As I step into the role of Editor-in-Chief for Heart, I am both excited and honoured to lead one of the world’s most esteemed cardiovascular journals. My gratitude goes out to BMJ Publishing Group and the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS) for entrusting me with this great responsibility. I would also like to thank my predecessor, Professor Catherine Otto, and her team, who brought numerous innovations to elevate the journal’s value over the past 10 years. Building on her legacy, my goal over the coming years is to increase the impact of the journal further.

Our mission at Heart is to advance scholarship in the field of cardiovascular medicine and surgery, and to publish the most influential articles of relevance to practice and policy. It is through publishing the best research that we contribute to a reduction in the burden of cardiovascular disease. To achieve this, we will continue to promote Heart to authors as the best journal to publish their work in, and to readers as a source of high-quality information for their continued education. As an international journal, we are committed to reaching a global audience that reflects the diversity and dynamism of the cardiovascular …