ESC Congress 2025, the world's largest cardiovascular congress, will unveil more than 40 pivotal studies during ten Hot Line sessions from August 29 to September 1 in Madrid. The annual congress of the European Society of Cardiology, held in collaboration with the World Congress of Cardiology, will focus on Global Health and how cardiovascular disease is reshaping healthcare priorities worldwide.
Reassessing Long-Term Cardiovascular Therapies
Professor Tomasz Guzik, Chair of the ESC Congress Programme Committee, emphasized that this year's trials address major unmet needs in global cardiovascular care. "With improved outcomes of our treatments, it's time to reassess long-term therapies," Guzik stated.
Several landmark trials will examine whether current treatment paradigms need updating. The REBOOT-CNIC, BETAMI, and DANBLOCK studies will investigate whether long-term beta-blockers remain necessary in myocardial infarction patients, particularly when heart function (ejection fraction) remains preserved. These findings could potentially reduce drug burden and costs for millions of patients worldwide.
Similarly, antiplatelet and anticoagulation trials including NEO-MINDSET, TARGET FIRST, DUAL-ACS, and ALONE-AF will test earlier withdrawal of aspirin or oral anticoagulants to reduce bleeding risk and simplify treatment protocols.
Addressing Neglected Cardiovascular Conditions
A significant highlight will be the PARACHUTE-HF trial, which addresses chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy affecting 6-7 million patients, mainly in Latin America. The condition is becoming a wider threat due to increased migration of infected individuals. The trial tests sacubitril/valsartan versus enalapril, aiming to deliver the first mortality-based, guideline-level evidence for this neglected condition.
Heart Failure and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Advances
In heart failure management, the DAPA ACT HF-TIMI 68 trial explores starting SGLT2 inhibitors during hospitalization for acute heart failure, an approach that could benefit over 11 million patients globally each year. The VICTOR and VICTORIA trials will expand the role of vericiguat as a simple, once-daily option for chronic heart failure.
Two key phase 3 trials, ODYSSEY-HCM and MAPLE-HCM, may transform hypertrophic cardiomyopathy care by establishing oral myosin inhibitors, mavacamten and aficamten respectively, as effective alternatives to invasive strategies.
Hypertension Treatment Innovation
Addressing hypertension, still the number one global cause of death, the BaxHTN trial will investigate a new aldosterone synthase enzyme inhibitor. The KARDIA-3 trial will test zilebesiran, a twice-yearly siRNA therapy that could be a game-changer for long-term blood pressure control and treatment adherence.
Novartis Portfolio Presentations
Novartis will present data from 19 abstracts across its cardiovascular portfolio at the congress. Dr. Ruchira Glaser, Global Head of Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolic Development Unit at Novartis, stated: "The latest data we are presenting at ESC will showcase how Novartis is pioneering groundbreaking treatments that can transform cardiovascular outcomes."
Key Novartis presentations include the Lp(a)FRONTIERS APHERESIS study assessing pelacarsen's effect on reducing the need for lipoprotein apheresis, a cholesterol removal procedure similar to dialysis. Two VictORION studies will highlight Leqvio's impact on patient quality of life and as a cholesterol-lowering monotherapy.
Additional presentations will assess the safety of pipeline asset abelacimab in atrial fibrillation, including analyses of prior anticoagulation experience, bleeding risk, and renal function considerations from the AZALEA-TIMI 71 trial.
The congress will provide cardiologists with immediate, practice-changing insights that have direct impact on everyday patient care, with accredited press having access to embargoed materials from August 25 and press conferences beginning August 28.
