From PARTNER to EVEREST II, technology-oriented clinical trials are presenting new treatment options and new challenges.

Dr Bob Harrington sits down with Drs Laura Mauri and Neil Moat to talk about the importance of the heart team in the success of these trials and how to ensure this multidisciplinary approach in applying trial results in clinical practice.

Dr Robert Califf conducts a series of in-depth and personal interviews with his peers in the world of cardiology to find out what makes them tick, how they feel about the future, and what lessons they have learned during their exceptional careers.

A longstanding leader in the hypertension world, Dr Suzanne Oparil has, during the course of her brilliant career, moved from the family dairy farm in Elvira, NY, to Columbia, Harvard, the University of Chicago, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Learn more about Dr Oparil's exceptional life, her groundbreaking research, the renowned hypertension programs that she set up, and what has driven her to always "get to the next level."

Seven of the world's top cardiologists gathered together in New Orleans to tackle the issues raised by the major trials presented at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2011 Scientific Sessions.

Dr Valentin Fuster sits down with Drs Robert Harrington, David Kandzari, Harlan Krumholz, Laura Mauri, Neil Moat, and Clyde Yancy to talk about the need for caution in applying the PARTNER cohort A results, the challenges of treating mitral regurgitation, and whether or not STICH will change clinical practice.

Join Dr Bob Harrington and fellows Dr Mark Huffman and Dr Jerry Bloomfield for a wide-ranging discussion on global chronic disease from diabetes and central obesity in India to the cardiovascular implications of HIV and HIV treatment in sub-Saharan Africa.

For those inspired to follow in their footsteps, the panel reviews various training opportunities and the many advantages of working in global health.

The statistics for obesity in the US continue to alarm, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting 33 states with an obesity rate of over 25% and estimating that over 72 million Americans are obese. Is there a way to stop the obesity juggernaut? Drs Roger Blumenthal, Bob Eckel, and Christopher Gardner gathered to discuss their thoughts on obesity and offer practical tips for cardiologists and healthcare professionals to address options for permanent weight loss in their patients.

Despite a developed understanding of the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease and the existence of evidence-based therapies, disparities in patient outcomes persist. In this roundtable exchange, Drs Clyde Yancy, Elizabeth Ofili, and Vivian Rambihar ponder the research in disparities among South Asian populations and populations of African origin and discuss how disparity varies from difference, the role of nonphysiological factors, physician bias, and practical suggestions to solve the problem.

Join heartwire's Shelley Wood for an in-depth discussion with Drs Sunil Rao and Renu Virmani on the safety of drug-eluting stents, their hopes for the future of transcatheter aortic valves, and why Dr Virmani was not surprised by the results of CLOSURE I.

In the GRAVITAS trial, 5429 patients on the regular clopidogrel dose underwent platelet-function tests with the VerifyNow assay (Accumetrics, San Diego, CA) 12 to 24 hours after PCI. Of these, 2214 (41%) had high residual platelet reactivity (platelet reactivity units [PRU] >230) and were randomized to continue on the 75-mg regular clopidogrel dose or to receive another 600-mg loading dose and a higher maintenance dose of 150 mg daily.

Baseline characteristics showed that most patients were at relatively low risk, with 80% having stable coronary artery disease. At six months of follow-up, the composite end point of cardiovascular death/MI/stent thrombosis was identical in both groups, at 2.3%.

heartwire's Sue Hughes sits down with Dr Sunil Rao to talk about the clinical implications of these results and what they mean for the future of platelet-function testing.

Dr Melissa Walton-Shirley sits down with Dr James Young to talk about the success of eplerenone, the benefits of CRT, the future of AV-delay–optimization techniques, the potential of the new HeartWare LVAD, and whether or not the end has come for natriuretic peptides.

What should we be asking our patients and how often should we ask? Drs C Noel Bairy Merz and Roger Blumenthal talk to heartwire's Shelley Wood about how patient intake questionnaires can help screen patients for risk factors and be used to monitor lifestyle changes.