The Heart Podcast is your go-to source for the latest insights and developments in cardiovascular medicine. Each episode features in-depth interviews with renowned authors and leading experts in the field, delving into the latest advances in cardiovascular research and treatments. Heart - heart.bmj.com - is a renowned international journal from the BMJ Group and the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS) dedicated to publishing research and reviews on cardiovascular disease. Stay ahead in your field by tuning into our expert discussions and accessing cutting-edge information. Subscribe now or listen on your favourite podcast platform to elevate your understanding of cardiovascular medicine. The Heart podcast is published twice a month, every other Tuesday. Podcast hosted by: Professor James Rudd, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and Consultant Cardiologist, University of Cambridge and Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Dr Sharon Ayayo from the University of Manchester, UK. They discuss her analysis of the MINAP database that showed a significant improvement in survival after heart attack in England and Wales, and tried to explain why this had occurred - was it more effective medication, greater use of coronary intervention or something else. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/112/8/446
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Dr Emma Svennberg from Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden. They discuss her review on AF screening and dive into why many trials have been disappointing and how things might improve in the future. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2026/02/26/heartjnl-2025-326121
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Dr Ben Buckley from John Moores University. They discuss his Cochrane systematic review about the use of cardiac rehabilitation in patients with atrial fibrillation, and whether this might lead to a change in the guidelines. Spoiler: there was a significant benefit in terms of reducing the risk of recurrent atrial fibrillation. Listen to find out more! If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/59/17/1242
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Professor Carel le Roux from University College, Dublin and Ulster University. They discuss the trial evidence that has emerged over the last 20 years for both bariatric surgery and the newer GLP-1 medications, focusing particularly on reductions in cardiovascular outcomes. They also discuss where the field of obesity intervention might head over the next five years and how metabolic surgery will continue to have an important role. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2026/02/23/heartjnl-2025-326812
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Dr Harriette Van Spall from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. They discuss her team's comprehensive review paper all about the intersection of heart failure with the preserved ejection fraction and atrial fibrillation. In particular, they cover the diagnostic challenges in this patient group, established and emerging medications, and the potential for conduction system pacing as a treatment option. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2026/03/06/heartjnl-2025-326954
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Dr Matthew Kelham from Bart's Hospital in London, UK. They discuss the difficulties in deciding the best strategy for patients who present with a non-ST elevation myocardial infarction who have had previous bypass grafting. Matt and colleagues used a survey of experts to gain consensus, then provided the experts with the results of a CTCA scan to assess whether the CTCA scan improved decision-making in this hard-to-manage group. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2026/01/26/heartjnl-2025-326961
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor Professor James Rudd is joined by Dr Elinor Tan from the National University of Singapore. They discuss her team's systematic review and meta-analysis of guideline-directed medical therapies in older patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction. They wanted to understand whether this patient group still benefits from such therapies and the profile of adverse events. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2026/02/11/heartjnl-2025-326305
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Dr Stephen Hamshere from Bart's Hospital in London, UK. They discuss what simulation training entails, how it can help fill gaps in specialist training and what the future state might look like. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2025/11/19/heartjnl-2025-326598.long
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Dr Jwan Naser from The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, USA. They discuss her study on asymptomatic aortic regurgitation, which suggests it may be less benign than previously believed. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2025/11/17/heartjnl-2025-326643
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Professor Marianna Fontana from Royal Free Hospital in London, UK. They discuss the current and future state of therapies for ATTR amyloidosis affecting the heart. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a supportive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/112/3/129
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Dr Robin Bouleau from Stockholm, Sweden. They discuss his study that aimed to test whether having PVCs but a normal heart was a risk for future AF and stroke. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/112/1/21.long
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor Professor James Rudd is joined by Dr Craig Balmforth from the University of Edinburgh. They discuss the rationale for identifying high-risk plaque, how imaging can help, and emerging therapies, including PCI. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/112/1/13.long
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Professor Kazuaki Negishi from Sydney, Australia. They discuss the optimal use of imaging to detect cardiac effects of cancer therapies. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/111/22/1057
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Professor Paulus Kirchhoff from the University of Hamburg in Germany. They discuss the concept of device-detected atrial fibrillation and how we should approach anticoagulation in this common patient group. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/111/21/999.long
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Dr Aernoud Fiolet from Utrecht in the Netherlands. They discuss the imaging substudy of the LoDoCo2 trial, which tested colchicine in patients with chronic coronary syndromes. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/111/23/1156.long
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Professor Michelle Williams from the University of Edinburgh. They discuss the possibility of predicting cardiovascular disease on CT from clinical factors in the SCOT-HEART trial. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://openheart.bmj.com/content/12/2/e003162 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1805971
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Dr John Sapp from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. They discuss his review paper all about ventricular tachycardia in terms of drug and device therapies, plus advances in VT ablation. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us reach more people—thanks! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2025/10/07/heartjnl-2024-325370
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Dr William Parker from Sheffield in the UK. They discuss how PCI has changed over the last 40 years, covering balloons, stents, drugs and the future. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/111/16/753
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Dr Frances Varian from the University of Sheffield, UK. They discuss her insights as a cardiologist and geography graduate working in the NHS with respect to the environmental impact of climate change on our health. Dr Varian is leading the British Cardiovascular Society's environment and sustainability committee. They also explore how cardiovascular care and research both have environmental impacts and what we can do individually and at a population level to reduce this impact. Please see the links below for more information. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us reach more people - thank you! Links: ESC strategic plan 2023-2028 (includes sustainability) RCP green physicians toolkit Quantifying the carbon footprint of clinical trials Clinical trials carbon footprint guidance Carbon footprint calculator (Travel) Food - BBC Climate Change food calculator
In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor Professor James Rudd is joined by Dr Jennifer Barraclough from Sydney, Australia. They discuss her paper, which describes how a deep learning model can predict the risk of future cardiovascular events using mammogram images, along with age, and how this approach compares with existing methods, as well as the opportunities it might bring for improving the burden of cardiovascular disease among women. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us reach more people - thank you! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2025/09/10/heartjnl-2025-325705
