UC Hosts 4th Annual Cardiovascular Disease Symposium

CINCINNATI—The University of Cincinnati’s Division of Cardiovascular Health and Disease is hosting the fourth annual Cardiovascular Disease for Primary Care and Specialists symposium Saturday, April 25, 2015, at Northern Kentucky University METS Center in Erlanger, Kentucky.

The event is an opportunity for physicians in primary care, family practice and internal medicine and cardiovascular disease physicians to obtain up-to-date practical information about the treatment and management of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure (including device therapies), cardiac imaging, structural heart disease and adult congenital heart disease.

The symposium is also beneficial for anesthesiologists, general surgeons, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other medical professionals.

"It’s highly valuable, not just for primary care physicians who are out in the community, but for clinicians in training, including internal medicine residents, nurse practitioners and physicians assistants in hospitals across the Tristate,” says Richard Becker, MD, director and physician-in-chief of the UC Heart, Lung and Vascular Institute. "The goal is to familiarize physicians, clinicians and trainees with screening methods, diagnostic modalities, practical management paradigms and emerging treatment options that promote high-level cardiovascular care.

"Our community clinicians are a vital component of a continuum for patient care and their ability to recognize individuals at risk and those with even subtle signs or symptoms of cardiovascular disease is the key to subsequently making a diagnosis and optimizing patient outcomes,” adds Becker.

The fee for the event is $25. The activity has been approved for 6 AMA PRA Category 1 credit (s) through the University of Cincinnati Continuing Medical Education Office.

All clinicians in a variety of settings can often play an important role in diagnosing cardiovascular disease, says Gregory Rouan, MD, Gordon and Helen Hughes Taylor Professor of Medicine and Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at UC.

"In many people with occult (not readily detectable) heart disease, the first chance to make that diagnosis is when they see a primary care, emergency or subspecialty physician,” says Rouan. "Often, they may present with discomfort in the chest, non-specific symptoms to include dizzy spells, palpitations or other symptoms that alert a physician that there is a problem, especially in women or diabetic patients. The more knowledgeable our non-cardiologists are, the better able they are to make referrals.”

The symposium includes presentations from University of Cincinnati faculty members including: Louis B. Louis IV, MD, associate professor of surgery and UC Health cardiac surgeon; Ann Romaker, MD, associate professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine; Gruschen Veldtman, MD, professor of pediatrics and director of inpatient ACHD Services at the Cincinnati Children’s Heart Institute; Mouhamad Abdallah, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Cardiovascular Health and Disease and UC Health interventional cardiologist; and Mehran Attari, MD, associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and UC Health cardiac electrophysiologist.

Other presenters include: David Feldman, MD, professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiovascular Health and Disease and UC Health cardiac surgeon; David Harris, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Cardiovascular Health and Disease and UC Health cardiologist; Charles Hattemer, MD, professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and UC Health interventional cardiologist; Hanan Kerr, MD, associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and UC Health cardiologist; and Robert O’Donnell, MD, associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for meaningful interactions with physicians in the community and the chance to share our thoughts and expertise while also learning from the audience what is needed and what we, as a cardiovascular and pulmonary institute, can do to better serve our patients in the Tristate,” says Alexandru Costea, MD, associate professor in the UC Department of Internal Medicine, and organizer of the symposium.

"This year’s schedule is a very exciting one, as we have several new prominent faculty members who will present very original and novel topics,” says Costea, also a UC Health cardiac electrophysiologist. "We incorporated suggestions and requests from our colleagues who attended previous conferences in this year's sessions and strived to make the format as interactive as possible.”

For more information including registration please visit www.regonline.com/UCCardiologyPrimaryCare2015 or contact Eva Meunier at eva.meunier@uc.edu.