EP Edge × HRS Podcast: CT-Guided VT Ablation & LAA Closure Without AF: InEurHeart and OPINION, Caveolae, Alcohol and AFib, Pulse check and Afib Diagnosis

In this July 2026 episode of EP Edge Journal Watch, produced in collaboration with the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), Mike Lloyd and Dr. Niraj Sharma review five studies with direct implications for contemporary cardiac electrophysiology practice.The anchor trials are InEurHeart, a randomized comparison of computed tomography-guided versus conventional catheter ablation for post–myocardial infarction ventricular tachycardia, and OPINION, which evaluates prophylactic surgical left atrial appendage occlusion during valvular heart surgery in patients without known pre-existing atrial fibrillation. Using the workflow gains seen with pulsed field ablation in AF as context, the discussion asks whether preprocedural cardiac CT can make ischemic VT ablation more efficient while preserving the essential role of functional mapping and why future AF risk should not automatically lead to surgical LAA closure.Rapid-fire analyses cover the relationship between alcohol consumption and incident atrial fibrillation, pulse self-examination as a simple strategy to improve AF detection, and emerging mechanistic research on caveolae, pacemaker signaling, sinus node dysfunction, and heart failure.The episode translates randomized trials, meta-analysis, screening research, and translational science into practical implications for the EP lab, clinic, patient counseling, and shared decision-making. Essential listening for electrophysiologists, cardiologists, fellows, advanced practice clinicians, and cardiac rhythm-management teams