Clinical trial finds aficamten is superior to metoprolol for symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Compared with crushed ticagrelor, intravenous cangrelor provided immediate, effective platelet inhibition, with no increase in major bleeding and lower mortality rates in patients with acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock, according to late-breaking research presented in a Hot Line session at the ESC Congress 2025.

A randomized controlled trial aimed to determine whether providing information on patient risk for advanced colorectal neoplasia (ACN) to patients and providers affects colorectal cancer (CRC) screening uptake.

Routine Helicobacter pylori screening did not significantly reduce the risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in patients hospitalized for myocardial infarction (MI), according to late-breaking research presented in a Hot Line session at the ESC Congress 2025 and simultaneously published in JAMA.

A Win Ratio analysis confirmed the primary result of the NOAH—AFNET 6 trial and did not find an advantage of anticoagulation with edoxaban over no anticoagulation in patients with device-detected atrial fibrillation. Clinical decisions should therefore be guided by individual factors. The findings were presented by Dr. Nina Becher, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany, in a hotline session at the annual congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) in Madrid.

An analysis of patient-operated ECGs from the EAST—AFNET 4 trial revealed: A low AF burden below 6% in the first year of early rhythm control therapy was associated with low cardiovascular event rates during the subsequent 4 years of follow-up. Patients with a higher AF burden on early rhythm control suffered more AF-related events. The findings were presented by AFNET board member Prof. Ulrich Schotten, Maastricht University, in a hotline session at the annual congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) in Madrid.

Cervical cancer remains one of the most common malignancies in women, ranking as the fourth most prevalent cancer worldwide. Most cases are caused by high-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), particularly HPV16 and HPV18.

Olezarsen decreased levels of triglycerides compared with placebo in patients with moderate hypertriglyceridemia and elevated cardiovascular risk, according to a late-breaking trial presented in a Hot Line session at the ESC Congress 2025 and simultaneously published in the American Heart Journal.

Pulsed field ablation did not have superior efficacy to radiofrequency ablation in patients with drug-resistant paroxysmal (intermittent) atrial fibrillation, according to results from a late-breaking trial presented in a Hot Line session at the ESC Congress 2025.

Dual antiplatelet therapy after cardiac bypass surgery is no more effective than acetylsalicylic acid alone and also increases the risk of serious bleeding. This is shown in a study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and the University of Gothenburg published in the journal the New England Journal of Medicine.

A suspected perpetrator who can barely remember his name, several traffic violations committed by a woman in her mid-fifties who is completely unreasonable and doesn't understand her behavior—should such cases be brought before a court? And how does the state deal with people who commit acts of violence without meaning to?

It has long been known that the brain preferentially processes information that we focus our attention on—a classic example is the so-called cocktail party effect.

Swedish-speaking Ostrobothnia in Finland stands out as a potential Blue Zone, thanks to factors such as long life expectancy, good health and a lifestyle resembling those in well-known Blue Zones. Åland, which boasts the highest life expectancy and best health, fails to meet the lifestyle principles of Blue Zones, except when it comes to providing a pleasant environment, according to a study from Åbo Akademi University.

Routine coronary computed tomography (CCT)-based follow-up after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of the left main coronary artery did not reduce death, myocardial infarction (MI), unstable angina or stent thrombosis compared with symptom-based follow-up, according to late-breaking research presented in a Hot Line session at the ESC Congress 2025.

Among individuals with cardiovascular disease or high cardiovascular risk and uncontrolled hypertension on multiple anti-hypertensive agents, a single subcutaneous dose of zilebesiran 300 mg led to a 5-mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure at Month 3 compared with placebo, a difference that did not reach statistical significance. These results were presented as a late-breaking trial in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2025.

In-hospital initiation of dapagliflozin did not significantly reduce the short-term risk of cardiovascular death or worsening heart failure (HF) in patients admitted for HF, although positive effects were seen when combining trial data, according to late-breaking research presented in a Hot Line session at ESC Congress 2025. Findings were also published in the journal Circulation.

Adding digital twin-guided ablation to a standard ablation technique improved outcomes in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF), according to late-breaking research presented in a Hot Line session at the ESC Congress 2025.

Noninferiority was not demonstrated between immediate and staged complete revascularization in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and multivessel disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), according to late-breaking research presented in a Hot Line session at the ESC Congress 2025 and simultaneously published in The Lancet.

Discontinuing oral anticoagulation (OAC) therapy resulted in a lower risk of a composite of stroke, systemic embolism or major bleeding than continuing OAC therapy in patients who had successful ablation for atrial fibrillation at least 12 months previously, according to results from a late-breaking trial presented in a Hot Line session at ESC Congress 2025 and simultaneously published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.