The goal of this symposium is to provide healthcare professionals and students with a comprehensive and contemporary review of fundamental principles of cardiovascular diseases and in-depth coverage of selected cardiovascular topics. Hence, allowing them to improve their clinical knowledge and skills related to cardiovascular diseases After completion of the program, participants will be able to:
- Describe the difference between patients with heart failure with reduced (systolic dysfunction) and preserved ejection fraction (diastolic dysfunction)and how each is diagnosed.
- Delineate the role that the various neurohomormes and catecholamines play in the pathophysiology of heart failure.
- Define stroke volume, CI, CO, EF, preload and afterload.
- Given a patient with acute decompensated heart failure, provide the appropriate Forrester hemodynamic subset.
- Apply the documented benefits regarding the efficacy of the vasodilators, ACE inhibitors/ARBs, digoxin, diuretics, beta blockers, aldosterone antagonists, ivabradine, and the angiotensin-receptor/neprilysin inhibitors.
- Given a patient with systolic (HFrEF) or diastolic (HFpEF) dysfunction, provide recommendations on initiation (drug and dose) for acute pharmacotherapy.
- Given a patient with systolic (HFrEF) or diastolic (HFpEF), provide specific goals for pharmacotherapy.
- Assess the role of anticoagulation and statin therapy in patients with chronic heart failure.
- Given a patient with acute heart failure, provide self-care education regarding their heart failure management.
- Define Acute Coronary Syndrome, distinguishing between NSTEMI and STEMI from the standpoint of patient presentation, EKG and biomarker changes.
- Discuss the differences between a stable and unstable plaque.
- Describe how the TIMI risk score (or similar scores) help define patient risk and help determine treatment strategy.
- Describe the different forms of coronary revascularization and their different roles.
- Explain how to instruct a patient to alter their risk factors for ischemic heart disease.
- Identify which patient populations are most likely to benefit from urgent PCI .
- Explain the mechanism of action, indication, adverse effects, monitoring parameters for safety and efficacy, and contraindications for each of the following drug classes used in the treatment of UA/NSTEMI and STEMI
- Based on primary literature Identify which agents reduce mortality in the treatment of UA/NSTE-ACS and STEMI.
- Select and recommend an appropriate antithrombotic and antiplatelet regimen in the acute management of UA/NSTEMI and STEMI.
- Identify relative and absolute contraindications for using fibrinolytic therapy in the management of STEMI.
- Given a patient-specific scenario, design an appropriate acute and chronic drug regimen for the management of UA/NSTEMI and STEMI.
- Discuss strategies to optimize the use of selected antiarrhythmic agents with respect to dosing, serum drug concentration monitoring, monitoring of adverse affects and drug interactions.
- Given a patient with acute atrial fibrillation (afib), design a pharmaceutical care plan for the acute treatment of afib for rate and rhythm control as well as anticoagulation strategies,
- Given a patient with ventricular arrhythmias, design a pharmaceutical care plan to acutely treat the patient.
- Describe the Classifications of Pulmonary Hypertension (PH).
- Compare current guidelines for treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH).
- Compare and contrast the available therapies for PAH.
- Given a patient with PH, develop a specific therapeutic plan to improve both morbidity and mortality.
