This issue of Cardiology celebrates the resounding success of ACC. 24, which brought together the world of cardiology for three days of celebration, innovation, connection and so much more.

A meeting this size is no small feat and was more than a year in the making. A big thank you to ACC.24 Chair Douglas Drachman, MD, FACC; Vice Chair Katie Berlacher, MD, MS, FACC; and Cardiovascular Team Lead Kim Guibone, DNP, ACNP-BC, FACC, and the more than 100 member volunteers representing ACC's Sections, Councils, domestic and international Chapters and other stakeholders, who made up the program committee.

Pictures are worth 1,000 words, or so the saying goes, and the following pages offer a glimpse at some of the many magical moments captured during the meeting. From Keynotes to Late-Breaking Clinical Trials. From the Bridge to the Future to the Health Equity Hub. From the Opening Showcase to Convocation. Our host city of Atlanta was also well represented, thanks to the Voice of Atlanta Choir and Shockwave Percussion drumline.

Keeping with the ACC.24 theme, look to JACC in a Flash and Journal Wrap for recaps on some of the hottest ACC.24 science that was simultaneously published across JACC Journals and other scientific publications.

In addition, this month's Heart of Health Policy includes a look at seven ways cardiovascular clinicians can help reshape health, according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert M. Califf, MD, MACC, who delivered this year's ACC.24 Eugene Braunwald Keynote.

In Business of Medicine, read more about how thinking outside of the box when measuring quality can help to achieve health equity, based on Karen E. Joynt Maddox's, MD, FACC, James T. Dove Keynote address.

Also in this issue: get to know more about ACC's new president, Cathleen Biga, MSN, FACC, and her goals for the College in the year ahead; don't miss the feature on cardiopsychology and the heart/brain connection in cardiovascular disease; outpatient management of pulmonary embolism in Peripheral Matters; and 10 lessons learned to optimize practice management from the Cardiovascular Business and Management Essentials program in Business of Medicine.

Also, read more about the next phase in efforts to create a new Board of Cardiovascular Medicine and the need for members to take part in the open comment period.

Circling back to ACC.24, outgoing President B. Hadley Wilson, MD, MACC, summed it up best in his Convocation address: "Last year, we fully embraced the end to the COVID Pandemic. This year – and by this year I mean today – we are experiencing a total eclipse of the sun! Next year we will try and find something equally dramatic to celebrate."

We can't wait and hope to see everyone at ACC.25 in Chicago from March 29 – 31, 2025! Enjoy this issue! As always, please send your thoughts and feedback to CardiologyEditor@acc.org.

Finally, did you find Artie? Share your photos of Artie and more from ACC.24 using #ACC24 and #CardiologyMag and be sure to tag @ACCinTouch.

 

Peter C. Block
MD, FACC

John Gordon Harold
MD, MACC

 

Keywords: Cardiology Magazine, ACC Publications, Health Equity, Health Policy, Cardiology, Goals, Cardiovascular Diseases, ACC Annual Scientific Session, ACC24