The method of jugular venous assessment that we developed at Matsushita Memorial Hospital has been included in the JCS/JHFS 2025 Guidelines on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Heart Failure, which were thoroughly revised seven years after the previous version was released. To promote this simple technique for use in patients with heart failure, I created a free educational app titled Simple JVP©. The app features 10 representative cases, presented through a five-step method, and may serve as a helpful resource.
The app is bilingual, available in both Japanese and English. My next goal was to raise awareness of this free app outside of Japan. To that end, I submitted a letter to one of the most prominent American medical journals in this field, the Journal of Cardiac Failure. Unfortunately, the response was disappointing.
Next, I submitted it—almost by chance—to ESC Heart Failure, one of the most prestigious European journals in cardiology. I received a reply just three days after submission. I assumed it would be a rejection, as quick responses often are in the case of article submissions.
To my surprise, the email said the following:
Ref.: Ms. No. ESCHF-25-00635
Simple jugular venous assessment: a new approach to heart failure ESC Heart Failure
Dear Dr Kawasaki,
I am writing to say that your manuscript, Simple jugular venous assessment: a new approach to heart failure, has now been accepted for publication in the ESC Heart Failure. It will appear in the next available issue.
Please note that your manuscript will undergo an integrity check, that includes the images. Publication will only proceed on the condition that all final files comply with the journal integrity checks. In the event that any file does not comply with our integrity checks, the journal reserves the right to rescind this decision, or, alternatively, you may be contacted to resolve any concerns raised by these checks.
Thank you for submitting your excellent article to ESC Heart Failure.
Yours sincerely,
Jan Biegus, MD PhD
Deputy Editor-in-Chief
ESC Heart Failure
The letter was published just seven days after the reply—only ten days after my initial submission. I still can’t believe that the app was accepted by such a prestigious medical journal. To my knowledge, it is extremely rare for academic societies to accept and feature an app developed privately.
I am 100% confident that this app will help countless doctors and medical staff in the treatment of patients with heart failure. I’m looking forward to seeing the access report before and after the publication of my free educational app.
I never stop pushing forward, embracing my unique combination of roles: cardiologist, programmer, and passionate educator.