Editor in Chief: Robert M. Califf, MD
Editor: Daniel B. Mark, MD, MPH
Executive Editor: Patricia K. Hodgson
Managing Editor: Rebecca L. Hines E-mail: AHJ@dcri.duke.edu

American Heart Journal Duke Clinical Research Institute

Express Mail and Deliveries:
DCRI Communications
300 West Morgan Street, Suite 800
Durham, NC 27701
Telephone: 919-668-5948
Fax: 919-668-7046
E-mail: AHJ@dcri.duke.edu
Website: www.mosby.com/ahj



All articles except letters to the editor and supplements must be submitted online at http://ees.elsevier.com/ahj. The American Heart Journal no longer accepts submissions by mail. Letters to the editor must be submitted directly to Becky Hines at AHJ@dcri.duke.edu. Supplements must be submitted to Craig Smith atC.Smith@Elsevier.com. The Journal will consider for publication suitable articles on topics pertaining to the broad discipline of cardiovascular disease. Our goal is to provide the reader primary investigation, scholarly review, and opinion concerning the practice of cardiovascular medicine. We especially encourage submission of 3 types of reports that are not frequently seen in cardiovascular journals: negative clinical studies, reports on study designs, and studies involving the organization of medical care. (For more information, see "What We Publish in the American Heart Journal and Why," by Daniel B. Mark, MD, MPH, [AM Heart J 2007;154:1-2].) The Journal does not accept individual case reports or original articles involving bench laboratory or animal research. All communications relating to the editorial management of the Journal should be sent to Becky Hines, Managing Editor, at the above address.

Editorial policies. Statements and opinions expressed in the articles and communications herein are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the Editor(s) or publisher, and the Editor(s) and publisher disclaim any responsibility or liability for such material. Neither the Editor(s) nor the publisher guarantees, warrants, or endorses any product or service advertised in this publication; neither do they guarantee any claim made by the manufacturer of such product or service. In accordance with the Copyright Act of 1976, which became effective January 1, 1978, the following statement signed by all authors must accompany each manuscript accepted for publication: "The undersigned author(s) transfer all copyright ownership of the manuscript [title of article] to Elsevier Inc., in the event the work is published. The undersigned warrant(s) that the article is original, does not infringe upon any copyright or other proprietary right of any third party, is not under consideration by another journal, and has not been published previously." When a manuscript is accepted for publication, the Copyright Release Form will be issued to authors from the publisher.

Conflict of interest. Authors of manuscripts submitted to AHJ must inform us of funding sources for the research they intend to publish. We must also be informed of any relationships that might be construed as a conflict of interest (including but not limited to stock ownership, consultancies, speaker bureaus, etc.).

Registration of randomized clinical trials. Any manuscript submitted to the Journal that concerns the design or results of a randomized clinical trial must include the registration site (such as www.clinicaltrials.gov) and the registration number in the Methods section.

Review. All articles are pre-screened by the Editors and Associate Editors. Papers felt not to be competitive for publication or papers not consistent with the editorial priorities of the American Heart Journal will be returned ot the authors without review within 4 weeks of submission. All other articles are reviewed by external referees. Acceptance is based on significance, originality, and validity of the material. If the article is accepted for publication, editorial revisions may be made to aid clarity and understanding without altering the meaning.

Sections. The following sections are established features of the Journal. To ensure that the manuscript is considered for one of the following sections, the name of the intended section should appear at the top of the title page.

Clinical Investigations. Original, in-depth clinical investigations.Word limit is 5000 and includes title page, abstract, tables, figures, and references.

Curriculum in Cardiology. Concise, comprehensive, contemporary articles presenting core, updated information necessary for the continuing medical education of the modern clinical cardiologist.Maximum number of references is 50; word limit is 7500 and includes title page, abstract, tables, figures, and references.

Progress in Cardiology. Concise and comprehensive articles devoted to innovative new areas of development in cardiovascular diseases important to the clinical cardiologist. Maximum number of references is 50; word limit is 7500 and includes title page, abstract, tables, figures, and references.

Trial Designs. Brief descriptions of study protocols, including the conceptual issues underlying the hypotheses, the methodology, and planned analysis of a trial. Word limit is 5000 and includes title page, abstract, tables, figures, and references.

Letters to the Editor. Brief letters or notes to the Editor regarding published material or information of timely interest. Letters to the Editor should concern only articles that have been published recently in the Journal. A response to the letter will be requested from the authors of the article in question, and both the letter and the response will be published together. Letters should be no longer than 500 words, including references and tables. Letters to the Editor must be submitted by e-mail to Becky Hines at AHJ@dcri.duke.edu. Letters will be published on the Journal's Website only.

Editorials. Brief, substantiated commentary on special subjects limited to 2000 words (including references and tables).

Supplements. Symposia are considered for publication on the basis of importance of topic, expertise of participants, and scientific quality of articles presented. All supplements undergo peer review. Proprietary sponsorship must be indicated. Supplements must be submitted by e-mail to Craig Smith at C.Smith@Elsevier.com.

Preparation of manuscripts. Only original manuscripts will be considered for publication. Correct preparation of the manuscript by the authors will expedite the reviewing and publication procedures. Please note the following requirements. Following the instructions for online submission at http://AHJ.editorialmanager.com, the article, including all tables, should be formatted in Microsoft Word. The use of appropriate subheadings throughout the body of the text (Methods, Results, and Discussion sections) is required. Figures and illustrations must also be submitted electronically as separate files. File specifications are listed below in "Illustrations, figures and legends."

Style. Manuscripts must conform to acceptable English usage. Standard abbreviations should be used consistently throughout the article. Abbreviations should be spelled out the first time they appear in the text and followed in parentheses by the abbreviation. Consult the latest editions of Scientific Style and Format by the Council of Biology Editors, The Chicago Manual of Style by The University of Chicago Press, or the AMA's Manual of Style, 9th edition, for current usage.

Pagination. Begin numbering with the title page as page 1, the structured abstract page as page 2, and continue throughout the references, figure legends, and tables. Place page numbers in the upper right corner of each page.

Title page. The title page should be typed double-spaced and include the title, authors' full names, highest earned academic degrees, institutional affiliations and location, and a short, abbreviated title of 40 characters or fewer. Designate one author (provide address, business telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address) to receive correspondence, galley proofs, and reprint requests.

Structured abstract. Each article must include a structured abstract of no more than 250 words. Use the following headings for sections of the abstract: Background, Methods, Results, Conclusions. The abstract may not contain data not presented in the manuscript. For review articles and trial designs, in place of a structured abstract, please provide a summary abstract paragraph (maximum word count 250 words). If abstract subheadings are not appropriate, they may be omitted.

References. The reference list must be numbered serially in the order in which the references appear in the text and typed doublespaced on separate sheets. Reference format should conform to the "Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals" (Ann Intern Med 1997;126:36-47 or http://www.icmje.org ). Reference citations to periodicals should include, in the following order: names of the first 3 authors (and et al as necessary to signify any additional authors), title, journal, year, volume, and pages; for example, Hope RR, Scherlag BJ, Lazzara R. Excitation of ischemic myocardium: altered properties of conduction, refractoriness, and excitability. Am Heart J 1980;99:753-65. Journal abbreviations must follow the style used in Cumulated Index Medicus. Book references should include, in the following order: names of the first 3 authors, chapter title, editor(s), book title, volume (if any), edition (if any), city, publisher, year, and inclusive pages of citation (if any); for example, Sherry S. Detection of thrombi. In: Strauss HE, Pitt B, James AE, editors. Cardiovascular nuclear medicine. St. Louis: Mosby; 1974. p. 273-85. Unpublished data and personal communications may be cited in the text but not as references. Authors are responsible for the accuracy of references.

Illustrations, figures and legends. Figures and illustrations must be submitted in electronic format. All images should be at least 5 inches wide. Images should be provided in RTF, TXT, TIFF, GIF, JPEG, or EPS format per the instructions for online submission at http://AHJ.editorialmanager.com . Macintosh or PC is acceptable. Graphics software such as Photoshop and Illustrator, not presentation software such as PowerPoint, CorelDraw, or Harvard Graphics, should be used in the creation of the art. Color images need to be CMYK, at least 300 DPI, and be accompanied by a digital color proof, not a color laser print or color photocopy. Note: This proof will be used at press for color reproduction. Gray scale images should be at least 300 DPI accompanied by a proof. Combinations of gray scale and line art should be at least 1200 DPI accompanied by a proof. Line art (black and white or color) should be at least 1200 DPI with a proof.

If a manuscript is accepted, one glossy copy of each figure or illustration must be submitted to the Journal Office (see mailing address above). Glossies should be printed on high-quality laser printer paper or bond paper. For best possible reproduction, avoid using shading or dotted patterns; if unavoidable, submit this type of illustration in the form of a glossy photograph for best results. Use thick, solid lines and bold, solid type. Place lettering on a white background; avoid reverse type (white lettering on a dark background).

Illustrations should be numbered in the order of their mention in the text and should be marked lightly on the back with the first author's last name and an arrow to indicate the top edge. Special charges will be made by the publisher for publishing figures in color. Before publication the corresponding author will be sent a cost estimate; at that time he or she may decide to pay the costs or print the illustration in black and white. Only good photographic prints of original drawings should be supplied. All lettering must be done professionally. Do not send original artwork, x-ray films, or ECG tracings. Glossy photographs are preferred; good black-and-white contrast is essential. Preferred size for submitted illustrations is 5 x 7 inches. Suitable figure legends should be double spaced and included at the end of the manuscript. If a figure has been taken from previously copyrighted material, the legend must give full credit to the original source and letters of permission must be submitted with the manuscript by fax to the Journal Office at (919) 668-7046. Articles appear in both the print and online versions of the Journal, and wording of the letter should specify permission in both forms of media. Failure to get electronic permission rights may result in the images not appearing in the online version.

Tables. Tables should be self-explanatory and numbered in Roman numerals in the order of their mention in the text. Provide a brief title for each. Type each double-spaced on a separate page. Abbreviations should be defined in a double-spaced footnote at the end of the table. If any material in a table or a table itself has been taken from previously copyrighted material, a double-spaced footnote must give full credit to the original source and permission of the author and publisher must be obtained.

Footnotes that require symbols must use those that are appropriate for the Journal. The accepted symbols, in the order in which they should appear within the table and within the footnotes are: *,†, ‡, §, ||, ¶, #, **, ††, etc. Fax letters of permission to (919) 668-7046 at the time of manuscript submission.

Human research. Authors should identify that informed consent was obtained when applicable. The manuscript should also include the notation that the study was approved by the institutional committee on human research. Photographs of identifiable persons must be accompanied by signed releases showing informed consent. These should be faxed to (919) 668-7046.

Reprints. Single reprints must be obtained from the author. Reprint order forms will be sent to authors along with their galley pages.

Checklist for the author

• Covering letter (should include section for which manuscript is submitted)

• Title page

• Section of Journal to be published in (or note if a review article)

• Title of article and short title (40 characters or fewer)

• Authors, academic degrees, and affiliations

• Author to whom correspondence and reprint requests are to be sent, including address, business phone and fax numbers, and e-mail address

• Structured abstract, 250-word maximum

• Text (including Methods, Results, Discussion)

• References

• Legends

• Figures and illustrations, in RTF, TXT, TIFF, GIF, JPEG, or EPS format

• Tables (provide /DTief title for each)

• Permission to reproduce published material in all forms of media (Fax to Journal Office)

• Informed consent to publish patient photographs (Fax to Journal Office)

• Follow instructions for online submission at http://AHJ.editorialmanager.com