Course Overview
The American Heart Association reports that cardiovascular disease claims 2,600 lives each day in the United States. Over the past decade, physicians and scientists have worked feverishly to find ways to combat the various physiological risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease. This enduring material features lectures by distinguished faculty, providing up-to-date information on the current status and future direction of cardiovascular medicine and surgery. Faculty members highlight recent progress in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease, as well as assess new therapeutic modalities.

Educational Objectives
The intended result of this activity is increased knowledge. At the conclusion of this program, participants will be able to

• Discuss recent scientific advances in lipid management and the use of statins for acute and chronic coronary artery disease.
• Review newer pharmacologic platforms for ST elevation MI.
• Describe advances in the medical and interventional treatment of unstable angina and non-Q wave MI.
• Determine the appropriate use of CT and MRI/MRA for diagnosing cardiovascular disease.
• Summarize recent findings of clinical trials and their indications for current and future medical therapy for heart failure.
• Discuss latest findings related to pathogenesis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and its treatment.
• Recognize the potential therapeutic options with stem cell therapy for cardiovascular disease including congestive heart failure.
• Highlight new advances in electrophysiology, including biventricular pacing, defibrillation, and ablation.
• Explain the role of inflammation and inflammatory markers in the current view of atherosclerotic disease.
• Discuss how genes are being used to identify patients at risk for premature MIs.
• Address ways nanotechnology can be used in the future to enhance diagnostic imaging.

Target Audience
This enduring material is intended for cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, and clinical researchers.

Evaluation / Feedback
We value your comments; please send your suggestions and comments to the office of continuing medical education at the Texas Heart Institute.

Accreditation Statement
Texas Heart Institute is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Texas Heart Institute no longer designates this educational activity for credit.

The estimated time to complete this activity, including review of the materials is 3 hours.

Term of Approval
April 2006 through April 2009. Original release date: April 27, 2006.

Peer Review
In March 2006, this continuing medical education activity was reviewed by James J. Ferguson III, MD, FACC—Associate Director, Clinical Cardiology Research, THI; Co-Chairman, Medical Education Committee, THI; Chairman, Research Committee, THI. Houston, TX.

Disclosure of Relationships
Each Faculty disclosure statement is posted in the individual slide presentation.

It is the intent of the Texas Heart Institute to assure that its educational mission and its continuing medical activities in particular, should not be influenced by the special interests of individuals associated with its program.  The Institute’s policy requires that the activity director, planning committee, and faculty disclose all relationships with commercial interests.  Faculty is also required to disclose any discussion of unlabeled use or investigational use of pharmaceutical and medical device products. When discussing therapeutic options, the presenter should use generic names.  If it is necessary to use a trade name, then those of several companies should be used.

In accordance with the guidelines of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, these faculty members have disclosed in their presentations any relationships with the manufacturers of commercial products discussed or with the corporate organizations offering educational grants for this continuing medical education activity.

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