World Heart Podcasts
Our podcast series unravel big and small ideas, developments, and breakthroughs in cardiology. From vital issues such as how to prevent cardiovascular disease, to the latest in treatment and care for the millions of people affected by it, we take our listeners on an exploratory journey. A journey towards stronger health systems and healthier hearts. The podcasts feature conversations with practitioners and authors of key publications and discoveries. From our heart to yours, thank you for letting us in.
World Heart Podcasts
Global Heart Podcast: Lipid Guidelines and Global Cardiovascular Prevention
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In this episode of the Global Heart Podcast, host Pablo Perel is joined by Prof. Roger Blumenthal and Prof. Maciej Banach to discuss the latest advances in lipid management and global cardiovascular prevention. Together, they explore two landmark publications: the 2026 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Management of Dyslipidemia and the recent Global Heart paper, Global Lipid Guidance: More Aligned Than They Appear.
Prof. Blumenthal explains the major updates in the new guidelines, including earlier lipid screening, lifetime cardiovascular risk assessment, LDL cholesterol targets, lipoprotein(a) testing, coronary artery calcium scoring, and personalised approaches to cholesterol management. He highlights why earlier intervention and evidence-based prevention are critical to reducing cardiovascular disease worldwide.
Prof. Banach discusses the growing alignment between international lipid guidelines and the importance of early and intensive LDL cholesterol lowering, combination lipid-lowering therapy, and personalised treatment strategies. The conversation also examines therapeutic inertia, implementation challenges, health system barriers, and how education, lifestyle interventions, and global collaboration can improve cardiovascular prevention across diverse healthcare settings.
Together, they reflect on the future of dyslipidemia management, the need for better implementation of existing evidence, and why preventing cardiovascular disease requires both strong clinical practice and coordinated public health action.
Tune in to learn how the latest lipid guidelines are shaping the future of cardiovascular prevention and what they mean for clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and health systems around the world.
Further reading and resources:
2026 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Management of Dyslipidemia
https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2025.12.014
Global Lipid Guidance: More Aligned Than They Appear (Global Heart)
https://globalheartjournal.com/articles/10.5334/gh.1559
World Heart Federation – Cholesterol Resources
https://world-heart-federation.org/heart-health/cholesterol/