Global healthcare knowledge provider BMJ has announced that international cardiology title, Heart, is set to take a new direction as it appoints its first US Editor-in-chief.
Catherine Otto, the J Ward Kennedy-Hamilton Endowed Chair in Cardiology, and Professor of Medicine at the University Of Washington School Of Medicine in Seattle, Washington, USA, has been named the new Editor-in-chief of Heart, starting in December.
Prof. Otto is the first woman to take the helm since the title, which is co-owned with the British Cardiovascular Society, began publishing in 1939. She succeeds Adam Timmis, who has held the post for seven years.
Professor Otto is a renowned expert on aortic valve disease. Her landmark study, showing that even mild valve thickening (aortic sclerosis), is associated with a heightened risk of death, was recognised by the prestigious American College of Cardiology, which gave her its Distinguished Scientist Award (Clinical Domain) in 2011.
Professor Otto plans to give Heart a new look and feel in the run up to the publication of the title's 100th volume in 2014. The title will have a new cover from next year, and will include new features, such as Cochrane Corner, which will comment on important reviews produced by the Cochrane cardiology group; Heart Beat, an editorial summary of the papers included in each issue; and an online only educational Image Challenge to test readers' knowledge.
Additionally, she intends to boost the global focus of the title by appointing a more international editorial board and shortening time to publication of accepted articles.
The plans will be complemented by an open access sister title, Open Heart, which is gearing up for launch next year. Open Heart, which will be edited by Pascal Meier, consultant interventional cardiologist at The Heart Hospital, UCLH, London, and Assistant Adjunct Professor in Cardiovascular Medicine at Yale Medical School, will be an online only publication.
