https://www.journals.ac.za/SAHJ <p style="text-align: justify;">The Journal is the official publication of the South African Heart Association, the organisation representing the professional interests of all cardiologists and cardio-thoracic surgeons in the country.&nbsp; SA Heart Journal is listed by the Department of Education (DoE) as an Approved journal since January 2009.&nbsp; It is also one of an elite group of publications recognised by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) as a National Cardiovascular Journal.</p> en-US SA Heart Journal 1996-6741 <p>This journal is an open access journal, and the authors and journal should be properly acknowledged, when works are cited.</p> <p>Authors may use the publishers version for teaching purposes, in books, theses, dissertations, conferences and conference papers. </p> <p>A copy of the authors’ publishers version may also be hosted on the following websites:</p> <ul> <li class="show">Non-commercial personal homepage or blog.</li> <li class="show">Institutional webpage.</li> <li class="show">Authors Institutional Repository.</li> </ul> <p>The following notice should accompany such a posting on the website: “This is an electronic version of an article published in SAHJ, Volume XXX, number XXX, pages XXX–XXX”, DOI. Authors should also supply a hyperlink to the original paper or indicate where the original paper (<a href="https://www.journals.ac.za/SAHJ/management/settings/distribution//index.php/SAHJ">http://www.journals.ac.za/index.php/SAHJ</a>) may be found.</p> <p>Authors publishers version, affiliated with the Stellenbosch University will be automatically deposited in the University’s’ Institutional Repository <a href="https://scholar.sun.ac.za/">SUNScholar</a>.</p> <p>Articles as a whole, may not be re-published with another journal.</p> <p>Copyright Holder: SA Heart Journal</p> <p>The following license applies:</p> <p><strong>Attribution CC BY-NC-ND 4.0</strong></p> https://www.journals.ac.za/SAHJ/article/view/7757 <p>It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Professor Patrick Commerford, who passed on Thursday 25th September, 5 days before his 78th birthday.</p> Mpiko Ntsekhe Copyright (c) 2025 SA Heart Journal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 2025-10-17 2025-10-17 22 4 208 208 https://www.journals.ac.za/SAHJ/article/view/7748 <p>Speakers' biographies</p> Editorial Office Copyright (c) 2025 SA Heart Journal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 2025-10-17 2025-10-17 22 4 211 212 https://www.journals.ac.za/SAHJ/article/view/7746 R Meel B Cupido Copyright (c) 2025 SA Heart Journal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 2025-10-17 2025-10-17 22 4 244 245 10.24170/22-4-7746 https://www.journals.ac.za/SAHJ/article/view/7744 <p>The 2024–2025 editorial year in review for the SA Heart^® Journal reflects a dynamic and impactful year in cardiovascular research and clinical practice. Following a brief pause during 2023–2024, the journal successfully returned to regular publication with 4 consecutive issues. Each edition was anchored around key themes: the congress issue (Cardiology Connections), valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and training and research. Educational features, such as the electrocardiography quiz and cardiac imaging quiz, remained integral, continuing to enhance clinical learning and engagement.</p> Prof Ruchika Meel Copyright (c) 2025 SA Heart Journal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 2025-10-17 2025-10-17 22 4 206 207 https://www.journals.ac.za/SAHJ/article/view/7654 <p>It is both a great honour and a personal privilege to welcome you to the 25th Annual SA Heart^® Congress, a landmark event in our history. This year, we proudly celebrate a quarter century of cardiovascular excellence; 25 years of advancing heart health, scientific innovation, and professional collaboration across South Africa and beyond.</p> Martin Mpe Copyright (c) 2025 SA Heart Journal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 2025-10-17 2025-10-17 22 4 209 209 https://www.journals.ac.za/SAHJ/article/view/7755 <p>Photo: Courtesy of Dr Piyush Meel</p> <p>"A rare blood moon over South Africa during a total lunar eclipse, where Earth's atmosphere refracts red light onto the Moon. Such events occur roughly every 2.5 years at a given location."</p> Piyush Meel Copyright (c) 2025 SA Heart Journal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 2025-10-17 2025-10-17 22 4 https://www.journals.ac.za/SAHJ/article/view/7749 RS Millar A Chin Copyright (c) 2025 SA Heart Journal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 2025-10-17 2025-10-17 22 4 239 239 10.24170/22-4-7749 https://www.journals.ac.za/SAHJ/article/view/7750 RS Millar A Chin Copyright (c) 2025 SA Heart Journal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 2025-10-17 2025-10-17 22 4 240 243 10.24170/22-4-7750 https://www.journals.ac.za/SAHJ/article/view/7747 <p>Speakers presentation highlights</p> Editorial Office Copyright (c) 2025 SA Heart Journal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 2025-10-17 2025-10-17 22 4 213 217 https://www.journals.ac.za/SAHJ/article/view/7745 <p>We would like to welcome all our colleagues in the cardiology community to the 25th Annual SA Heart^® Congress in Johannesburg. This year's theme is "unifying hearts and minds". With this shared vision, we wish to expand our knowledge of the link between heart and mind in the everevolving field of cardiology. The congress will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 17 to 19 October 2025.</p> Ahmed Vachiat Copyright (c) 2025 SA Heart Journal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 2025-10-17 2025-10-17 22 4 210 210 https://www.journals.ac.za/SAHJ/article/view/7691 <p>Abstracts</p> Editorial Office Copyright (c) 2025 SA Heart Journal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 2025-10-17 2025-10-17 22 4 218 238