CardioLearn: an interactive R shiny application for foundational cardiology education

Introduction Understanding the fundamental basics of cardiology remains a persistent challenge for students. Traditional methods often fail to present these concepts clearly. To address this educational gap, we developed CardioLearn, an interactive application designed to facilitate active learning in cardiology. The tool integrates anatomical visualisation, temporal simulations, and clinically oriented problem-solving exercises, offering a learner-centred approach to support conceptual understanding and application. Methods CardioLearn is an open-source, web-based application developed in R utilising the Shiny framework, along with the shinythemes and other packages. The platform comprises four interactive modules: a Cardiac Cycle Explorer, featuring an annotated Wiggers diagram to visualise pressure-volume relationships; a Quiz Module for self-assessment of the fundamentals of cardiology; a 3D Heart Model that highlights left atrial dynamics in response to user-controlled left ventricular function parameters; and a Clinical Cases module presenting scenario-based exercises to support diagnostic reasoning skills. Results CardioLearn features a user-friendly interface, guiding users through four distinct modules. The Cardiac Cycle module enables phase-by-phase exploration of the cardiac cycle, with each phase visually highlighted on a Wiggers diagram accompanied by descriptive annotations. The Quiz Module reinforces active recall through multiple-choice questions, providing feedback to support knowledge retention. The 3D Heart Model displays a visualisation of the left atrium in which users can manipulate left ventricular function parameters and left atrial phase to conceptualise changes in atrial size, blood flow, and valve dynamics. The Clinical Cases module presents structured scenarios that integrate key diagnostic elements, encouraging the application of cardiology principles to real-world clinical scenarios. Conclusion CardioLearn is an accessible, interactive educational tool designed to supplement the traditional medical student curriculum. It converges visual, conceptual and applied learning modalities, improving understanding and engagement among medical students. CardioLearn addresses a pertinent educational gap in the knowledge of core cardiology concepts using an active, learner-centred approach.