Alex Hajduczok, MD, is an advanced heart failure and pulmonary hypertension specialist at Oklahoma Heart Institute. 

Inaugural episode of Moving the Needle in Medicine hosted by Alex Hajduczok, MD, featuring guest Martha Gulati, MD, MS

Moving the Needle in Medicine: Blazing a Trail in Cardiology, with Martha Gulati, MD, MS

A physician's career path is rarely linear and the influences shaping it are seldom predictable. In the inaugural episode of 

, host Alex Hajduczok, MD, a cardiologist and heart failure specialist at Oklahoma Heart Institute, sits down with Martha Gulati, MD, MS, FACC, FAHA, director of the Davis Women's Heart Center at Houston Methodist and one of the most recognized voices in women's cardiovascular health. 

The conversation spans 5 decades of professional formation, from a childhood in Ontario marked by early loss to a career defined by landmark research, guideline leadership, and an enduring commitment to a population long underserved by cardiology. Gulati traces her interest in medicine to her mother, a physicist who was once steered away from medicine because it was considered a male field, and to the early death of a parent under a physician's missed diagnosis. 

Her path toward cardiology solidified in medical school at the University of Toronto, where a mentor's invitation into the catheterization laboratory proved decisive. That same thread of mentorship runs throughout the conversation: Gulati credits a series of physicians, including the late Morton Arnsdorf at the University of Chicago and Len Sternberg in Toronto, with not only opening professional doors but shaping how she thinks about sponsorship, advocacy, and the responsibility of those in senior roles to invest in the careers of others.

The episode's most substantive clinical territory covers the origins of Gulati's expertise in women's cardiovascular disease. A lecture by Nanette Wenger, MD, delivered when Gulati was a medical student crystallized the field's foundational failure: women had been systematically excluded from the studies informing cardiovascular care. Rather than accepting this as background knowledge, Gulati made it the organizing principle of her career. She pursued epidemiological training at the University of Chicago, earned a master's degree in health sciences, and published foundational work on exercise capacity in women using the Woman's Take Heart dataset, work appearing first in Circulation and subsequently in the New England Journal of Medicine. 

That body of research established both her scientific identity and a clinical platform she has continued to build across appointments at Ohio State University, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and now Houston Methodist. Gulati also discusses her experience leading the 2021 ACC/AHA Chest Pain Guidelines the first such guideline ever developed, as chair of the writing committee, a role she accepted without prior guideline experience. 

She describes the political complexity inherent in evidence synthesis when imaging specialties have competing stakes, the iterative nature of responding to thousands of reviewer comments, and the personal satisfaction of successfully incorporating guidance on ischemia with non-obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA) into the final document. The conversation closes with a frank exchange on GLP-1 receptor agonists and their implications for preventive cardiology, physician wellness, and the structural barriers keeping high-cost medications from patients who need them most.

Podcasts

Hear Martha Gulati, MD, MS, reveal how mentorship and have shaped her career in women’s heart care.

News

news page, resources on the topics of disease- and specialty-specific medical news and expert insight can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on health care research, treatment, and drug development.

Clinical

clinical page is a resource for content on every specialty, disease, and topic available on our medical news site.

podcasts page features a feed of medical news and interview podcast series, including DocTalk, Lungcast, Derm Discussions, and Heart Trials.

Cardiology

Cardiology condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on cardiovascular and cardiometabolic diseases. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for heart disease and cardiovascular events, as well as associated diabetes, renal failure, and more...

Heart Failure

The HCPLive heart failure page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on HF. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments for heart disease, reduced and preserved ejection fraction, and more.

Women's Health

On the HCPLive women's health page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into obstetrics, gynecology, and women's related health can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on women's health, and more.

Moving the Needle in Medicine

Moving the Needle in Medicine is a monthly podcast from HCPLive Cardiology exploring the backstories and nuanced career paths that led the field’s movers and shakers to where they are today. Hosted by Alex Hajduczok, MD, the show will offer listeners insight into the biggest names in cardiology and beyond. 

This podcast is available via video on YouTube and on the HCPLive Cardiology podcast platforms on popular audio players.

Tim Smith joined the MJH Life Sciences team in 2022 and is currently an associate editor for HCPLive. He is also the executive producer of two podcasts: Skin of Color Savvy and The Medical Sisterhood. Previously, he was the producer of the Lungcast podcast. He graduated from UC Berkeley and worked in multimedia journalism as a staff writer prior to joining MJH. You can contact him at tsmith@mjhlifesciences.com.

New positive 52-week maintenance findings have been released from Part A of the phase 2 APEX clinical study on zumilokibart (APG777) in adults with 

This March 23 announcement by Apogee Therapeutics, Inc., highlight key phase 2 findings on zumilokibart, supporting a potentially differentiated dosing profile compared with existing therapies for atopic dermatitis. This investigational anti-interleukin (IL)-13 monoclonal antibody was evaluated in the APEX study among individuals living with this chronic skin condition associated with significant itch, sleep disruption, and quality of life issues.

“Because atopic dermatitis is a chronic disease, maintaining disease control over time is critically important,” Emma Guttman-Yassky, MD, PhD, Waldman Professor of Dermatology and Immunology and Health System Chair of the Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, said in a statement.

Zumilokibart was designed as a subcutaneous, extended half-life monoclonal antibody for selectively targeting the IL-13 cytokine, known to be central to the inflammatory cascade underlying atopic dermatitis. The 52-week maintenance phase of the APEX study involved an assessment of a 360-mg dose of zumilokibart on 3- and 6-month administration schedules. Analyses focused on 2 populations: individuals attaining a clinical response at the 16-week mark and the broader cohort of all zumilokibart-treated subjects across the full 52-week study period.

Among those responding at Week 16, 75% and 85% of patients on every-3-month and every-6-month dosing, respectively, were shown to have maintained an Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) reduction of at least 75% (EASI-75) at Week 52. Validated Investigator's Global Assessment (vIGA) scores of 0 or 1, suggesting clear or almost-clear skin, were found to have been sustained in 86% of subjects on the 3-month regimen and 78% on the 6-month regimen within the same responder population.

Across the full treated population, investigators observed deepening of efficacy at both dosing intervals for all lesional and itch measures through the end of the study period. Zumilokibart was shown to be generally well tolerated over the 52-week course of the analysis, with the team finding its safety profile largely consistent with other agents targeting the IL-13 pathway. The most frequently reported treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were noted as noninfective conjunctivitis, upper respiratory tract infection, and nasopharyngitis.

APEX Part B, a placebo-controlled dose-optimization cohort, has involved 347 individuals randomized equally across high-, medium-, and low-dose zumilokibart and placebo arms. Sixteen-week induction data drawn from Part B are anticipated by the company in the second quarter of 2026.

“These 52-week findings for the full population are particularly encouraging for patients who did not fully respond during the first 16 weeks of treatment, suggesting that responses to zumilokibart may continue to deepen over time,” Guttman-Yassky said in her statement.

 “I look forward to seeing how these results translate in the upcoming Part B data and Phase 3 trial starting later this year.”

Pending such findings and regulatory feedback, Apogee Therapeutics’ release indicated the company’s plans to initiate phase 3 research in the second half of 2026, with a potential commercial launch targeted for 2029. These current results are slated to be featured in a late-breaking oral presentation at the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting on March 28, 2026, at 10:00 AM.

Apogee Therapeutics Announces Positive Phase 2 Part A 52-Week Data of Zumilokibart (APG777), Demonstrating Maintenance and Deepening of Responses with Every 3- and 6-Month Dosing in Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis. Apogee Therapeutics. March 23, 2026. 

https://investors.apogeetherapeutics.com/news-releases/news-release-details/apogee-therapeutics-announces-positive-phase-2-part-52-week-data

Smith T. Positive 16-Week Findings Identified for APG777 in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis. HCPLive. July 7, 2025. Accessed March 23, 2026. 

https://www.hcplive.com/view/positive-16-week-findings-identified-apg777-patients-atopic-dermatitis

Articles

Apogee reported 52-week maintenance data from Part A of the phase 2 APEX study evaluating zumilokibart (APG777), an extended half-life subcutaneous anti–IL-13 mAb, in moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. In Week-16 responders, durable control was observed with q3-month and q6-month dosing: EASI-75 maintenance occurred in 75% and 85%, respectively, and vIGA 0/1 was sustained in 86% and 78%. Across all treated patients, lesional and pruritus endpoints continued to improve through Week 52. Safety was generally consistent with IL-13–pathway agents.

This release by Apogee Therapeutics highlights findings from the phase 2 APEX trial on zumilokibart (APG777) in adults with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis.

Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic Dermatitis condition center page, audiences can find a variety of coverage mediums for medical news and updates, including articles, video interviews, podcasts, and breaking news on dermatitis research, treatment, and drug development.

Dermatology

The HCPLive dermatology page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on skin disease. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments for dermatologic conditions, and more.

APEX: Zumilokibart Shows Durable Response at 52 Weeks in Atopic Dermatitis

David Fleischer, MD, professor of pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

spoke with David Fleischer, MD, professor of pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Colorado, about new data from the 

phase 3 VITESSE trial assessing the effectiveness of VIASKIN peanut patch (VP250)

 for building tolerance and increasing desensitization. The study showed that 82.8% of children who received VP250, compared with 48% on placebo, increased their eliciting dose over 12 months.

VP250, an epicutaneous immunotherapy containing 250 µg of peanut protein (1/1000th of a peanut kernel), is a non-invasive option for children with food allergy. Investigators evaluated the patch in 438 peanut-allergic children aged 4 – 7 years across 87 sites in Australia, Canada, Europe, and the US, compared with 216 controls.

VITESSE met its primary endpoint, with significantly more responding with VP250 versus placebo (46.3% vs 14.7% and 43.1% vs 14.6%) among children with baseline eliciting dose of ≤ 30 mg and 100 mg, respectively (

 <.001). In addition to the favorable response rate, 60% of patients in the VP250 arm, compared with 23.4% on placebo, improved by ≥ 2 dose levels during food challenge testing. The study also showed that children receiving the patch experienced a greater decline in their eliciting dose over the study period compared with those receiving the placebo.

DBV Technologies announced in late February 2026 that it plans to submit a Biologics License Application to the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) this year.

In this Q&A, Fleischer discusses the clinical significance of these findings and the next steps for research.

How clinically meaningful is the increase in eliciting dose observed with the VIASKIN Peanut Patch, particularly for children with lower baseline thresholds?

It's very important. Imagine being a parent of a food-allergic child and being worried about getting a phone call every day from school or from somewhere else. This really can translate into several peanuts of protection over time. If you get to several peanuts of protection, that's definitely going to translate into something clinically effective for patients… they can feel [assured] that they're not going to get that phone call from school.

What unanswered questions remain following the VITESSE trial?

There's more unanswered questions with respect to food allergy in general. I don't have many questions [about this]. This data continue[s] to show the same data that we've seen with previous studies around the safety, the practicality, and the efficacy of it, that it really works quite well.

We want to look long-term again to show that we get [a] continued effect. One thing that will be studied formally, which we have not looked at with this product, is…sustained unresponsiveness or remission. The idea is where you stop the therapy for a certain period of time, completely avoid peanut[s] in the product…not use it as treatment, and then challenge again to see if there's a sustained effect. We're going to do that for the first time in a large trial to see if there's a sustained effect of this product.

With a biologics license application planned for submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, what milestones should clinicians be watching for as this therapy moves toward potential approval?

That filing is the big milestone that will be that would be a huge one, and then the FDA has a certain period of time to decide that. I can't foresee this product not getting approved. We've proven efficacy, we've proven safety, compliance, [and] practicality.

Can you discuss future research on this topic?

[Future research will] follow the patients over time with peanut allergy to continue to show that, if you continue to use this product.

[The company is] going to start the milk epicutaneous immunotherapy phase 2 trial, I believe, once [the] peanut [trial] moves along. They’re going to continue with other foods, which is exciting, because we need more options for other foods…including milk…egg, and tree nuts. Hopefully, the company will branch out into more foods besides milk.

Is there anything else you would like to highlight about this data?

It's fantastic data to show that epicutaneous immunotherapy, [at] such a low dose, works to desensitize the vast majority of patients to a level that I think will protect them clinically from allergic reactions, and it does it in a way that's extremely easy to be compliant with, which is important when you're using a daily therapy.

If it's not easy, you're not going to do it. If there's a lot of rules around it, it's going to be hard to do. This is almost set it and forget it.

To put [the patch] on, you'll have some skin reactions over time. But from a safety standpoint, the risk of anaphylaxis is 1- 2%, which I think is reasonable, certainly not as high as oral immunotherapy, which could be as high as 15%. I think there's no comparison there. The practicality, safety, and efficacy of this product [are] going to prove that it's going to be a true option that patients and families want to use.

Relevant disclosures for Fleischer include DBV Technologies, ARS Pharmaceuticals; UpToDate, Bryn Pharma, Aquestive Therapeutics, Nasus, and Genentech, and Grow Happy.

DBV Technologies Highlights Additional Data from Successful Phase 3 VITESSE Study at the AAAAI 2026 Annual Meeting. DBV Technologies. Published February 28, 2026. Accessed March 20, 2026. 

https://dbv-technologies.com/press_releases/dbv-technologies-highlights-additional-data-from-successful-phase-3-vitesse-study-at-the-aaaai-2026-annual-meeting/

In this Q&A, Fleischer discusses clinically meaningful gains in peanut allergy desensitization, strong response rates, and the path toward FDA submission for VP250.


Allergy

Allergy condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on allergic and inflammatory diseases. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for food and seasonal allergies, as well as allergic asthma and related conditions.

Conference

 conference coverage page features articles, videos, and expert-led live coverage from major medical meetings throughout the year.

Food Allergy

VIASKIN Peanut Patch Shows Strong Phase 3 VITESSE Results, With David Fleischer, MD

Victoria Johnson joined MJH Life Sciences in 2020 and has written for NeurologyLive, CGTLive, and is now an assistant managing editor for HCPLive and RheumatologyLive. She doesn’t have enough time for her numerous hobbies. You can reach her at vjohnson@mjhlifesciences.com.

Insmed announced today that the phase 3b ENCORE study of amikacin liposome inhalation suspension (Arikayce) plus guideline-based multidrug therapy met its primary endpoint and all multiplicity-controlled secondary culture conversion endpoints in patients with a new occurrence of 

 who had not previously received antibiotics.¹

The results fulfill a United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) post-marketing requirement and position Insmed to file a supplemental new drug application (sNDA) in the second half of 2026, seeking both label expansion into antibiotic-naïve MAC lung disease and conversion of the drug's existing accelerated approval for refractory MAC lung disease to traditional approval. A parallel submission to Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) is also planned.¹

ENCORE was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study enrolling 425 patients at 177 sites globally. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive once-daily amikacin liposome inhalation suspension 590 mg plus multidrug therapy (azithromycin 250 mg plus ethambutol 15 mg/kg) or inhaled placebo plus the same multidrug backbone for 12 months, followed by a 3-month treatment-free observation period for assessment of culture conversion durability. The enrolled population was predominantly treatment-naïve: 82.4% were experiencing their first MAC infection, while 17.6% had a second or third occurrence.¹

The primary endpoint was change from baseline in Respiratory Symptom Score at Month 13, derived from 8 items in the Quality of Life–Bronchiectasis (QoL-B) Respiratory Domain. Multiplicity-controlled secondary endpoints included culture conversion rates at months 6, 12, and 13; durable culture conversion at month 15; and change from baseline in PROMIS Fatigue T-score at month 13. A Japan-specific primary endpoint required achievement of both culture conversion by month 6 and durable culture conversion at month 15.¹

The primary endpoint was met. Patients receiving amikacin liposome inhalation suspension achieved a 17.77-point improvement from baseline in Respiratory Symptom Score at month 13 versus 14.66 points in the placebo arm, a treatment difference of 3.11 points (

All four multiplicity-controlled culture conversion endpoints were met with high statistical significance. Culture conversion by month 6 was achieved in 87.8% of amikacin liposome inhalation suspension-treated patients versus 57.0% of those receiving placebo — a difference of 30.8 percentage points (

 <.0001). Rates remained substantially higher in the amikacin liposome inhalation suspension arm at months 12 (84.7% vs 61.3%; difference 23.3%; 

 <.0001) and 13 (82.4% vs 55.6%; difference 26.8%; 

 <.0001). Durable culture conversion at month 15, assessed after treatment discontinuation, was achieved in 76.2% of amikacin liposome inhalation suspension patients compared to 47.6% in the placebo arm (difference 28.6%; 

The PROMIS Fatigue T-score endpoint did not reach statistical significance (-5.07 vs -4.27; difference -0.81; 

The overall safety profile was consistent with amikacin liposome inhalation suspension established label. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) occurred in 98.1% of patients in the amikacin liposome inhalation suspension arm and 97.2% in the placebo arm, reflecting the serious underlying disease and the active multidrug backbone in both groups.¹ Severe TEAEs were observed in 15.0% and 10.4% of patients respectively, and serious TEAEs in 14.1% versus 11.3%. One death occurred in each treatment arm; neither was considered related to study treatment.¹

TEAEs occurring in ≥10% of patients and at higher rates in the amikacin liposome inhalation suspension arm included dysphonia (58.7% vs 8.5%), cough (32.9% vs 14.6%), fatigue (17.4% vs 11.3%), dyspnea (16.4% vs 5.7%), nausea (15.5% vs 12.7%), and headache (12.7% vs 11.8%).¹ The treatment discontinuation rate was 18.3% in the amikacin liposome inhalation suspension arm versus 11.8% in the placebo arm; study completion rates exceeded 90% in both groups (90.6% vs 93.4%).¹

Among AEs of special interest, bronchospasm (23.0% vs 11.8%) and hypersensitivity pneumonitis (2.3% vs 0%) occurred at notably higher rates with amikacin liposome inhalation suspension. In contrast, ototoxicity rates were comparable between arms (25.8% vs 22.6%), as were rates of pulmonary disease exacerbation (10.8% vs 9.9%), hemoptysis (10.3% vs 10.4%), neuromuscular disorders (2.3% vs 2.8%), and nephrotoxicity (0.5% vs 0%).¹

Amikacin liposome inhalation suspension currently holds accelerated approval in the US for adults with limited or no treatment alternatives who have refractory MAC lung disease — defined as failure to achieve culture negativity after at least 6 consecutive months of multidrug background therapy. That indication was granted on the basis of culture conversion data and carries a confirmatory trial requirement; ENCORE is the study intended to satisfy it.¹

The ENCORE population is meaningfully different from the refractory population in which ARIKAYCE was originally studied. Enrolling antibiotic-naïve patients with a new MAC infection represents an earlier, broader, and potentially larger patient population. MAC lung disease affects an estimated tens of thousands of patients in the US, predominantly women and older adults, with an increasing incidence particularly among those with bronchiectasis or other structural lung disease. Treatment is prolonged, culture conversion rates with guideline-based multidrug therapy alone are suboptimal, and relapse after apparent cure is common — all of which underscore the clinical significance of a 30-percentage-point improvement in culture conversion at month 6 and durable conversion rates exceeding 76% at month 15.

The multidrug regimen used in ENCORE — azithromycin plus ethambutol — reflects current guideline-recommended first-line therapy for MAC lung disease. Per the 2020 ATS/ERS/ESCMID/IDSA joint treatment guideline, macrolide-based combination therapy is the cornerstone of MAC management, with treatment continuing for at least 12 months following culture negativity.² Culture conversion rates with background multidrug therapy alone, however, remain suboptimal in clinical practice — a gap the ENCORE placebo arm's 57% conversion rate at month 6 reflects directly.

"These groundbreaking results show that patients may have significant clinical benefit from including ARIKAYCE as part of their multidrug treatment earlier in their MAC lung disease journey," said David Griffith, MD, ENCORE Steering Committee Member and Professor of Medicine at National Jewish Health. "The improvements in Respiratory Symptom Score alongside durable culture conversion highlight the potential for this medicine to make a substantial difference in outcomes for patients facing this serious and often progressive infection."¹

Insmed plans to present full ENCORE data at a future medical congress. The sNDA filing is anticipated in the second half of 2026, with the PMDA submission planned on the same timeline.¹

Insmed Announces Positive Topline Results from Phase 3b ENCORE Study of ARIKAYCE® (Amikacin Liposome Inhalation Suspension) in Patients with MAC Lung Disease. News release. Insmed Incorporated. March 23, 2026. 

https://investor.insmed.com/2026-03-23-Insmed-Announces-Positive-Topline-Results-from-Phase-3b-ENCORE-Study-of-ARIKAYCE-R-Amikacin-Liposome-Inhalation-Suspension-in-Patients-with-MAC-Lung-Disease

Daley CL, Iaccarino JM, Lange C, et al. Treatment of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease: an official ATS/ERS/ESCMID/IDSA clinical practice guideline. 

 2020;56(1):2000535. doi:10.1183/13993003.00535-2020

ENCORE, a global randomized double-blind phase 3b trial in largely antibiotic-naïve patients with new or recurrent MAC lung disease, showed benefit from adding inhaled amikacin liposome suspension to azithromycin plus ethambutol. Respiratory Symptom Score improved significantly at month 13, and culture conversion rates were markedly higher through months 6–13 with durable conversion at month 15 after therapy cessation. PROMIS Fatigue did not separate. Safety aligned with known tolerability, with more local respiratory adverse events and higher discontinuations. Regulatory filings are targeted for 2H 2026.

Phase 3b ENCORE shows inhaled ARIKAYCE boosts culture conversion and symptoms in antibiotic‑naïve MAC lung disease, paving way for 2026 label expansion.

Pulmonology

Infectious Disease condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on respiratory health. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for asthma, COPD, interstitial lung disease, COVID-19, and more.

ENCORE: ARIKAYCE Meets End Points, Improves Respiration in MAC Lung Disease

Pamela B. Morris, MD, is a professor of medicine in Cardiology and the Paul V. Palmer Chair of Cardiovascular Disease Preventionat the Medical University of South Carolina. 

Ann Marie Navar, MD, PhD, is an associate professor of cardiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Part 1 of a 9-part series on the 2026 dyslipidemia guidelines created in collaboration with the ACC. 

Behind the Guidelines: Top Clinical Takeaways From the 2026 Dyslipidemia Guidelines

The 2026 ACC/AHA Dyslipidemia Guideline represents a transformative advance in cardiovascular risk management, which the organizations hope clinicians can navigate effectively by anchoring to a focused set of key principles cutting across the guideline's extensive breadth.

Pamela B. Morris, MD, vice chair of the writing committee, and Ann Marie Navar, MD, PhD, close the HCPLive Special Report series with a synthesis of the most clinically actionable updates. At the core of the guideline is a transition from the Pooled Cohort Equations to the AHA PREVENT equations, providing more accurate absolute risk estimates and enabling risk assessment beginning at age 30. When treatment decisions remain uncertain in borderline-to-intermediate risk patients, the Calculate-Personalize-Reclassify model using coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring offers a structured framework for individualized decision-making. Any nonzero CAC score signals subclinical atherosclerosis and triggers risk-stratified treatment goals; a score above 300 approaches the risk profile of secondary prevention, and a score above 1,000 warrants very high-risk management.

Universal Lp(a) measurement, at least once in all adults, is now a Class I recommendation, alongside the first-ever US guideline inclusion of apolipoprotein B for selected populations. 

Absolute LDL cholesterol goals have been restored: 

Less than 55 mg/dL for very high-risk patients

Less than 70 mg/dL for high-risk individuals

Less than 100 mg/dL for primary prevention

With the principle lower is always better applied across all risk categories.

The therapeutic armamentarium has expanded substantially since 2018. Beyond statins and ezetimibe, clinicians now have access to bempedoic acid, PCSK9 monoclonal antibodies, inclisiran, and, for select populations, evinacumab and APOC3 inhibitors. As Navar summarizes, patients and clinicians alike can orient around three numbers, 55, 70, and 100, as guiding targets for the highest-risk, intermediate, and lower-risk groups, respectively. The tools to achieve LDL goals for even the most complex patients now exist; the priority must shift to ensuring those tools are applied.

Morris has no relevant disclosures to report. Navar reports disclosures with Amge, Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Eli Lilly and Company, Esperion, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Miga Health, NewAmsterdam Pharma, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, and Silence Therapeutics, among others.

Blumenthal RS, Morris PB, Gaudino M, et al. 2026 ACC/AHA/AACVPR/ABC/ACPM/ADA/AGS/APhA/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline on the Management of Dyslipidemia: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. 

. Published online March 13, 2026. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2025.11.016

American College of Cardiology. ACC/AHA Issue Updated Guideline for Managing Lipids, Cholesterol - American College of Cardiology. American College of Cardiology. Published March 13, 2026. Accessed March 23, 2026. https://www.acc.org/About-ACC/Press-Releases/2026/03/13/18/01/ACCAHA-Issue-Updated-Guideline-for-Managing-Lipids-Cholesterol

Videos

New dyslipidemia guidance sharpens risk with CAC, checks lipoprotein(a), and targets LDL goals using expanded therapies for prevention.

Dyslipidemia

Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease

Video Series

Diana Isaacs, PharmD, is an endocrine clinical pharmacist, director of Education and Training in Diabetes Technology, and codirector of Endocrine Disorders in Pregnancy at the Cleveland Clinic.

This episode features discussion around 3 recent announcements from Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, and Structure Therapeutics. 

Type 2 Diabetes

Obesity Management

Obesity Management condition center page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into clinical weight management can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on obesity research, treatment, and drug development.

Endocrinology

The HCPLive endocrinology page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on endocrine system conditions. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for diabetes, hormonal disease, and more.

FDA News

Diabetes Dialogue

Diabetes Dialogue: Technology, Therapeutics, & Real-World Perspectives is a monthly podcast hosted by Diana Isaacs, PharmD, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, aimed at providing a regular roundup of the latest clinically applicable insights across diabetes and metabolic diseases, with a focus on leveraging technology to improve care.

Diabetes Dialogue: GLP-1 RA News & Updates in March 2026

Linda Stein Gold, MD, is a dermatologist at Henry Ford Health. 

In this Q&A, Linda Stein Gold, MD, shares her views on the clinical significance of icotrokinra's FDA approval and the data leading to this approval.

Plaque Psoriasis

The HCPLive plaque psoriasis page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on psoriasis. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments for psoriatic disease, and more.

Q&A: Research Leading to FDA Approval of Icotrokinra for Psoriasis, With Linda Stein Gold, MD

Mark Taylor, MD, a consultant psychiatrist from The Edinburgh Practice and a professor in the school of medicine and dentistry at Griffith University.

New study finds GLP-1 RAs are associated with lower anxiety, suicidality, and sick leave in patients with diabetes and mental illness.

Psychiatry

Psychiatry condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on mental illnesses. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and more.

Major Depressive Disorder

Major Depressive Disorder condition center page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into depression can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on MDD research, treatment, and drug development.

GLP-1s Linked to Reduced Anxiety, Suicidality, With Mark Taylor, MD

Stay updated with the latest healthcare breakthroughs, including FDA actions and new phase 3 data, in this week’s essential news roundup.

Nephrology

The HCPLive nephrology page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on kidney disease. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments in nephrology, and more.

The HCPFive: Top News for Healthcare Providers from the Week of 03/15

Phase 3 VITESSE data show VIASKIN peanut patch improves tolerance in most children, with high adherence and a favorable safety profile.

VIASKIN Peanut Patch Shows Strong Desensitization in Phase 3 Trial, With David Fleischer, MD

After the oral IL-23 inhibitor icotrokinra's (Icotyde) FDA approval, this interview covers what primary care clinicians should conclude.


Takeaways on Icotrokinra and Psoriasis for Clinicians, With Linda Stein Gold, MD

Senior Allergy Dietitian at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Clinician-Scientist Fellow at MCRI & Honorary Senior Research Fellow at Melbourne University,

TreEAT: Clinical Implications, Screening Practices, and Next Steps, With Vicki McWilliam, MND, PhD

Hosts reveal how research, mentors, and clinic rotations spark a passion for skin disease and what makes dermatology unique.

ABCs in Dermatology: Our Hosts' Journeys to Dermatology

Deepak Bhatt, MD, MPH, MBA, discusses 4 trials to watch at the upcoming ACC.26.

ACC.26 Late-Breakers to Watch, With Deepak Bhatt, MD, MPH, MBA

Balázs Szigeti, PhD, from the Translational Psychedelic Research Program at University of California San Francisco (UCSF)

Findings suggest psychedelics match antidepressants for symptom relief, with future research needed on real-world use and functional outcomes.

Latest News

Moving the Needle in Medicine: Blazing a Trail in Cardiology, with Martha Gulati, MD, MS

APEX: Zumilokibart Shows Durable Response at 52 Weeks in Atopic Dermatitis

VIASKIN Peanut Patch Shows Strong Phase 3 VITESSE Results, With David Fleischer, MD

ENCORE: ARIKAYCE Meets End Points, Improves Respiration in MAC Lung Disease

Behind the Guidelines: Top Clinical Takeaways From the 2026 Dyslipidemia Guidelines