Editors’ Corner | Refining Our Practice, Improving Patient Outcomes
Every year, some 1.2 million women and men are hospitalized in the U.S. with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The timely identification and risk stratification of individuals presenting with an ACS continues to be crucial yet complex, particularly for subgroups with underrecognized risk.
This month's cover story provides a look at guideline recommendations and new science from ACC.24 highlighting new approaches for treating and managing across the spectrum of ACS and underscoring the importance of patient-centric care and shared decision-making.
Understanding ACS in women is also an important part of the cover story. "I teach my colleagues in the ED that any acute symptom in a woman between the mandible and the umbilicus should be considered a possible ACS. In this setting, obtain an EKG and a troponin immediately," shares Nanette Kass Wenger, MD, MACC.
Also in this issue, get up to speed on the just-released ACC/AHA guidelines addressing the management of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and lower extremity peripheral artery disease, respectively.
Don't miss quick links to the JACC and ACC.org Guideline Hubs for clinician and patient tools, including slides, guidelines-at-a-glance, and CardioSmart patient discussion guides that are designed to help you put the newest recommendations into practice.
This is also a good reminder to download the ACC's Guideline Clinical App from your Google Play or Apple Store.
Other features include an overview of the JACC Family Series, which explores the impact of biological vs. chronological aging on the risk for cardiovascular disease, as well as its progression and management.
In our regular sections, don't miss an overview of the best heart failure research from ACC.24 as part of the Focus on Heart Failure column, while also learning more about potential approaches to managing hypertension without drugs in Prioritizing Health.
This month's JACC in a Flash offers high-level summaries from several of the hottest trials presented at ESC Heart Failure 2024 and EuroPCR 2024 and simultaneously published in JACC Journals.
Steps to maximize a successful outcome during medical malpractice litigation and a deep dive into understanding population and workforce trends affecting cardiology round out the Business of Medicine and Heart of Health Policy sections, respectively.
Enjoy this issue! It's jam-packed with new science, guidelines and insights to help us all refine our practice and understanding of the evolving cardiovascular practice landscape.
Like us, we hope that after you've read it cover to cover, you keep it handy on your desk for ready reference.
As always, please send your thoughts and feedback to CardiologyEditor@acc.org.
Peter C. Block
MD, FACC
John Gordon Harold
MD, MACC
Clinical Topics: Acute Coronary Syndromes, Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathies, Prevention, Acute Heart Failure, Hypertension
Keywords: Cardiology Magazine, ACC Publications, Acute Coronary Syndrome, Health Policy, Risk Assessment, Heart Failure, Hypertension