ACCEL Lite: Featured ACCEL Interviews on Exciting CV Research

The ORBITA-CTO trial was a multicenter, randomized, double-blinded study that enrolled 50 patients with symptomatic single-vessel chronic total occlusion (CTO) and no bystander coronary disease. Participants were assigned to either CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or a placebo procedure. The results demonstrated that PCI with angioplasty and stenting led to greater improvement in angina symptoms compared with placebo. These findings provide strong evidence that CTO PCI can effectively reduce anginal pain and improve quality of life for patients with chronic total occlusions.  

In this interview, Allen J. Taylor, MD, FACC and John Davies, MBBS, PhD evaluate the ORBITA-CTO Trial.

The American Heart Association–funded THRIVE Food is Medicine pilot trial demonstrated strong promise in addressing hypertension through produce prescriptions. Participants in the intervention arm with high adherence to the DASH diet experienced an average systolic blood pressure reduction of 13 mmHg, a clinically meaningful improvement. The program showed high acceptability and sustainability potential, with participants asking, "When does Phase 2 start?" By integrating produce prescriptions, personalized dietitian coaching, weekly adaptive messaging, and community resource navigation, THRIVE improved dietary quality, nutrition security, and blood pressure outcomes.
In this episode, Alison L. Bailey, MD, FACC and Bunmi Ogungbe, BSN, MPH, PhD discuss "THRIVE Food is Medicine Pilot Trial: Addressing Hypertension through Produce Prescriptions".

Inflammation has emerged as a critical contributor to the pathogenesis and clinical outcomes of cardiovascular disease (CVD), with growing evidence highlighting the prognostic relevance of residual inflammatory risk. Notably, residual inflammation measured by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) remains a strong predictor of recurrent cardiovascular events, supporting the case for more universal CRP screening. Despite advances such as interleukin‑6–targeted therapies, implementation remains limited, as clinicians are unlikely to treat what they do not routinely measure. Addressing current gaps in inflammatory risk assessment presents both a challenge and an opportunity to better personalize CVD prevention and treatment strategies. 

 In this interview, W. Douglas Weaver MD, MACC and Paul M. Ridker, MD, MPH, FACC discuss Inflammation in CVD: A 2025 ACC Scientific Statement.

Should statin therapy be routinely initiated in middle‑aged adults with at least one atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk factor and LDL‑C levels above 100 mg/dL? Observational data consistently shows that lower LDL-C and non-HDL-C levels are associated with substantially reduced risks of atherosclerotic vascular disease. In the absence of randomized trial data in younger and middle-aged adults with low 10–30‑year risk, the role of additional risk stratification tools—such as hsCRP and coronary artery calcium scoring—becomes critical in guiding individualized decisions about when to begin lipid-lowering pharmacotherapy. 

In this interview, William E. Boden MD, FACC and Roger S. Blumenthal, MD, FACC discuss 'Lower LDL-C for Longer? Defining the Optimal Timing and Intensity of Rx'.

The 2026 ACC/AHA Dyslipidemia Guidelines highlight that Lp(a) confers a graded ASCVD risk, with levels around 125 nmol/L (50 mg/dL) indicating meaningful risk and ~250 nmol/L (100 mg/dL) identifying a substantially higher‑risk phenotype. Coronary artery calcium scoring and hsCRP are recommended selectively to refine risk assessment when traditional estimates are uncertain. Importantly, harmonization with the ESC/EAS guidelines reinforces a unified approach to prevention. Overall, the message is to keep prevention simple — start with accurate risk assessment and prioritize blood pressure and lipid management, beginning with optimization of diet and physical activity. 

In this interview, Kim Allan Williams, Sr., MD, MACC and Roger S. Blumenthal, MD, FACC discuss key takeaways from the 2026 Dyslipidemia Guideline.