Cardiology is undergoing a year of rapid change, driven by innovations that are expanding diagnostic capabilities, advancing treatment options and personalizing care. From artificial intelligence and regenerative medicine to next-generation devices and targeted therapies, these breakthroughs are shaping how heart disease is detected, managed and, in some cases, prevented.
- AI detects hidden structural heart disease – New York City-based Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian’s ‘EchoNext’ analyzes ECGs to flag structural heart issues, outperforming cardiologists (77% vs. 64%) and identifying thousands of undiagnosed cases.
- FDA expands pulsed-field ablation use – Boston Scientific’s Farapulse PFA system is now approved to treat persistent drug-resistant atrial fibrillation, offering a safer, more precise alternative to traditional ablation.
- AI streamlines PCI evaluation – A noninvasive, AI-powered angiography technique matches traditional PCI evaluation accuracy, potentially reducing the need for invasive assessment before stenting.
- Artificial heart advances in U.S. trials – BiVACOR’s magnetically levitated total artificial heart, with FDA breakthrough device designation, shows promising early results in feasibility studies as a transplant alternative.
- GLP-1 drugs deliver heart benefits – GLP-1 receptor agonists, initially approved for diabetes and weight loss, are demonstrating significant reductions in major cardiovascular events in high-risk patients, driving a surge in U.S. cardiology use and ongoing clinical trials.
