Syncope - the essentials

In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor Professor James Rudd is joined by Dr Job Herrmann from the Netherlands. They discuss his systematic review about fluid restriction in heart failure. What did he find, and what do the international guidelines tell us? If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: "Fluid restriction in patients with heart failure: a systematic review" https://heart.bmj.com/content/112/17/939.long

In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor Professor James Rudd is joined by Professor Kenneth Ellenbogen from Virginia Commonwealth University. They discuss what conduction system pacing is and why it's needed, including the downsides of standard right ventricular apical pacing and coronary sinus pacing. They also discuss what pacing might look like in ten years, including fully leadless pacing. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: "Primer of conduction system pacing for the general cardiologist" https://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2026/05/13/heartjnl-2025-326980  

In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Dr Kristian Madsen from Esbjerg in Denmark. They discuss his publication concerning whether there are any persistent benefits of complete revascularisation at diagnosis for patients with stable angina. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: "The prognostic benefit of complete revascularization assessed using fractional flow reserve CT" https://heart.bmj.com/content/112/16/908.long

In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Dr Mohammed Ruzieh from Northwestern University, Illinois, US. They discuss his paper on managing patients presenting with syncope. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: "Syncope and the heart: When to suspect and how to act?" https://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2026/05/18/heartjnl-2025-326964   

In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Dr Tara Chang from Stanford University. They discuss how to assess patients with high blood pressure in the inpatient setting and the best way to manage them. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to the paper, "Acute elevated blood pressure in the inpatient setting" -  https://heart.bmj.com/content/112/12/658

In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Dr Nick van Osta from Maastricht University. They discuss a review paper on computational modelling in cardiovascular disease. They cover the use of AI for: ECG diagnosis automatic ejection fraction segmentation from echocardiography prediction of success in cardiac resynchronisation therapy If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: "Individual hearts: computational models for improved management of cardiovascular disease" - https://heart.bmj.com/content/112/11/589  

In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Professor Enoch Akowuah from The University of Newcastle. They discuss what prehabilitation before cardiac surgery is, in terms of its three components, and the evidence base for it, and what he's planning in the largest multi-centre trial the UK has ever seen. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2026/03/16/heartjnl-2025-326769

In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Dr Sharon Ayayo from the University of Manchester, UK. They discuss her analysis of the MINAP database that showed a significant improvement in survival after heart attack in England and Wales, and tried to explain why this had occurred - was it more effective medication, greater use of coronary intervention or something else. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/112/8/446

In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Dr Emma Svennberg from Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden. They discuss her review on AF screening and dive into why many trials have been disappointing and how things might improve in the future. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2026/02/26/heartjnl-2025-326121  

In this episode of the Heart podcast, Digital Media Editor, Professor James Rudd, is joined by Dr Ben Buckley from John Moores University. They discuss his Cochrane systematic review about the use of cardiac rehabilitation in patients with atrial fibrillation, and whether this might lead to a change in the guidelines. Spoiler: there was a significant benefit in terms of reducing the risk of recurrent atrial fibrillation. Listen to find out more! If you enjoy the show, please leave us a positive review wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us to reach more people - thanks! Link to published paper: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/59/17/1242