The first issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) under the guidance of its new Editor in Chief Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, MACC, debuted this week with several changes designed to better meet the changing ways cardiovascular professionals consume medical literature.

"While the science has to maintain the highest quality to help the medical community, the educational manner by which we deliver that material has changed," writes Fuster in his first Editor's Page. "The two educational principles that I have learned from the youth are simplicity and insightfulness. Indeed, as long as I am Editor-in-Chief, I will strive, along with my fellow deputy and associate editors and section editors, to deliver highly impactful, highly meaningful, and deep content within a context of simplicity."

Among the changes, every original science paper, state-of-the-art review, or review topic will be accompanied by a central illustration summarizing the overarching theme or major section of the paper. Every original science paper will also end with a perspective summary outlining the core clinical competencies and translational outlook that were produced as a result of the research. Finally, each issue will be accompanied by an audio recording, available as a downloadable podcast, to describe the thrust of the overall issue.

According to Fuster, readers should also expect to see two present and future sections every week in the form of a "State of the Art Review" that will be approached from a disease entity, as well as a "Review Topic of the Week" focused on a contemporary topic of basic, translational or clinical science. There will also be regular commentary and perspectives provided by ACC leaders at the national and international levels, Fellows in Training and early career professionals, and JACC editors.

ACC President Patrick T. O'Gara, MD, FACC, kicked off the regular Leadership Messages by welcoming Fuster as editor in chief and applauding the changes. "Meeting the information needs of cardiovascular professionals where they are is a laudable goal that has moved beyond a 'great idea' to something within our grasp," he wrote. "The new Journal takes into account where we want to be today, as well as in the future, and uses technology in a meaningful way to accomplish this goal. These developments build on the work of our previous editors while positioning the Journal to continue to play a leading role in shaping cardiology both now and in the future."