ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION

There is a growing appreciation that multiple interrelated risk factors predispose patients to develop cardiovascular disease and related comorbidities such as renal disease, diabetes, and cerebrovascular disease. Findings have shown that it is more important to manage the patient’s overall absolute disease risk than to focus on any single isolated risk factor. To accomplish this, it will be necessary to identify and weigh contributing risk factors, then integrate them into a global risk assessment metric.

Five of the nation’s leading specialists will probe the concept of global risk assessment during this stimulating and fast-moving forum. The panel will provide differing perspectives on such questions and issues as:

• How can specialists work together to effectively manage patients with high absolute CVD risk?
• Can multiple risk factors be controlled with a single treatment that produces concomitant benefits? What combination therapies might achieve this?
• What are the possible therapeutic strategies to meet the challenges of effectively managing patients with critical CVD risk factors?
• How can comprehensive and aggressive treatment be implemented? Who should lead and coordinate the effort?

The Puzzle of Cardiovascular Disease and Metabolic Risk will present a provocative appraisal of current treatment modalities and panel members will provide practical recommendations on ways the medical community might progress toward a global risk assessment metric and appropriate therapeutic strategies.

TARGET AUDIENCE

This program is for cardiologists, primary care physicians, and other healthcare professionals who treat patients suffering from, or at risk for, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and comorbid conditions.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this educational activity, it is intended that the participant will be able to:

• Review the disparities in the management of metabolic risk between clinical practice in the treatment of CVD in patients with various risk factors or comorbidities, and guidelines
• Discuss the emerging definitions of hypertension in the context of CVD, particularly the growing emphasis of the importance of assessing the absolute CVD risk of a patient, rather than any single risk factor in isolation when determining management strategies
• Examine definitions of global risk, particularly the metabolic syndrome and their applicability to practice
• Describe the need for multi-specialty understanding and multiple treatments in the effective management of patients with high absolute CVD risk associated with major risk factors of hypertension, diabetes, proteinuria, dyslipidemia

ACCREDITATION

The Potomac Center for Medical Education is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

CME CREDIT

The Potomac Center for Medical Education designated this educational activity for a maximum of 2 category 1 credits toward the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those credits that he / she actually spent in the activity.

DISCLOSURE

Potomac Center for Medical Education (PCME) adheres to guidelines of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and all other professional organizations, as applicable, stating those activities where continuing education credits are awarded must be balanced, independent, objective, and scientifically rigorous. All faculty in a position to control the content of a continuing medical education program sponsored by the Potomac Center for Medical Education are required to disclose any
relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest. All conflicts are identified and resolved by PCME in advance of delivery of the activity to learners.

Philip B. Gorelick, MD MPH FACP

Consultant Agreements:
NPS, Eisai/Pfizer, Searle/Lorex, Roche Laboratories, Ketchum, AstraZeneca, Glaxo Wellcome, Warner-Lambert, Baxter, Rand, Solvay Pharmaceutical, Consumer Healthcare Products Association, Janssen, Res Med, Pharmacia, Novartis, Cephalon, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Wyeth, Bayer, Merck, decode Genetics, Novartis, ALZA Mdical Supply for NIH NS33430: Roche Laboratories, Bayer

Speakers Bureaus:
Janssen/Excerpta Medica, DuPont, Roche Laboratories, Bristol Meyers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Medical Economics

Thought Leader Panel:
Weinberg Group

Steven Haffner, MD

Consultant Agreements:
Merck & Co., GlaxoSmithKline.

Speakers’ Bureaus:
Merck & Co., GlaxoSmithKline.

Suzanne Oparil, MD

No relationships to disclose.

Sidney C. Smith, Jr., MD

Consultant Agreements:
Merck & Co., Sanofi-Aventis, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline

Speaker’s Bureau:
Sanofi Aventis

Honoraria as member of DSMV:
Sankyo

Minor stock ownership:
Pfizer, Schering-Plough.

Matthew R. Weir, MD

Honoraria:
Novartis, MSD, BMS/Sanofi-Synthelabo.