More than 40 pivotal studies will be unveiled during the ten Hot Line sessions at ESC Congress 2025, the largest cardiovascular congress globally. The annual congress of the European Society of Cardiology is held in collaboration with the World Congress of Cardiology in Madrid from 29 August to 1 September.
Professor Tomasz Guzik, Chair of the ESC Congress Programme Committee, commented: “Hot Line sessions at ESC Congress reveal long-awaited answers to major clinical questions, often debated for years. These sessions are built through rigorously selected, late-breaking clinical trials showcasing new treatments, breakthrough procedures, and head-to-head comparisons of new and established treatments.”
The focus of this year’s congress is Global Health, exploring how cardiovascular disease is reshaping healthcare priorities worldwide. Trials presented at ESC Congress 2025 reflect on major unmet needs in global cardiovascular care.
“With improved outcomes of our treatments, it’s time to reassess long-term therapies. REBOOT-CNIC, BETAMI, and DANBLOCK examine whether long-term beta-blockers are still needed in myocardial infarction, especially if heart function (ejection fraction) remains preserved, potentially reducing the drug burden and costs for millions. Similarly, antiplatelet and anticoagulation trials like NEO-MINDSET, TARGET FIRST, DUAL-ACS, and ALONE-AF test earlier withdrawal of aspirin or oral anticoagulants to reduce bleeding risk and simplify treatment,” Professor Guzik said.
The ESC is committed to fostering globally relevant innovations. A great example of this is the PARACHUTE-HF trial that addresses chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy, affecting 6-7 million patients, mainly in Latin America, but which is a becoming a wider threat due to increased migration of infected individuals. “It tests sacubitril/valsartan vs enalapril, aiming to deliver the first mortality-based, guideline-level evidence for this neglected condition,” Guzik explained.
The Hot Line trial results also provide cardiologists with immediate, practice-changing insights that have a direct impact on their everyday patient care.
In heart failure, DAPA ACT HF-TIMI 68 explores starting SGLT2 inhibitors during hospitalisation for acute HF, an approach that could benefit over 11 million patients globally each year. VICTOR and VICTORIA 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,“ Professor Guzik said.
Last but not least, hypertension, still the number one global cause of death, is tackled by BaxHTN, investigating a new aldosterone synthase enzyme inhibitor, and KARDIA-3, testing zilebesiran, a twice-yearly siRNA therapy that could be a game-changer for long-term blood pressure control and treatment adherence.
About the European Society of Cardiology
The ESC brings together health care professionals from more than 150 countries, working to advance cardiovascular medicine and help people to live longer, healthier lives.
About ESC Congress 2025 #ESCCongress
ESC Congress is the world’s largest gathering of cardiovascular professionals, disseminating ground-breaking science both onsite in Madrid and online – from 29 August to 1 September. Explore the scientific programme.
