It's that time of year again – time for travel to favorite summer spots, go on new adventures near and far, or even attend global cardiovascular meetings like ACC Asia 2024 or ESC Congress 2024. Wherever you're going, travel safely and keep in mind the T.S. Eliott quote that it's the journey, not the destination that matters.

Speaking of journeys, this month's cover story explores the 40-year evolution of clinical practice guidelines, starting with the first guideline on pacemakers and continuing to today. We hear from member leaders about the longstanding partnership with the American Heart Association and deep dive into some of the recent transformational efforts to optimize guideline processes and the documents themselves to meet the needs of clinicians and patients worldwide.

We also learn more about the ACC's strategic efforts to develop guideline derivatives that support clinicians in incorporating the latest guideline recommendations into care delivery and in shared decision-making with patients.

"The greatest accomplishment over the last 40 years has been our ability to build and sustain trust in the guidelines," says ACC Chief Medical Officer Richard Kovacs, MD, MACC. "Continuing to maintain this trust is vital to ensuring clinicians are confident in their ability to care for their patients."

Also in this issue, we hear from Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, FACC, the new editor-in-chief of JACC, about what is next in the JACC journey and what inspired him to take on this new role. Read more about his vision for the journal as a beacon to advance cardiovascular health for all, by attracting the best content, improving the author experience, delivering the best information to readers, and collaborating with others to produce the greatest impact.

We also hear from Thomas M. Maddox, MD, MSc, FACC, about the new Rural Cardiovascular Health Initiative, a 12-month pilot program funded by his family's foundation, that could serve as a model for health equity programs in other rural areas.

On the clinical front, don't miss features discussing the treatment of iron deficiency in patients with heart failure; new recommendations for statin therapy for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in persons living with HIV; and the increasing impact of pollution and climate events on cardiovascular health.

Other pieces focus on social determinants of health and what clinicians need to know to help guide more effective and equitable health interventions; the importance of music for clinicians and patients; the ACC's continuing history of global collaboration; and some of the biggest advocacy issues being tackled in states across the U.S.

But wait, there's more! Explore the whole issue and let us know what you think by sending your thoughts and feedback to CardiologyEditor@acc.org.

We'd also love to see photos of your summer journeys on social media, so don't forget to tag @ACCinTouch and use #CardiologyMag. Attending ACC Asia or the ESC Congress, stop by the ACC booth to say hello as well.

 

Peter C. Block
MD, FACC

John Gordon Harold
MD, MACC

 

Clinical Topics: Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathies, Prevention, Acute Heart Failure

Keywords: Cardiology Magazine, ACC Publications, Health Equity, Primary Prevention, Social Determinants of Health, American Heart Association, Heart Failure