CME Instructions
CME Reviews: Volume 30, No. 3
Release date: June 16, 2014
Expiration date: June 16, 2015
Media used: Internet-based
Estimated time to complete this CME activity: 1 hour
Statement of Need
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States. It is estimated that 83 million American adults have 1 or more forms of CVD. New agents, procedures, and interventions have improved patient outcomes with decreased mortality and morbidity rates. However, as the population ages and as younger adults are developing comorbidities due to unhealthy lifestyles, the patient population at risk for cardiovascular events is increasing.
Care for patients with CVD has become increasingly complex, and community-based cardiologists often struggle to stay up-to-date with the volume of new data. The overall goals of this publication are to provide timely and pertinent original research articles that review current guidelines, practices, and new developments in the field of cardiovascular medicine. The publication also emphasizes preventing CVD by modifying risk factors through such strategies as healthy eating, regular exercise, and avoidance of smoking.
Target Audience
The target audience for this activity is cardiologists.
CME Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:
- Assess the findings of Sherwood and colleagues’ study of transfusion in patients undergoing PCI and how the data apply to transfusion strategies for individual patients.
- Compare and contrast the outcomes of mitral valve repair versus mitral valve replacement in the study by Acker et al in the treatment of ischemic mitral regurgitation.
- Consider the evidence from the Digitalis Investigation Group and other trials on digoxin and whether digoxin should be reconsidered in patients with worsening heart failure.
- Analyze the evidence from Stefanini and colleagues’ trial of newer-generation drug-eluting stents in women.
- Assess the evidence on the association between anger and cardiovascular events.
Financial Disclosure
As a sponsor accredited by the ACCME, it is the policy of Physicians’ Education Resource®, LLC (PER®), to require the disclosure of anyone who is in a position to control the content of an educational activity. All relevant financial relationships with any commercial interests and/or manufacturers must be disclosed to participants prior to the beginning of each CME activity. PER® has identified and resolved all conflicts of interest prior to the release of this activity.
Off-Label Disclosure and Disclaimer
This CME activity may or may not discuss investigational, unapproved, or off-label use of drugs. Participants are advised to consult prescribing information for any products discussed. The information provided in this CME activity is for continuing medical education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical judgment of a physician relative to diagnostic and treatment options for a specific patient’s medical condition.
Sources of Funding
No educational grants from commercial interests were received.
Instructions for Receiving Credit
In order to receive a CME certificate for this activity, participants must
- Take the pretest and record their answers online at www.cardiology-review.com.
- Read each review.
- Take the posttest and record their answers online at www.cardiology-review.com. A passing score of 70% or higher is required to obtain a CME certificate.
- Complete the CME activity evaluation at www.cardiology-review.com. Participants can immediately download their CME certificates upon successful passing of the posttest and completion of the CME activity evaluation.
Accreditation and Designation of Credit
Physicians’ Education Resource®, LLC is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Physicians’ Education Resource®, LLC, designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Faculty
Editor-in-Chief
Debabrata Mukherjee, MD, MS, FACC
Chief, Cardiovascular Medicine
Clinical and Research Fellow
Vice Chairman, Department of Internal Medicine
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
El Paso, TX
Aparna M. Bhagavat, MD, FACC
Noninvasive Cardiologist
San Mateo Multispecialty Physicians Group
San Mateo County Hospital
San Mateo, CA
Pareena Bilkoo, MD, FACC
Interventional Cardiologist
Director, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory
East Georgia Regional Medical Center
Statesboro, GA
Leslie A. Campbell, MD
Director, Advanced Heart Failure & Transplant
Barry S. Levin, M.D. Department of Transplantation
California Pacific Medical Center
San Francisco, CA
Nezar Falluji, MD, MPH, FACC, FSCAI
Interventional Cardiologist
Executive Director, Kentucky One Health
Cardiovascular Service Line
Co-director, Transcatheter Valve Program
Saint Joseph Heart and Vascular Institute
Lexington, KY
Diana Fancher, DNP, MBA, RN
Chief Nursing Officer
University Medical Center of El Paso
El Paso, TX
Icilma Fergus, MD, FACC
Associate Professor of Medicine
Director, Cardiovascular Disparities
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
New York, NY
Harold L. Lazar, MD
Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Boston University School of Medicine
Boston, MA
The following individuals have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose:
Authors: Aparna M. Bhagavat, MD, FACC; Pareena Bilkoo, MD, FACC; Leslie A. Campbell, MD; Nezar Falluji, MD, MPH, FACC, FSCAI; Diana Fancher, DNP, MBA, RN; Icilma Fergus, MD, FACC; Harold L. Lazar, MD.
Planner, reviewer, and editor-in-chief: Debabrata Mukherjee, MD, MS, FACC
PER planners and staff: Megan O’Connell; Emily Valko
Cardiology Review staff: Bea Riemschneider; Jackie Syrop
Provider Contact Information:
Physicians’ Education Resource®, LLC
666 Plainsboro Road, Suite 356
Plainsboro, NJ 08536
Toll Free: 888-949-0045
Local: 609-378-3701
Fax: 609-257-0705
