Best Cardiology Journals (2026): Ranked by Impact and Accessibility
Ranked list of the top 12 cardiology journals by scope fit, selectivity, APC, and review speed, covering EHJ, JACC, Circulation and specialty venues for imaging, electrophysiology, and heart failure research.
Readiness scan
Which cardiology journal fits your draft?
Run the Free Readiness Scan with your draft to see fit, framing, and desk-reject risk against the leading cardiology venues.
Quick answer: Cardiology is one of the highest-impact medical specialties, with large clinical trials, device studies, and interventional research generating enormous citation volumes.
The journal landscape is dominated by three powerhouses (EHJ, JACC, Circulation), but the field has dozens of strong specialty journals covering everything from arrhythmias to structural heart disease to basic cardiovascular science.
Choosing the right cardiology journal means understanding where your study type fits, not just chasing the highest IF.
Before picking from the cardiology journals below, run a cardiology manuscript fit check to see whether your draft is closer to a top-tier or accessible-tier target before you commit to a submission.
Evidence basis
Evidence basis: Reviewed September 11, 2026. We used current journal scope and author pages to distinguish broad cardiovascular claims from subspecialty decisions, then tested the manuscript route against population, intervention, comparator, outcome, external validation, and clinical consequence. Official journal sources control live policy and metrics; the Manusights routing judgment is not an acceptance forecast. Hold a flagship target when the sample is narrow, the endpoint is surrogate-only, or the result does not change a cardiovascular decision.
Start with this manuscript center | Route first to |
|---|---|
Broad clinical decision or practice consequence | EHJ, Circulation, or JACC fit checks |
One technique, modality, rhythm, or intervention | The corresponding specialist journal family |
Mechanism with demonstrated cardiovascular consequence | Circulation Research or another mechanism-led owner |
When should you choose European Heart Journal?
Choose EHJ when the evidence could change cardiovascular practice or policy across countries and subspecialties. Think twice when the practical consequence belongs mainly to one technique or service line.
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Free guide
A ranked list cannot tell you where your own paper belongs.
The guide runs the last-ten-papers test, which is reading what a journal has actually published recently and asking whether your paper would sit comfortably beside it. Then you score each candidate 0 to 2 on fit, and let impact factor break ties rather than start the decision.
When should you choose Circulation?
Choose Circulation for clinically consequential cardiovascular science with a broad mechanistic or practice case. Route a technically excellent but narrow imaging, rhythm, or intervention paper to the corresponding specialist community.
When should you choose JACC?
Choose JACC when the result is directly relevant to how cardiologists diagnose, select, treat, or monitor patients. Hold if the clinical claim outruns the comparator, follow-up, or external validation.
When should you choose Circulation Research?
Choose Circulation Research when mechanism is the main contribution and the cardiovascular relevance is experimentally demonstrated. A clinical association without mechanistic leverage needs a clinical or epidemiology venue.
When should you choose Journal of the American Heart Association?
Choose JAHA when rigorous cardiovascular research benefits from broad open access and the contribution is clear without requiring flagship-level generality. Verify current article type and fee information on the official site.
Cardiology venue-routing matrix
Primary evidence | Broad flagship case | Better specialist route when... |
|---|---|---|
Multicenter clinical trial | Changes practice across cardiology | The intervention belongs to one subspecialty |
Device or procedure study | Alters patient selection or outcomes broadly | Technical performance is the main contribution |
Imaging or AI study | Changes a clinical decision with external validation | Method performance lacks clinical-action evidence |
Mechanistic study | Connects biology to cardiovascular disease consequence | The work is mainly basic or molecular |
Registry or observational study | Answers a field-level treatment or policy question | Confounding limits the broad claim |
Use this matrix before comparing JIFs. In cardiology, a specialist journal can deliver a more concentrated clinical audience when the decision is specific to electrophysiology, imaging, intervention, prevention, or heart failure.
Top Cardiology Journals Ranked
Rank | Journal | IF (2024) | Acceptance | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | European Heart Journal | ~45.3 | ~8-10% | ESC guidelines, European clinical trials, imaging |
2 | Circulation | ~41.3 | ~8-10% | AHA flagship, vascular + cardiac, translational |
3 | JACC | ~22.3 | ~8-10% | Interventional, structural, ACC guidelines |
4 | Circulation Research | ~18 | ~15% | Basic + translational CV science |
5 | European Heart Journal - Digital Health | ~5.3 | ~25% | Digital cardiology, AI in CV |
6 | JAHA (Journal of the AHA) | ~5.3 | ~30% | Broad-scope OA cardiovascular |
7 | Heart | ~4.4 | ~20% | UK/international clinical cardiology |
8 | Open Heart | ~3.1 | ~40% | Fully OA, growing reputation |
Elite tier
These journals publish the trials that change clinical practice guidelines. Large RCTs, landmark registries, and practice-defining meta-analyses live here. Use this tier only when the population, comparator, endpoint, follow-up, and external validity support a broad cardiovascular decision rather than a subspecialty claim.
1. European Heart Journal
EHJ is the journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and consistently ranks as the top or second-top cardiology journal. It publishes clinical trials, ESC guidelines, and translational cardiovascular research. EHJ has a particularly strong position in European cardiology, but its reach is fully global.
EHJ also publishes substantial imaging, biomarker, and digital health research. If your paper uses advanced imaging to inform clinical decisions, EHJ is receptive.
Acceptance rate: ~8-10%. APC: None (hybrid OA). Review time: 4-6 weeks. Scope: Clinical cardiology, cardiovascular trials, ESC guidelines, imaging, biomarkers.
2. Circulation
Circulation is the flagship journal of the American Heart Association (AHA). It publishes clinical and translational cardiovascular research, AHA scientific statements, and landmark clinical trials. Circulation's scope includes both cardiac and vascular medicine, so stroke, peripheral artery disease, and vascular biology all fit.
Circulation has several companion journals (Circulation Research, Circulation: Heart Failure, etc.) that editors use as cascade targets. A rejection from the main journal can sometimes be redirected within the AHA family.
Acceptance rate: ~8-10%. APC: None (hybrid OA). Review time: 4-8 weeks. Scope: Clinical cardiology, vascular medicine, AHA statements, cardiovascular trials.
3. Journal of the American College of Cardiology
JACC is the journal of the ACC and a dominant force in interventional cardiology, structural heart disease, and clinical cardiology trials. JACC publishes practice-changing trials, expert consensus documents, and the ACC/AHA clinical guidelines.
JACC has a family of specialty journals (JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions, JACC: Heart Failure, JACC: Imaging, JACC: Electrophysiology) that provide excellent cascade options within the ACC ecosystem.
Acceptance rate: ~8-10%. APC: None (hybrid OA). Review time: 4-6 weeks. Scope: Clinical cardiology, interventional, structural, imaging, ACC guidelines.
4. Circulation Research
Circulation Research (AHA) is the top basic cardiovascular science journal. If your paper is about vascular biology, cardiac myocyte physiology, or molecular mechanisms of cardiovascular disease, Circ Res is the premier venue. It bridges basic and translational research, expecting both mechanistic depth and disease relevance.
Acceptance rate: ~10-12%. APC: None (hybrid OA). Review time: 4-8 weeks. Scope: Cardiovascular basic science, vascular biology, cardiac physiology, translational research.
Strong tier
These journals publish excellent cardiology research without requiring practice-changing trial data. Observational studies, device evaluations, and focused clinical questions find strong homes here.
5. European Heart Journal: Cardiovascular Imaging
EHJ-CVI is the ESC's imaging journal and the top venue for echocardiography, cardiac MRI, cardiac CT, and nuclear cardiology research. If your paper's primary contribution is an imaging finding or imaging technique validation, this journal's specialized readership will evaluate it more fairly than a generalist cardiology journal.
Acceptance rate: ~15%. APC: None (hybrid OA). Review time: 4-8 weeks. Scope: All cardiovascular imaging modalities.
6. JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions
JACC-CVI covers percutaneous coronary intervention, structural heart procedures, and catheter-based therapies. If your paper is about PCI outcomes, TAVR, MitraClip, or other interventional procedures, this is the top specialty venue. Registry data and real-world evidence are well-received here.
Acceptance rate: ~15%. APC: None (hybrid OA). Review time: 4-6 weeks. Scope: Interventional cardiology, structural heart, catheter-based therapy.
7. JACC: Heart Failure
JACC: Heart Failure is the top specialty journal for heart failure research. It publishes trials, observational studies, and translational research focused specifically on HF pathophysiology, treatment, and outcomes. If heart failure is your paper's focus, this specialized audience will appreciate the depth.
Acceptance rate: ~15%. APC: None (hybrid OA). Review time: 4-6 weeks. Scope: Heart failure trials, HF pathophysiology, mechanical circulatory support, transplantation.
Accessible tier
These journals publish good cardiology research at attainable selectivity levels. Single-center studies, pilot data, and focused clinical questions find appropriate audiences. The practical advantage is audience concentration: a narrower venue can reach the clinicians who own the decision without requiring a flagship-level generality claim.
8. Heart Rhythm
Heart Rhythm is the journal of the Heart Rhythm Society and the top venue for cardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmia research. Ablation studies, device trials (pacemakers, ICDs), and arrhythmia mechanisms all belong here.
Acceptance rate: ~15-20%. APC: None (hybrid OA). Review time: 4-6 weeks. Scope: Electrophysiology, arrhythmias, ablation, cardiac devices.
9. Heart (BMJ)
Heart (published by BMJ) is a solid general cardiology journal with a UK and European focus. It publishes clinical research, imaging studies, and evidence-based cardiology reviews. Heart is less selective than EHJ or JACC but well-respected, and it provides a practical home for solid clinical cardiology research.
Acceptance rate: ~15-20%. APC: None (hybrid OA). Review time: 4-6 weeks. Scope: General clinical cardiology, imaging, prevention.
10. International Journal of Cardiology
IJC (Elsevier) is a large-volume cardiology journal with broad scope. It accepts a wide range of study types, from small clinical series to epidemiological studies to basic science. The acceptance rate is relatively generous for technically sound work.
Acceptance rate: ~25-30%. APC: None (hybrid OA). Review time: 4-8 weeks. Scope: All cardiology, broad scope, international.
11. Journal of the American Heart Association
JAHA is the AHA's open-access, broad-scope journal. It publishes cardiovascular and cerebrovascular research across clinical, translational, and population science. JAHA's acceptance rate is more forgiving than the AHA's flagship journals, and the open-access format provides global visibility.
Acceptance rate: ~25%. APC: $2,500. Review time: 4-6 weeks. Scope: Broad cardiovascular research, open access.
12. Open Heart (BMJ)
Open Heart is BMJ's open-access cardiology journal. It publishes clinical cardiology, cardiac surgery, and cardiovascular medicine research with an accessible threshold. For papers that are sound but don't claim to be practice-changing, Open Heart provides quick, transparent publication.
Acceptance rate: ~30-35%. APC: $2,365. Review time: 3-6 weeks. Scope: All cardiology, open access, cardiac surgery.
Decision framework
If your paper is a large clinical trial with outcome data, start with EHJ, Circulation, or JACC. All three want practice-changing evidence. EHJ and Circulation have the highest IFs, JACC is slightly more accessible.
If your paper is interventional or structural heart, JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions is the specialty venue. EuroPCR/TCT trial presentations often land here.
If your paper is an imaging study, EHJ: Cardiovascular Imaging is the most focused target. JACC: Imaging is the ACC-family equivalent.
If your paper is about heart failure, JACC: Heart Failure is the specialty home. Circulation: Heart Failure (AHA) is the alternative.
If your paper is electrophysiology or arrhythmia research, Heart Rhythm is the top specialty journal. Europace (ESC) is the European alternative.
If your paper is basic cardiovascular science, Circulation Research is the premier venue. Cardiovascular Research (ESC) is a strong alternative.
If you need open-access publication, JAHA provides good prestige-to-accessibility balance. Open Heart is more accessible but lower IF.
Common mistakes cardiology researchers make when choosing journals
Submitting specialty data to generalist journals. An electrophysiology paper won't get fair review at EHJ or JACC unless it has extremely broad implications. Heart Rhythm reviewers understand EP terminology and will evaluate your ablation data properly.
Ignoring the society journal advantage. EHJ (ESC), JACC (ACC), and Circulation (AHA) are society journals. Members get email alerts for new publications, which drives readership. Publishing in your society's journal means your colleagues at the annual meeting have already seen your work.
Confusing Circulation and Circulation Research. Circulation publishes clinical research. Circulation Research publishes basic science. Submitting a clinical trial to Circ Res, or a vascular biology study to Circulation, causes immediate desk rejection.
Not using the cascade system. JACC has JACC: Interventions, JACC: Heart Failure, JACC: Imaging, and JACC: Electrophysiology. Circulation has Circ: Heart Failure, Circ: Arrhythmia and EP, and others. If the flagship rejects you, stay in the family.
Overwriting the clinical significance. Cardiology editors are practicing doctors. They can tell when a statistical difference isn't clinically meaningful. Framing a 2mmHg blood pressure reduction as a breakthrough will get your paper rejected, and may annoy the editor.
Get your manuscript ready
Before submitting to any cardiology journal, run your manuscript through a manuscript readiness and scope check to check formatting, CONSORT/STROBE compliance, and reference accuracy. Cardiology journals are strict about trial reporting standards, and a pre-submission scan prevents desk rejection over fixable formatting issues.
How to choose from this list
- Match scope precisely. A cardiology paper on clinical outcomes fits different journals than one on mechanisms.
- Check your constraints. Funder OA mandates, APC budgets, and timeline requirements all narrow the list.
- Prioritize your audience. The best journal is where researchers who should cite your work actually read.
- Be realistic about selectivity. If acceptance is <10%, have your backup journal identified before submitting.
Frequently asked questions
The top three are European Heart Journal (IF ~45.3, broad clinical cardiology), Journal of the American College of Cardiology (IF ~22.3, clinical trials and guidelines), and Circulation (IF ~38, AHA flagship). EHJ and Circulation compete closely for the top spot depending on the year.
In cardiology, an IF above 20 is elite, 8-20 is strong, and 3-8 is solid and accessible. Cardiology has high citation rates, so even mid-tier cardiology journals often carry IFs above 5.
Yes. JACC has OA options, and European Heart Journal: Open (new companion journal) provides OA within the ESC family. Open Heart (BMJ) is fully OA with growing reputation. JAHA (AHA) provides broad-scope OA cardiovascular publishing.
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