Since postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after cardiac surgery remains a common clinical problem and is associated with adverse clinical outcomes, considerable research efforts are spent to better understand and inform its management. This review highlights recent studies on this topic.

Cardiac amyloidosis is an infiltrative cardiomyopathy with characteristic echocardiographic findings. Echocardiography is the initial imaging test to identify restrictive cardiomyopathies, and timely diagnosis is important for treatment and prognosis. This review outlines key echocardiographic "red flags," structural and functional findings, and emerging diagnostic tools that enhance early recognition and monitoring of cardiac amyloidosis.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) remains a feared and difficult-to-predict outcome in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). This review examines the latest evidence in risk stratification, with a focus on limitations of existing models and the mechanistic and statistical complexities that hinder individualized decision-making.

Obesity-associated hypertension is a pressing and ever-growing public health concern. The prevalence of obesity has increased four-fold over the four preceding decades, with concomitantly rising rates of hypertension not far behind. Importantly, the interplay between these conditions exacerbates cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, and optimal management strategies remain an evolving challenge. This review synthesizes recent advancements in understanding obesity-associated hypertension pathophysiology and explores emerging therapeutic options, highlighting their relevance in shaping future clinical practice.

Despite significant technological progress over the last decade, the optimal strategy for mapping and ablating intramural premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) remains elusive, with suboptimal success rates.

Although oral anticoagulation (OAC) remains the cornerstone therapy for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation, several limitations, such as noncompliance and bleeding, limit its effectiveness. Percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (pLAAC) has emerged as a promising therapy. We will review current and potential indications for pLAAC and knowledge gaps.

Cardiac autonomic dysfunction plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of common cardiovascular diseases. The review discusses current and emerging techniques in the evaluation of cardiac autonomic tone.

Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), psoriasis (PsO), and systemic sclerosis (SSc) are associated with significantly increased risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD), driven by chronic inflammation, and often compounded by undertreated traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Conventional risk scores frequently underestimate this burden.

Stress perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) has gained increasing adoption across North America and Europe for the evaluation of symptomatic suspected or established ischemic heart disease (IHD).

This paper reviews the current understanding of coronary vascular dysfunction (CVDys) in patients with angina and no obstructive coronary artery disease (ANOCA), based on recent findings from a comprehensive, large-scale study. It also discusses potential future directions for research and clinical practice.

Early (<10 days) recovery of the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) has been associated with better short- and long-term clinical outcomes compared to delayed recovery (>10 days). This review aims to comprehensively address the literature regarding its clinical implications, the pathological basis underlying a chronic inflammatory heart failure phenotype; as well as the potential pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapies that might aid in LVEF recovery and improve clinical outcomes in TTS.

Minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting (MICS CABG) offers the benefits of surgical revascularization without sternotomy but remains underutilized due to technical demands and a lack of structured training. This review outlines a stepwise framework for safe adoption.

To critically appraise the 2024 ESC Guidelines for chronic coronary syndrome (CCS), developed in collaboration with EACTS, emphasizing invasive-treatment recommendations, their underlying rationale and key areas requiring further clarification for clinical implementation.

High-risk plaque (HRP) features are commonly observed in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS); however, their individual predictive value remains limited. This review explores the importance of integrating anatomical and physiological assessments to enhance risk stratification and optimize therapeutic decision-making.

Complete revascularization (CR) by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in acute coronary syndromes with multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD) was previously contraindicated in the absence of cardiogenic shock or high-risk ischemia. Over the last decade, CR has been a focus of recent clinical investigation and practice evolution due to high-quality evidence supporting hard cardiovascular outcome benefit, contributing to a reversal in international guidelines. This review provides concise syntheses of contemporary and emerging randomized evidence underpinning current strategies and unresolved questions regarding patient selection, timing of CR and guidance modalities for the identification and treatment of nonculprit lesions.

Symptom relief is now recognized as the primary remit of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with stable coronary artery disease. The relationship between the nature of angina symptoms and the likelihood of successful symptom relief from PCI had not been systematically studied until recently.

This review summarizes the most recent literature regarding the surgical management of postmyocardial infarction (MI) ventricular septal rupture and the optimal timing and performance of the operation.

Technical progress in noninvasive medical imaging continues to enhance diagnosis and intervention, with three-dimensional (3D) imaging emerging as a significant advancement over traditional methods. While 3D visualization is widely used to evaluate a living heart, precise measurement from such images remains challenging. This review describes a new technique named isosurface geometric measurement on volume-rendered images (IMVR), which facilitates accurate 3D measurement of complex cardiovascular anatomy.

National databases reveal increased application of the surgical robot to facilitate mitral valve repair. Single-center and multiinstitutional studies confirm that excellent results are achievable with robotic mitral valve repair. However, not all patients with degenerative mitral valve disease are appropriate candidates for robotic mitral valve repair.