Optimizing Outcomes in Ischemic Heart Disease Management: Issues and Answers

Credits: 2.00

Fee: None

Expiration Date: January 12, 2011

Multimedia: Audio/Video

The introduction to this CME activity notes that “accurate diagnosis and risk stratification are critical components of managing stable [ischemic heart disease; IHD], yet both may be complex and problematic… for a number of reasons, such as heterogeneity of initial manifestation, inability to recognize angina, and complexity of etiology.”

Because “the specific approach to risk stratification of the coronary disease patient can vary according to the phase of the disease in which the patient presents,” the need for “clinician assistance in risk stratification for identifying patients for coronary revascularization” has been recognized by the American College of Cardiology and other professional medical organizations.

The information provided by this program covers several topics and themes:

• Goals of effective treatment of stable IHD (ie, to prevent myocardial infarction and death, and to “reduce symptoms of angina and ischemia, with an aim of improving quality of life”)

• The changing state-of-the-art in management strategies and risk factor treatment goals

• New evidence from recent clinical trials (eg, COURAGE and BARI 2D) that has important implications for the management of patients with stable IHD

• New options for the pharmacologic management of IHD

Because “angina often persists in patients despite traditional antianginal therapy or after PCI, there exists a need for clinicians to recognize distinct hemodynamic, electrophysiologic, and metabolic effects of these new therapies, and assess their place in ischemia management.” Accordingly, this program describes “the need for accurate diagnosis and risk stratification of stable IHD patients, and interpret findings from COURAGE and BARI 2D;” reinforces the importance of managing myocardial ischemia; summarizes information about new antianginal therapies; and reviews the “diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment of patients with stable IHD.”

Faculty for this program are Prakash Deedwania, MD, professor of medicine at UCSF School of Medicine; Bernard Chaitman, MD, professor of medicine at St. Louis University School of Medicine; E. Magnus Ohman, MD, professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine; and Benjamin Scirica, MD, MPH, TIMI Study Group, Harvard Medical School; Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital

Click here to access this third-party online CME course.