Management of Cardiovascular Risk Factors:
Evidence-based Practice and Approaches
Click here to view Dr. Taylor's Lecture (Flash)
Overview
According to the American Heart Association, more than 1 million Americans will suffer a first or recurrent coronary event in 2007, and nearly 500,000 of these will result in death. Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women, and its prevalence increases with age. Despite known lifestyle changes and risk-factor modification with pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies, many patients are still at risk for a cardiac occurrence.
Cholesterol management is a cornerstone of therapy for patients at risk for heart-related events, with the focus of interventions aimed at reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations. The reduction of LDL-C has been proven to have a significant impact in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with cardiac disease. In addition to LDL-C reduction, results from the Framingham Heart Study and other trials have demonstrated that event risk is also independently associated with varying concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C).
Growing evidence from cardiac imaging studies suggests that raising HDL-C may retard atherosclerotic progression, and several outcomes trials have indicated that raising HDL-C levels may reduce the incidence of cardiac events.
The cardiac imaging procedures most utilized by clinicians today to evaluate atherosclerotic plaque burden include: 1) computed tomography scans for calcium scoring, 2) intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to measure intima-media thickness (IMT), and 3) carotid ultrasound to measure carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). The growing understanding of the use of these tools in detecting disease, as well as for selecting and monitoring interventions, will help physicians and specialists optimize therapy for many patients at risk for heart disease.
Educational Objectives
After completing this activity, participants should be better able to
- Discuss the epidemiology of heart disease, relevant modifiable risk factors, and treatment approaches
- Differentiate the biologic roles of both LDL-C and HDL-C in terms of their impact on atherosclerotic burden
- Recognize the importance of HDL-C as an independent CV risk factor
- Identify the cardiac imaging tools (e.g., IVUS, CIMT) used to assess atherosclerotic burden and their clinical relevance in selecting and monitoring patients at risk for CV disease.
- Summarize therapeutic approaches to the management of patients with multiple types of dyslipidemias
Speaker
Allen J. Taylor, MD
Chief of Cardiology, Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Washington, DC
Professor of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences
Bethesda, Maryland
CME Presentation
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
George Washington University Hospital
Room 6-117
Supporters
This program is jointly sponsored by: Excellence in Medical Education and Postgraduate Institute for Medicine
The activity is supported by an educational grant from Pfizer, Inc.
