Cardiology CME Review Course

Cardiac Arrhythmias David E. Krummen, M.D. and Daniel G. Blanchard, M.D.  Describe the challenges of choosing among antiarrhythmic agents for bradycardia and tachycardia, based on rate, mechanism, and location.   Explain the differences between the 6 atrial fibrillation (AF) classifications and how most of them can progress to permanent status.   Differentiate between warfarin, enoxaparin, and aspirin therapy to appropriately care for patients with AF.   Discuss the pros and cons of implantable pacemaker usage for bradyarrhythmias.  Illustrate when catheter ablation can be effectivelyimplemented in clinical settings.

Cardiac Update 2009  J. Douglas Kirk, M.D. and Thomas S. Ahern, M.D.  Describe the attributes of an ideal cardiac marker.  Review the strengths and limitations of various cardiac markers.  Utilize the multimarker approach in the diagnosis of AMI.  Apply the guidelines recommended for cardiac marker testing.  Discuss the possible cardiac causes of syncope and palpitations.

Cardiovascular Disease:  Concepts in Management  Andrew D. Michaels, M.D., M.A.S. and Mohamed H. Hamdan, M.D.  Discuss findings of the Clinical Outcomes Utilizing Revascularization and Aggressive Drug Evaluation (COURAGE) trial and the COURAGE nuclear substudy.   Identify candidates for revascularization therapy.     Select rhythm control or rate control strategies for patients with AF, based on clinical findings and guidelines.  Explain detrimental effects of AF on cardiovascular health.   Select appropriate drug therapy for restoring rhythm.

Heartfelt Concerns William H. Spencer III, M.D. and Robert A. Vogel, M.D.  Describe general features of sudden death in HCM.  List risk factors for sudden cardiac death.  Evaluate patients for risk for sudden cardiac death, based on clinical findings.  Recommend healthy diet choices to reduce cardiovascular risk.  Counsel patients about health effects of physical activity, mental stress, and media. 

Heart Failure:  An Analysis of Management Options  Andrew Boyle, M.D. and Terrence X. O'Brien, M.D.  Discuss therapeutic targets and identify factors that affect prognosis of CHF.  Discuss therapeutic targets and identify factors that affect prognosis of CHF.  Initiate evidence-based medical therapy and discuss the role of device therapy for patients with CHF.  Detail the differential diagnosis for patients with hyponatremia.  Describe the role of volume overload in the cascade of events leading to onset and progression of CHF.

What's Eating You?  Food, Mood, and Cardiovascular Risk Sharon Alger–Mayer, M.D. and Alger–Mayer, M.D.  Describe the metabolic effects of leptin, ghrelin, and cortisol.  Assess sleep, stress, diet, and exercise levels before recommending lifestyle modification.   Help patients outline a successful diet and exercise plan.  Discuss the effects of different types of carbohydrates on gene expression in abdominal fat.  Explain cardiovascular benefits of phytochemicals such as resveratrol.

Pacemakers and Automatic Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Devices  Identify the indications for ICDs.  Explain the significance of pacemaker codes.   Recognize and discuss the mechanisms that cause pacemaker syndrome.  List the benefits of cardiac resynchronization therapy.  Plan appropriate perioperative management of patients with ICDs.

New Developments and Current Concerns In Cardiac Anesthesia  David L. Reich, M.D. and Michael A. E. Ramsay, M.D.  Choose the most appropriate method of monitoring brain activity during hypothermic arrest.  Prevent poor neurocognitive outcomes by choosing optimal cerebral protection strategies during hypo-thermic arrest.  Discuss the strength of evidence for or against various neuroprotective strategies used during thoracic aortic surgery.  Manage intraoperative or perioperative ST segment elevation.  Identify strategies for preventing ST segment elevation and associated myocardial infarction.

Endocrine Management/Perioperative Heart Failure  Anushirvan Minokadeh, M.D. and Ronald Dueck, M.D.  Diagnose stress-induced adrenal insufficiency and hyperglycemia.  Describe the management of each condition, including recommendations from the 2008 Surviving Sepsis guidelines and research on the use of intensive insulin therapy for treating stress-induced hyperglycemia.  Discuss the pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic management of heart failure.  Identify the etiology of most perioperative congestive heart failure.  Explain the importance of the preoperative examination for patients with heart failure.

Carotid Artery Disease  Anthony J. Comerota, M.D. and William M. Lee, M.D.  Identify patients at highest risk for stroke due to a carotid artery lesion.   Describe the evidence favoring early carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for patients with symptomatic carotid ar tery disease.  Discuss the basic principles of management of asymptomatic carotid artery disease.  Explain how evidence from the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial and the Asymp tomatic Carotid Atherosclerosis Study should influence the surgical management of patients with carotid ar tery disease.  List the major complications of CEA.

Possible Additional Courses Available

If you have taken the current course listed here or if you need additional Cardiology credits, please call 800-446-5599 and ask about new courses in stock that are not listed on the website.