Intervention & Prevention: Keeping Current with Acute Coronary Syndrome - Journal Club (Issue #2)

Program Description:

Although there have been advances in treatment, the incidence, morbidity, and mortality associated with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remain significant. Therapy for ACS utilizes a combination of surgical interventions (including percutaneous coronary interventions [PCI]) and pharmacotherapy, with antiplatelet agents playing an essential role. There may be significant risks with these interventions, during the procedure itself and in the months and years following. Ischemic events can continue to occur, despite the use of either standard antiplatelet therapy or variations in dosages and combinations of agents.

According to an editorial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, a physician would need to read nearly 20 articles per day, 365 days a year, to maintain current knowledge in general internal medicine. The value of the Acute Coronary Syndrome Journal Club resides in its ability to summarize and synthesize key scientific advances and clinical lessons from the literature, and offer commentary and insight from recognized experts in the field of treating ACS, who can explain the implications of the latest research findings and clinical trials for day-to-day patient care.

Activity Objectives:

After taking part in this educational activity, participants will be better able to:

• Discuss current approaches to the management of patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), particularly those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)
• Review the current guidelines of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions regarding use of dual antiplatelet therapy to prevent myocardial infarction and death in patients following PCI
• Describe the concept of thienopyridine “resistance,” and explain its potential implications for secondary prevention in patients post-ACS
• Evaluate emerging options for antiplatelet therapy post-ACS, including new thienopyridines, non-thienopyridines, and other agents, taking into consideration their safety, efficacy, and mechanisms of action

Faculty:

E. Scott Monrad, MD
Course Director
Professor of Clinical Medicine
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Director, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory
Einstein Division, Montefiore Medical Center
Bronx, NY

James A. de Lemos, MD
Program Chair
Associate Professor
Internal Medicine – Cardiology
Southwestern Medical School
Cardiology Division
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, TX

Kenneth W. Mahaffey, MD
Department of Medicine
Division of Cardiology
Duke University School of Medicine
Durham, NC

David J. Schneider, MD
Director of the Cardiology and the Vascular Biology Units
Department of Medicine
University of Vermont
Burlington, VT

Disclosures:

It is the policy of Albert Einstein College of Medicine to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all its educational activities. In accordance with ACCME policies and standards, all faculty participating in any sponsored activity are expected to disclose to the audience any real or apparent conflict(s) of interest that may have a direct bearing on the subject matter of the continuing educational activities in which they participate. This pertains to relationships with pharmaceutical companies, biomedical device manufacturers, or other entities. The intent of this policy is not to prevent a speaker with a potential conflict of interest from making a presentation. It is merely intended that any potential conflict should be identified openly so that the listeners may form their own judgments about the presentation with the full disclosure of the facts. It is required by the ACCME that each speaker disclose to the audience any discussion of unlabeled use of a commercial product or device or an investigational use not yet approved for any purpose.

E. Scott Monrad, MD, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

James A. de Lemos, MD, discloses that he has received speakers’ honoraria from Merck/Schering, Pfizer, and sanofi-aventis—Bristol-Myers Squibb partnership; consulting fees from Biosite, Roche, and Pfizer; and research grants from Biosite.

Kenneth W. Mahaffey, MD, has received research grants from Abbott Vascular, Amgen Inc, AstraZeneca, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Bioheart Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Boehringer Ingelheim, Boston Scientific Corporation, CardioKinetix Inc., Cierra, Conor Medsystems, LLC, Cordis Corporation, Corgentech Inc., Daiichi Sankyo Co., Edwards Medical Supply, Eli Lilly & Company, GE Medical Systems, Genentech Inc., Innocoll Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson, KCI, Medtronic, Momenta Pharmaceuticals Inc., Novartis AG, Portola Pharmaceuticals Inc., sanofi-aventis, Sanofi-Synthelabo, Schering-Plough Corporation, Scious, Inc., Sicel Technologies Inc., and The Medi-cines Company. He has been a consultant for/received speakers’ fees from Amgen Inc., Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Daiichi Sankyo Co., Eli Lilly & Company. Genentech Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Novartis AG, sanofi-aventis, Sanofi-Synthelabo, Schering-Plough Corporation, and Scios, Inc.

David J. Schneider, MD, has received grants/ research support from Johnson & Johnson, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, sanofi-aventis, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, and The Medicines Company. He has been a consultant for Johnson & Johnson; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company; The Medicines Company; and Nuvelo, Inc.; and a member of the speakers’ bureau for sanofi-aventis.

Supported by an educational grant from Daiichi Sankyo and Lilly USA, LLC.







Sponsored by Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.

Instructions:

To obtain credit, a score of 70% or better is required. This CME is offered at no cost to participants. Please proceed with the activity until you have successfully completed this program, answered all test questions, completed the posttest survey, and have received your digital copy of your credit certificate. Your online certificate will be saved on myCME.com within your Profile/Exam History, which you can then access at any time.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:

WINDOWS PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
266-MHz Pentium II; Windows 98 or higher; 64 MB RAM; 800 x 600 screen resolution set for “High Color (16-Bit)”; Macromedia Flash Player 6 or higher.

MACINTOSH^® SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
Power Mac g3 at 300 MHz; System 8.5 or higher (excluding Mac OSX); 96 MB RAM; 20 MB minimum hard disk space available; 800 x 600 screen resolution set to “Thousands of Colors”; Macromedia Flash Player 6 or higher.