Raising the Bar in GERD Management:
Optimizing Acid Control for Every Patient

Program Description:

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most common disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. Numerous effective therapies for the condition exist. However, many patients are not being treated to the goals set by expert organizations, leaving these individuals with discomfort, decreased quality of life, and the development of potentially serious sequelae. While some patients may be more difficult to treat than others, failure of pharmacologic therapy has become a common clinical dilemma in GERD. In addition, some agents carry risks for adverse events; chief among these is the potential for interaction with other commonly prescribed drugs.

This educational activity will advise primary care clinicians on optimal GERD management for all patients, regardless of characteristics and/or co-morbidities. As a result of receiving this education, clinicians will be better able to overcome the challenges inherent in the management of GERD, thereby improving patient health and quality of life.

Activity Objectives:

After completing this educational activity, participants should be able to:

• Describe 2 factors critical to the success of GERD therapy


• Discuss the benefits/drawbacks of the currently available pharmacologic options for GERD, including dosing issues and drug interactions


• Develop and implement effective treatment regimens that are in keeping with evidence-based guidelines and individualized to the patient


• Specify 2 factors that may contribute to incomplete response to GERD therapy


• Identify patients with GERD who may require more optimal acid suppression





Credits	Type	Accreditation Statement	Designation Statement
1.00	AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™	Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.	Albert Einstein designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
1.00	AAPA Category I CME Credit	This program was planned in accordance with the AAPA’s CME Standards of Enduring Materials Programs and for the Commercial Support of Enduring Meterials Programs.	This program has been reviewed and is approved for a maximum of one hour of AAPA Category 1 CME credit by the Physician Assistant Review Panel. Approval is valid for 1 year from the issue date of January 2010. Participants may submit the self-assessment at any time during that period.

Faculty:

Philip O. Katz, MD (Chair)
Clinical Professor of Medicine
Thomas Jefferson University
Chairman, Division of Gastroenterology
Albert Einstein Medical Center
Philadelphia, PA

Rick Davis, PA-C
Physician Assistant
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition
University of Florida College of Medicine
Gainesville, FL

Louis Kuritzky, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Department of Family Medicine
University of Florida College of Medicine
Gainesville, FL

Julia Pallentino, MSN, JD, ARNP
Nurse Practitioner in Gastroenterology
GI Associates of Tallahassee
Tallahassee, FL

Course Director
Lawrence J. Brandt, MD
Emeritus Chief
Division of Gastroenterology
Montefiore Medical Center
Professor of Medicine and Surgery
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, NY

Disclosures:

The Faculty for this program reported the following financial relationships with commercial interests.

For Primary Care Physicians and Nurse Practitioners
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 speakers 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 that audience any discussion of unlabeled use of a commercial product or device or an investigational use not yet approved for any purpose.

For AAPA/Physician Assistants
It is the policy of the American Academy of Physician Assistants to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all of its educational activities. All faculty participating in our programs are expected to disclose any relationships they may have with commercial companies whose products or services may be mentioned so that the participants may evaluate the objectivity of the presentations. In addition, any discussion of off-label, experimental, or investigational use of drugs or devices will be disclosed by faculty.

Philip O. Katz, MD, is a consultant to AstraZeneca, Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc., and XenoPort; is an adjudicator for Eisai Inc.; and is on the speakers’ bureau of Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc.

Rick Davis, PA-C, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Louis Kuritzky, MD, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Julia Pallentino, MSN, JD, ARNP, is on the speakers’ bureau of AstraZeneca, Roche, Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc., UCB Pharma, Inc., and Warner Chilcott, PLC.

Lawrence J. Brandt, MD, is a consultant for Abbott Laboratories, Prometheus Therapeutics and Diagnostics, sanofi aventis, and Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc.


Instructions:

For Primary Care Physicians and Nurse Practitioners
Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Albert Einstein designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

For Physician Assistants
This program has been reviewed and is approved for a maximum of one hour of AAPA Category 1 CME credit by the Physician Assistant Review Panel. Approval is valid for 1 year from the issue date of January 2010. Participants may submit the self-assessment at any time during that period.

This program was planned in accordance with the AAPA’s CME Standards of Enduring Materials Programs and for the Commercial Support of Enduring Meterials Programs.

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.