyle modifications can prevent cardiovascular disease onset even in those with genetic predispositions, ultimately enabling fuller, more functional lives in later years.

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

Ep 133: South Asian Heart Health: Unveiling Risk Patterns and Prevention Strategies

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.

From Women, For Women and a Legacy for Future Generations with Dr Ritu Thamman

The Radcliffe Cardiology Podcast

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