
Free Daily Podcast Summary
by CardioNerds
Welcome to CardioNerds, where we bring you in-depth discussions with leading experts, case reports, and updates on the latest advancements in the world of cardiology. Tune in to expand your knowledge, sharpen your skills, and become a true CardioNerd!
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
CardioNerds (Drs. Apoorva Gangavelli, Jenna Skowronski, and Hannah Every) discuss the continuum of prevention and heart failure with Drs. Anu Lala and Martha Gulati. Grounded in a clinical case of a 55-year-old woman with uncontrolled hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and obesity who is on the trajectory toward heart failure, this episode unpacks a paradigm-shifting framework from a joint HFSA/ASPC Scientific Statement. The discussion explores how prevention should not be siloed from heart failure management but rather integrated across a patient’s lifespan—from primary prevention in at-risk individuals, to secondary prevention in those with established heart failure, to tertiary prevention in patients with advanced therapies such as LVADs and heart transplantation. The experts highlight the importance of aggressive risk factor management, biomarker-guided screening, the AHA’s Life’s Essential 8, and the need for multidisciplinary collaboration and systems-level change to shift heart failure care from reactive to proactive. Audio editing for this episode was performed by CardioNerds Intern, Dr. Julia Marques Fernandes. Enjoy this Circulation 2022 Paths to Discovery article to learn about the CardioNerds story, mission, and values. US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. CardioNerds Prevention PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! <hr class="wp-block
CardioNerds co-chairs Dr. Dinu Balanescu and Dr. Billy Joe Mullinax, along with FIT lead Dr. Shiavax Rao, discuss the evolving landscape of randomized controlled trials in pulmonary embolism with Dr. Jay Giri, interventional cardiologist, Associate Professor of Medicine, and Director of the Cardiovascular Catheterization Laboratories at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. This episode examines the historical evidence behind systemic thrombolysis, the emergence of catheter-directed therapies and mechanical thrombectomy, and the landmark RCTs – STORM-PE, PEERLESS, HI-PEITHO, and PEERLESS II – that are reshaping intermediate-risk PE management. The discussion highlights challenges in PE trial design, the critical importance of clinical deterioration as an endpoint, and why this era represents an unprecedented wave of evidence generation in PE. Audio editing for this episode was performed by CardioNerds Intern, Dr. Julia Marques Fernandes. Dr. Dinu Balanescu and Dr. Billy-Joe Mullinax are Co-chairs for the CardioNerds PE Series, developed in collaboration with the PERT Consortium.   Enjoy this Circulation 2022 Paths to Discovery article to learn about the CardioNerds story, mission, and values. CardioNerds Pulmonary Embolism PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! <hr class="wp-block-separator has-text-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-css-opacity has-vivid-cy
CardioNerds (Drs. Apoorva Gangavelli, Rebecca Garber, and Tina Reddy discuss INOCA with Dr. Claire Raphael. Audio editing by CardioNerds Academy intern, student doctor Pacey Wetstein. This episode was produced as part of the CardioNerds Academy curriculum by House Einthoven under the guidance of House Chief, Dr. Apoorva Gangavelli, and Academy Program Director, Dr. Gurleen Kaur. A matching review article will be published in US Cardiology Review, the official journal of CardioNerds. Non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) is more common than often recognized, particularly in women and individuals with risk factors like diabetes or hypertension. Conditions such as INOCA, ANOCA, and MINOCA can cause ischemia and chest pain despite “clean” angiograms, often due to microvascular dysfunction, coronary spasms, or subtle plaque. Diagnosing these conditions requires advanced imaging or invasive studies to assess blood flow and vessel function. Treatment focuses on reducing cardiovascular risk with aspirin, statins, ACE inhibitors, or ARBs, and managing symptoms with beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers. The key takeaway: A normal angiogram doesn’t rule out disease, and these patients need a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to care. Enjoy this Circulation 2022 Paths to Discovery article to learn about the CardioNerds story, mission, and values. CardioNerds Pulmonary Embolism PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls: When patients present with chest pain but do not have obstructive coronary artery disea
This episode is part of our comprehensive Decipher the Guidelines Series covering the 2025 ACC/AHA/ACEP/NAEMSP/SCAI Guideline for the Management of Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes. The following question refers to Section 5.2.1 of the 2025 ACS Guidelines. The question is asked by Thomas Jefferson medical student and CardioNerds Academy Intern Dr. Grace Qiu, answered first by Henry Ford Interventional cardiology fellow and member of the CardioNerds Interventional Cardiology Council Dr. Li Pang, and then by expert faculty Dr. Michelle O’Donoghue. Dr. O’Donoghue is a cardiologist, senior investigator with the TIMI Study Group, and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School who holds the McGillycuddy-Logue Endowed Chair in Cardiology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She was the Vice Chair of the Writing Committee for the 2025 ACS Guidelines. Question #2 A 63-year-old woman presented to the emergency room for chest pain. She described having exertional chest pain for the past two months and had an episode of severe pain after dinner 3 days ago. She went to bed and slept it off. She told her children today at a family gathering, and was immediately brought to the ED by her daughter. She has a history of hypertension and hyperlipidemia. She was asymptomatic and normotensive in the ED. Labs show a down-trending troponin and an elevated NT-proBNP but are otherwise unremarkable. Her ECG showed Q waves with ST elevation in V2-V4. She was treated with aspirin and heparin drip, and taken to the cath lab. Coronary angiogram showed complete proximal LAD occlusion with right-to-left collaterals, without significant residual disease elsewhere. She remains asymptomatic and is stable, both hemodynamically and electrically. What is the next best step with regard to reperfusion and anti-thrombotic management? A Proceed with primary PCI to LAD B Medical management with aspirin and enoxaparin C Medical management with aspirin and clopidogrel D Medical management with aspirin and ticagrelor Answer #2 Explanation The Correct answer is D In patients who are stable with STEMI and have a totally occluded infarct-related artery >24 hours after symptom onset and are without evidence of ongoing ischemia, acute severe HF, or life-threatening arrhythmia, PPCI should not be performed due to lack of benefit. (Class 3, LOE B-R) The benefit of PPCI begins to diminish after >12 hours from symptom onset, but there appears to be continued benefit through approximately 24 hours. In stable asymptomatic patients with an occluded artery >48 hours after symptom onset, routine PCI has not been shown to be beneficial in the absence of ongoing ischemia. The relative utility of routine PCI for asymptomatic patients with STEMI between 24 and 48 hours from symptom onset is less rigorously tested. PCI is not recommended for an occluded infarct-related artery if the patient is asymptomatic and has a completed infarct. MACE outcomes were similar in those with an occluded infarct-related artery who underwent medical therapy versus those who underwent PCI 3 to 28 days after an MI (Occluded Artery Trial [OAT]), and results were no different at 7-year follow-up. Similar findings were noted in the DECOPI (Desobstruction Coronaire en Post-Infarctus) trial, which enrolled patients with an occluded artery and Q waves on the ECG presenting 2 to 15 days after symptom o
CardioNerds (Amit and Dan), Billy Joe Mullinax, and Saahil Jumkhawala discuss the long term management of pulmonary embolism with Dr. Soophia Naydenov. The episode focuses on the approach to patients who struggle with persistent symptoms like dyspnea and fatigue even after completing the acute phase of anticoagulation. This spectrum of disease, ranging from mild post-PE impairment to chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), requires a structured follow-up. The discussion covers the critical importance of identifying CTEPH early, the necessary timelines for follow-up, and the appropriate objective screening tools and invasive testing to guide patient care toward full functional recovery. Audio editing by CardioNerds academy intern, Grace Qiu. Dr. Dinu Balanescu and Dr. Billy-Joe Mullinax are Co-chairs for the CardioNerds PE Series, developed in collaboration with the PERT Consortium.   Enjoy this Circulation 2022 Paths to Discovery article to learn about the CardioNerds story, mission, and values. CardioNerds Pulmonary Embolism PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Acronyms PE: Pulmonary Embolism PERT: Pulmonary Embolism Response Team CTEPH: Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension QL: Qua
CardioNerds (Drs. Rawan Amir, Tripti Gupta, and Alysha Joseph) discuss the fundamentals of adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) surgery with Dr. Elizabeth Stephens.  Audio editing by CardioNerds academy intern, Grace Qiu.  Using a case of a young adult undergoing a Ross procedure, the episode walks through what happens in the operating room—from induction and intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), myocardial protection, and surgical repair. The discussion highlights key concepts including cardioplegia, cross-clamp and bypass times, hypothermic circulatory arrest, and the complexity of redo sternotomy. This episode provides learners with a practical framework to interpret operative reports, anticipate postoperative physiology, and better collaborate with surgical teams. This episode was produced by the CardioNerds ACHD Council and planned by Dr. Rawan Amir.  CardioNerds Adult Congenital Heart Disease PageCardioNerds Episode Page Pearls “LV distension kills patients.”Preventing left ventricular distension with appropriate venting and awareness of aortic insufficiency is critical to intraoperative safety.  TEE can change the surgical plan in real time.Findings such as underestimated aortic regurgitation, mitral pathology, or a PFO may directly alter cannulation and cardioplegia strategy.  Cross-clamp time = myocardial ischemic time; bypass time = systemic stress.Both are key predictors of postoperative complications including renal injury, bleeding, and ventricular dysfunction.  Redo sternotomy risk is driven by anatomy, not just number.Aorta adherent to the sternum, conduit position, and chamber pressurization define risk more than the number of prior surgeries.  Think longitudinally—ACHD surgery is lifetime planning.Surgical materials and strategies must account for future interventions, especially in younger patients. Notes: Notes drafted by Dr. Alysha Joseph, aided by generative artificial intelligence. What are the key steps in congenital cardiac surgery from incision to closure? Preoperative planning is multidisciplinary, involving surgeon, anesthesia, cardiology, and ICU teams; high-risk inductions (e.g., critical AS, Williams syndrome) are identified early TEE is performed immediately after induction to reassess anatomy and may reveal new findings (e.g., underestimated AI, mitral disease, PFO) Median sternotomy is performed, followed by creation of a pericardial well to optimize exposure Heparin is administered prior to cannulation; arterial and venous cannulas are placed for initiation of CPB Cross-clamp is applied and cardioplegia delivered to arrest the heart, allowing a still and protected operati
The following question refers to Section 7.1 of the 2025 ACS Guidelines. The question is asked by Thomas Jefferson medical student and CardioNerds Academy Intern Dr. Grace Qiu, answered first by University of Michigan fellow and CardioNerds FIT Ambassador Dr. Kayla Secrest, and then by expert faculty Dr. Sunil Rao. Dr. Rao is an interventional cardiologist, Professor of Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Deputy Director of the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology, and the Director of Interventional Cardiology for the NYU Langone Health System. He is the Editor-in-Chief for Circulation Cardiovascular Interventions and was the Chair of the Writing Committee for the 2025 ACS Guidelines. Question #1 A 68-year-old man with a history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, stage III chronic kidney disease, and prior tobacco use presents to a local emergency department with reports of chest pain while raking leaves at home. Upon arrival, he is hemodynamically stable with a heart rate of 86 beats per minute and a blood pressure of 133/85 mmHg. His EKG reveals ST elevations in the septal and anterior leads (V1-V4). He is given 324mg of aspirin and is promptly evaluated by the interventional cardiology team, who elects to take him emergently to the catheterization lab. Upon arrival to the catheterization lab, the nurse asks the interventional fellow which access sites they should prep for this case? How should the interventional fellow respond? A Right radial artery only B Radial + bilateral femoral C Bilateral femoral only Answer #1 Explanation The correct answer is B. Radial and bilateral femoral Radial artery access is the preferred vascular access site for coronary angiography and PCI in patients with ACS. Transradial access has been shown to reduce mortality, bleeding, and vascular complications compared with transfemoral access (Class I, LOE A). Radial access also allows earlier ambulation and is associated with greater patient comfort. Although the right radial artery is the most widely studied upper-extremity access site, alternative sites such as the ulnar and distal radial arteries have demonstrated similar outcomes. However, the radial artery may be required as a bypass conduit for CABG. In institutions where the radial artery is routinely used for surgical grafting, this potential future use should be considered when selecting vascular access. In addition, transfemoral access—preferably performed with ultrasound guidance—should be considered in patients in whom temporary mechanical circulatory support (MCS) is anticipated or in those for whom radial access is not feasible due to anatomical or technical constraints. Prepping bilateral groins in addition to the radial artery provides a backup strategy for urgent MCS placement or for transition to femoral access should radial access fail. For these reasons, prepping both the radial artery and bilateral groins is the most appropriate response. Radial-only preparation is incorrect because, although radial access is preferred, patients with STEMI may still require emergent MCS or alternative access if the radial artery is unsuitable. Preparing only the wrist without backup femoral access may delay care should hemodynamic instability occur. Femoral-only preparation is incorrect because transradial access provides superior outcomes in ACS, including significant reductions in all-cause mortality, major bleeding, and vascular complications. RCTs and meta-analyses, including MATRIX (which showed lower MACE
CardioNerds (Dr. Billy-Joe Mullinax, Dr. Dinu Balanescu, and Dr. Jane Ehret) discuss risk stratification in acute pulmonary embolism with Dr. Stavros Konstantinides, Chair of the 2019 ESC Pulmonary Embolism Guidelines. Using a real-world case, this episode explores how modern PE care has moved beyond “massive” and “submassive” labels toward a dynamic, physiology-based approach. The discussion highlights the limitations of static risk scores, the importance of right ventricular dysfunction and biomarkers, and why normotension does not imply stability. Special emphasis is placed on intermediate-high risk PE, early identification of impending hemodynamic collapse, and the role of lactate, serial reassessment, and PERT teams in guiding escalation of care. Audio editing by CardioNerds intern, Joshua Khorsandi.The 2026 American multi-society PE guidelines were published after this episode was recorded. Dr. Dinu Balanescu and Dr. Billy-Joe Mullinax are Co-chairs for the CardioNerds PE Series, developed in collaboration with the PERT Consortium.   Enjoy this Circulation 2022 Paths to Discovery article to learn about the CardioNerds story, mission, and values. CardioNerds Pulmonary Embolism PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! <hr class="wp-block-separator has-text-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-css-opacity has-vivid-cyan-blue-bac
Free AI-powered daily recaps. Key takeaways, quotes, and mentions — in a 5-minute read.
Get Free Summaries →Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Listeners also like.

This Week in Cardiology
A weekly summary and analysis of key developments in cardiology for healthcare professionals.

The Internet Book of Critical Care Podcast
A podcast exploring critical care medicine through chapter discussions and evidence-based updates from The Internet Book of Critical Care.

The Curbsiders Internal Medicine Podcast
Expert-led internal medicine discussions with clinical insights and humor for primary care and hospital medicine providers.

The Peter Attia Drive
Conversations with experts on health, longevity, performance, and critical thinking led by physician Peter Attia.

Red Pill Your Healthcast
Two healthcare providers discuss overlooked health issues and empower listeners to make informed decisions for their families.

Health Discovered
Doctors explore surprising stories to uncover insights about health and well-being.

The Clinical Problem Solvers
Experts discuss diagnostic reasoning in clinical medicine.

Out of the Gray (Gy) - Standard Imaging
Conversations with experts in radiation oncology exploring advancements in technology, research, and clinical practice.

FoundMyFitness
A podcast exploring health, science, nutrition, aging, and fitness.

The Dylan Gemelli Podcast
Discussions with health and wellness experts on fitness, biohacking, and performance enhancement to improve quality of life.

Clinical neurology with KD
A neurologist teaches clinical reasoning and lesion localization through case-based discussions for medical trainees and practitioners.

Relentless Health Value
Healthcare professionals work to reduce waste and fix broken incentives in the U.S. medical system through transparency and practical solutions.
Welcome to CardioNerds, where we bring you in-depth discussions with leading experts, case reports, and updates on the latest advancements in the world of cardiology. Tune in to expand your knowledge, sharpen your skills, and become a true CardioNerd!
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Get key takeaways from Cardionerds: A Cardiology Podcast in a 5-minute read.
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Cardionerds: A Cardiology Podcast as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by CardioNerds.
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts. Upgrade to Pro for 15, or Premium for 50. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
Cardionerds: A Cardiology Podcast publishes weekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
Cardionerds: A Cardiology Podcast covers topics including Education, Medicine, Fitness, Health & Fitness, Mental Health. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.