Join your colleagues at ACC.25, taking place March 29-31, 2025, in Chicago, IL, and get the knowledge you need to transform cardiovascular care for all! You'll have the opportunity to discuss the latest science with top experts, learn how clinical guidelines translate into your daily practice, and build lasting connections with your peers. Register by Nov. 20 to SAVE up to $300 with early bird discounts and get all-inclusive access to ACC.25!

Learn to integrate PET into a comprehensive diagnostic strategy to enhance accuracy, therapeutic decisions and patient management with ACC's new online course, Navigating Cardiac PET Imaging: Clinical Advantages, Barriers and Cutting-Edge Applications.

Transform the future of patient care by sharing your late-breaking clinical trial (LBCT) research with the global cardiovascular community at ACC.25, taking place March 29-31, 2025, in Chicago, IL.

Want to broaden your knowledge and grow as a leader? The ACC is now accepting applications for the next Rick Nishimura, MD, MACC and Patrick T. O'Gara, MD, MACC Emerging Faculty Leadership Academy scheduled for April 27-29, 2025, at Heart House in Washington, DC. The course gives ACC members in their early-to-mid career stage hands-on training to develop teaching skills and stand out as exceptional members of the ACC. Applications are due by Nov. 20. Read here for more information on eligibility and requirements.

Join leading experts, including Course Chair Richard Cheng, MD, MSc, FACC, and Vice Chair Anju Nohria, MD, MSc, at Advancing the Cardiovascular Care of the Oncology Patient taking place in Washington, DC and virtually Feb. 14-16, 2025. This interdisciplinary and interspecialty course will provide you with the tools needed to improve the cardiovascular health of cancer patients in your everyday practice. Register here. Plus, don't miss your chance to present your research on the topic of cardio-oncology! All members of the cardiovascular team are invited to submit abstracts in the categories of Clinical Case Challenges, Original Research Abstracts: Basic, Translational, Clinical or Implementation Science, Professional Development Abstracts. Submissions are due by Nov. 18.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to make clinical information more accessible, accurate and actionable, ultimately leading to better health care delivery and patient outcomes. To support ACC member efforts to stay on the cutting edge of technological advances in improving patient care, the ACC is offering an opportunity to evaluate and explore a generative AI platform. The deadline for applications has been extended to Wednesday, Oct. 23. Learn more.

Advanced practice providers (APPs) are indispensable members of the cardiovascular care team and programs across the country are increasingly seeking out innovative strategies to effectively utilize APPs' skillsets. MedAxiom's fifth annual Cardiovascular APP Compensation and Utilization Survey aims to show the evolution of this role and share best practices to help organizations optimize APPs. U.S. APPs should encourage their cardiovascular administrators to take the survey by Friday, Oct. 18.

The ACC has named Kristen Bova Campbell, PharmD, BCPS, CPP, FACC, as the Annual Scientific Session Cardiovascular Team Lead for ACC.26 and ACC.27. Campbell is a clinical pharmacist and senior research associate in electrophysiology at Duke University Hospital, where she also serves as the director of the Duke Heart Center Anticoagulation Clinic and assistant professor of clinical education. She is also an adjunct assistant professor at the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy. Read more.

The ACC community is strengthened by the contributions of its PA and clinical pharmacist colleagues. This October, the ACC is celebrating National PA Week and American Pharmacists Month all month long with a special offer: New members can join the ACC and get three months free – plus we'll waive the application fee to join – all with code Save2024. Help us spread the word and learn more about PA/PharmD membership here.

A review of call data from The Doctors Company, an ACC partner, found that terminating patient relationships is one of the top reasons their members request assistance from their Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management. A recent blog lays out preventive strategies, termination criteria, exceptions and special circumstances, steps for withdrawing care, elements of written notice, and case examples. Read more.

Generative AI has the potential to make clinical information more accessible, accurate, and actionable, ultimately leading to better health care delivery and patient outcomes. To support ACC member efforts to stay on the cutting edge of technological advances in improving patient care, the ACC is offering an opportunity to evaluate and explore a generative AI platform. Click here to find out more and apply for this program by Oct. 4.

The ACC is seeking a board-certified NP or PA with active licensure and a master's degree in a health-related field to serve as the next Vice Chair for the Certified Cardiovascular Knowledge (CCK) Exam for NPs and PAs. The exam allows NPs and PAs to demonstrate their knowledge in the cardiovascular field. After serving two years, the Vice Chair will then become Chair for an additional two years. A qualified candidate should be a leader in CV Team-based care and education, and an innovative and collaborative team member. Applications are due by Thursday, Oct. 31. Learn more.

The ACC is currently accepting submissions of abstracts and complex clinical cases from CV team members to be presented at ACC.25, taking place March 29-31, 2025, in Chicago, IL. Submit your research for a chance to transform the future of cardiovascular care by sharing your research with over 12,000 attendees from more than 130 countries. Hear from ACC.25 CV Team Lead Kimberly Guibone, DNP, APRN, FACC on the importance sharing your research as a member of the CV team. The deadline for all submissions is 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Oct. 1. Don't miss your chance to be part of ACC.25 — submit your abstract or case today!

Register today for Cardio-Obstetrics Essentials: Team-Based Management of Cardiovascular Disease and Pregnancy, taking place in-person and virtually on Nov. 1-3. This comprehensive course will deepen your understanding of the evaluation and management of CV disease during pregnancy through interactive modules, real-life case studies and practical tools. Learn from cardio-obstetrics experts including Course Chair Natalie Bello, MD, MPH, FACC and Course Vice Chair Deirdre J. Mattina, MD, FACC. Plus, you'll hear from Mary Norine Walsh, MD, MACC, who will be delivering a message on the importance of advocacy, and Candice Silversides, MD, FACC, who will cover the topic of building a cardio-obstetrics program.

Nursing Professional Development Week is Sept. 14-20, and the ACC is dedicated to helping support all members of the cardiovascular care team in achieving their career goals through its robust member network, extensive educational resources, and discounts to live meetings including ACC.25 – taking place March 29-31, 2025, in Chicago, IL. Spread the word with your CV Team colleagues: new members joining in September can use the code Nurses2024 to waive the application fee and get four months of free membership! Learn more.

Don't miss your chance to join a diverse group of expert cardiologists, maternal-fetal specialists and cardio-obstetric team members at Cardio-Obstetrics Essentials, taking place Nov. 1-3, in Washington, DC and virtually. Whether you are a seasoned professional or new to the field of cardio-obstetrics, this course offers a wealth of knowledge and a chance to engage in meaningful discussions about contemporary recommendations for the evaluation, clinical management, treatment and risk stratification of people with, or at risk for, cardiovascular disease during pregnancy. Register today.

Apply for the ACC Educator: Fundamental Skills course, Jan. 26-28, 2025 at Heart House in Washington, DC. Chaired by Marty Tam, MD, MHPE, FACC, and Rhonda Cooper-DeHoff, PharmD, MS, FACC, this course is designed for cardiovascular care team members with 3-5 years of experience and offers practical experience to refine your presentation skills and grow as a clinical educator. Applications are due by Monday, Sept. 16. Learn more and apply today.

ACC Quality Summit 2024, taking place Sept. 17-19 in San Antonio, TX, will feature nearly 40 education sessions, an Expo housing exhibitors touting the latest data abstraction solutions, more than 100 ePosters showcasing quality improvement successes and more. Don't miss this year's Ralph G. Brindis Keynote speaker, ACC Chief Innovation Officer Ami B. Bhatt, MD, FACC, who will discuss the impact of evolving technologies on quality insights and care delivery. Other general sessions will cover best practices in mortality review, improving transparency through public reporting, quality improvement as a career and more. Explore the sessions-at-a-glance and register here.

To help the cardiovascular team keep up with the rapid advances in cardiovascular imaging, MedAxiom, an ACC Company, has partnered with a leading university to deliver an online certificate sonography program. This program equips future sonographers with the tools and techniques for a successful cardiac or vascular ultrasound career. Students will receive world-class education from an accredited sonography program that provides didactic and clinical experience. The program also provides eligibility to sit for Sonography Boards to obtain their credentials. Enroll a student by Sept. 15 and use the code "Sonography200" to save $200. Learn more and register here.

"Ensuring access to [cardiovascular] care requires a multifaceted approach that addresses socioeconomic, geographic, racial, ethnic, gender, and disability-related disparities," writes ACC President Cathleen Biga, MSN, FACC, in a new JACC Leadership Page. Biga provides examples of ways the ACC is striving to do just that through its workforce, leadership development and health equity efforts, global programs like the NCD Academy, Innovation Program work around artificial intelligence, comprehensive advocacy activities, a new vision for JACC focused on impact vs. impact factor, and more. Read more.

Honor a colleague making a difference in the cardiovascular community with the ACC Distinguished Cardiovascular Team Member Award. Distinguished Award winners will be honored at the ACC's Convocation ceremony during ACC.25. Applications are due by Monday, Sept. 16. Do you know a colleague deserving this recognition? Submit your nomination today.

Apply for the chance to become one of 15 finalists to battle it out in the 2025 Young Investigator Awards competition. Present your science in one of three categories: Clinical Investigators, Basic and Translational Science and Outcomes Research. Get financial reimbursement for traveling to ACC.25 – plus the exposure you need to advance your career! Applications are due Tuesday, Aug. 27. Submit your abstract today.

"As a renewed sense of urgency for efficient and effective delivery of cardiovascular care is felt throughout our health care environment, it is imperative that we envision and implement transformational care delivery..."

Registration is now open for ACC Quality Summit 2024, taking place Sept. 17-19 in San Antonio, TX. The Summit will provide invaluable opportunities to network with fellow quality-focused colleagues, to learn with exceptional education sessions and workshops, and more.

Take the 2024 ACC Career Benchmark Survey to help build a comprehensive view of clinician compensation and better support cardiovascular professionals in compensation negotiations. Complete the survey by July 31 for the chance to win one of three registrations to ACC.25 in Chicago, IL – or a $500 Amazon gift card! Responses are anonymous. Take the survey here.

Registration is now open for ACC Advocacy's signature three-day event, ACC Legislative Conference 2024, taking place Sept. 29-Oct. 1 in Washington, DC. Don't miss your chance to network with fellow ACC Advocates, learn about health policy issues impacting cardiovascular patients and the profession, and meet with your lawmakers and their staff on Capitol Hill. CV Team members can get $50 off the registration fee by using the code CVT. Learn more and register here. CV Team members can also apply for the chance to win a $1,000 travel award. The deadline to apply is July 15.

The ACC is seeking a candidate experienced in leadership and educational planning to serve as Cardiovascular (CV) Team Lead for ACC's Annual Scientific Session for ACC.26 and ACC.27. The CV Team Lead will contribute to developing educational content focusing on areas of the meeting related to CV Team member education and the role of the CV Team in patient care. Applications are due by Friday, July 12 at noon ET. Learn more.

The ACC has announced a new credential for NPs and PAs who have taken and passed the Certified Cardiovascular Knowledge Exam – Certified in Cardiovascular Knowledge (CCK). The exam is designed for NPs/PAs practicing in the U.S., and consists of 150 multiple-choice questions covering the entire field of cardiovascular disease. Achieving a passing score on the exam allows you to use the new CCK credential and provides credit toward becoming an Associate of the ACC or Fellow of the ACC. The next exam will take place Sept. 19-22. Learn more.

Registration is open for MedAxiom's CV Transforum Fall'24, taking place Oct. 17-19 in Denver, CO. CV Transforum unites cardiovascular thought leaders nationwide and features interactive, industry-leading education focused on operations, finance, strategy, innovation and clinical care. Save $200 on in-person registration when you register by July 1. Register here.

The ACC's Cardiovascular Team Section is offering a travel award of up to $1,000 for cardiovascular team members to participate in ACC Quality Summit 2024, taking place Sept. 17-19 in San Antonio, TX. The award can be used for airfare, lodging, meals and ground transportation. Review the eligibility requirements and submit your application by Monday, July 22.

The ACC is currently accepting nominations for the ACC Distinguished Excellence in Cardiovascular Health Care Quality Award, to be presented during ACC Quality Summit 2024, taking place Sept. 17-19 in San Antonio, TX. The award honors an ACC member who has applied the NCDR and/or ACC Accreditation Services within their local care environment and made meaningful contributions to the ACC Quality Summit, including through planning participation, faculty invitation, abstract/poster submission, committee appointments or other acts of service. Submit your nomination by Friday, July 26.

ACC's CardioSmart offers visual infographic summaries of heart-related health topics, designed for use as handouts or posters in care settings and local community centers. CardioSmart's infographics can now be ordered through a new print-on-demand platform. Order now and receive 10 free infographic posters.

Take the 2024 ACC Career Benchmark Survey to help build a comprehensive view of clinician compensation andbetter support cardiovascular professionals in compensation negotiations. Complete the survey by Friday, May 31 for the chance to win a free registration to attend ACC.25 in Chicago, IL. Responses are anonymous.Take the survey here.

Showcase how your team is leveraging data from NCDR and ACC Accreditation Services to transform patient care and outcomes. Craft your experiences into a quality improvement abstract for consideration at ACC Quality Summit 2024, taking place Sept. 17-19 in San Antonio, TX. Check out an ePoster from last year's Summit submitted by a fellow ACC CV Team member and submit your own abstract by the submission deadline – May 13 for live session abstracts and June 24 for ePosters.

Learning to correctly measure blood pressure is key to the diagnosis and management of hypertension. Failure to adhere to the correct techniques can lead to measurement errors of more than 30 mmHg. Understand the best practices for blood pressure measurement for hypertension patients with a new infographic, "Mismeasurement of Blood Pressure in the Office: Finding the Common Mistakes." Access the infographic, patient case quizzes and more free education in ACC's online course, Overcoming Challenges in Hypertension Management.

Connect with colleagues, learn about the latest section activities, and discover ways to get involved at the CV Team Section Meeting & Reception. Enjoy an evening of networking, inspiration and staying informed on advancements in cardiovascular care. The event will take place on Saturday, April 6 at 6:30 p.m. ET at Omni Atlanta at Centennial Park, International Ballroom D. Reserve your spot today.

Join your colleagues in Atlanta, April 6-8, for ACC.24 for a dynamic and engaging learning environment for the Cardiovascular Team to get up to speed on the latest cutting-edge science, improve simulation skills, expand professional networks, and understand how new information can immediately be implemented into clinical practice. Whether you're interested in newly released research, pharmaceutical management of cardiovascular disease states, troubleshooting procedural complications, or learning more about the business side of cardiology and program development, all members of the cardiovascular team will find value in attending ACC.24. Register by March 6 to SAVE and learn more about all ACC.24 has to offer!

With the flu season continuing into May, it's important to remind patients there is still time to get vaccinated. Getting the necessary immunizations to protect against flu and COVID-19 is particularly important for adults with chronic conditions like heart disease. Research shows that patients are more likely to get a vaccine if their health care team recommends it. To facilitate the conversation, ACC's CardioSmart team has created a Vaccination Discussion Guide leveraging the cardiovascular care team's role in getting timely immunization. A vaccine referral form and a clinician handout are also available to help increase vaccination rates for patients with heart disease. Get more tools on this topic here.

Advance your professional accomplishments, demonstrate your clinical knowledge and commitment to cardiovascular excellence by taking and passing ACC's Certified Cardiovascular Knowledge Examination (CCKE) for NPs/PAs practicing in the U.S. Applications are now open for the exam taking place May 2-5. The CCKE for NPs/PAs consists of 150 multiple-choice questions covering the entire field of cardiovascular disease. There is no need to travel; the exam may be taken at home or at the office. Learn more and apply today!

Last call to apply to the MedAxiom Cardiac and Vascular Sonography Training Program. MedAxiom has partnered with a top-notch university to deliver this online certificate program designed specifically to equip future sonographers with the tools and techniques for a successful ultrasound career. Students will receive world-class education from an accredited sonography program that provides didactic and clinical experience. The program also provides eligibility to sit for sonography boards to obtain their credentials. Applications are due by March 1. Learn more.

MedAxiom's fourth annual Cardiovascular Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Compensation and Utilization Report includes data from 106 organizations and provides insights into best practices in APPs' leadership, production and compensation, and recommendations within the framework of the team-based care model. The report focuses on the APP workforce, liability and split-shared billing, with a special section on the expanded role of APPs in heart failure clinics. Learn more.

Join ACC's CV Team Section for an educational webinar on congenital heart disease on Thursday, Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The webinar will help you prepare for ACC's Certified Cardiovascular Knowledge Examination for NPs and PAs, and will focus on integrating physical findings to develop differential diagnosis and recognizing cardiac arrhythmias in adults with congenital heart disease. Learn more.

Keeping up with vaccines is an important part of healthy living, especially for patients with heart disease. Encourage your patients to get their flu shots and provide them with the vaccination tools and resources they need. ACC's CardioSmart recently launched new adult vaccination tools, including a handout with tips on increasing vaccination rates, a fact sheet on heart health and vaccination and a vaccination referral form. Find additional resources you can share with your patients on the importance of flu shots and heart health here.

Join the ACC for Advanced Concepts in Echocardiography For the Sonographer: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, on Saturday, Dec. 16 in Oakland, California. This FREE course is an exclusive opportunity to gain hands-on experience from expert sonographers and learn new HCM recognition skills.

This month, we reflect on the support palliative care can provide to patients with advanced heart disease. Along with advance care planning and symptom management, palliative care can alleviate psychological and existential distress and promote better quality of life.

Don’t miss the chance to win free registration to ACC.24 in Atlanta, GA, April 6-8, when you upload your resume to ACC Cardiology Careers. A free, members-only benefit of the College, ACC Cardiology Careers can help you find your next professional opportunity.

National PA Week is Oct. 6-12. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all you do to advance cardiovascular medicine, and to share some exciting updates from the PA Work Group.

CV Team members are invited to submit Complex Clinical Cases for presentation at ACC.24, held April 6-8, 2024, in Atlanta, GA. CV Team members should submit interesting clinical cases with an emphasis on collaboration and consultation with interdisciplinary colleagues, and highlighting the diagnostic features, care coordination/management strategies and experts involved in managing the case and securing a diagnosis.

The ACC is accepting applications for the ACC Educator: Fundamental Skills Course, taking place Feb. 11-13, at Heart House in Washington, DC. This course will enhance presentation skills and provide opportunities to practice and advance your skills as a clinical educator!

The ACC is now offering the Certified Cardiovascular Knowledge Examination (CCKE), which allows participants to demonstrate their clinical knowledge, commitment to cardiovascular excellence and grow their professional accomplishments...

Listen to "PulseCheck": a new series within CardiaCast designed for nurses or allied health care professionals who are new, or new to cardiology offering practical team-based solutions to the challenges that nurses and allied health professionals face every day.

Advanced practice providers (APPs) are indispensable members of the cardiovascular care team and programs across the country are increasingly seeking out innovative strategies to effectively utilize APPs’ skillsets.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2023 ACC Distinguished Excellence in Cardiovascular Health Care Quality Award. The award is presented annually to a nonphysician ACC member whose contributions have enhanced the implementation and value of NCDR and ACC Accreditation Services within the larger cardiovascular professional community.

ACC’s CV Team Section is offering travel awards for cardiovascular team members to attend ACC Quality Summit 2023, held Oct. 11-13 in Orlando, FL. Expenses including airfare, lodging, meals and ground transportation up to $1,000 will be reimbursed.

Connect with your NCDR and ACC Accreditation colleagues at ACC Quality Summit, taking place Oct. 11-13 in Orlando, FL. Learn about best practices with this year’s innovative education sessions, network with quality improvement peers and gain insights with posters presenting NCDR research.

Nominations are now open for ACC’s 2024 ACC Distinguished Awards. Those recognized with an ACC Distinguished Cardiovascular Team Member Award are non-physician ACC members who have made and continue to make outstanding contributions to College initiatives and the field of cardiovascular medicine and encourage and nurture ACC's team approach to team-based cardiovascular care.

Submissions are now open for the 2024 Young Investigator Awards competition at ACC's Annual Scientific Session. PharmD or DNP candidates who are no more than three years out of training are invited to become one of 15 young scientific researchers to present cutting-edge research in the Clinical Investigations, Basic and Translational Science, and Outcomes Research categories at ACC.24, held April 6-8 in Atlanta, GA.

Did you know that CV Team members qualify for an ACC Legislative Conference 2023 discount? Enter code CVT to receive $50 off registration and join your ACC Advocacy team Oct. 15-17 in Washington, DC! Don’t miss this annual opportunity to learn more about the major issues impacting the practice of cardiology and meet with your members of Congress.

As part of ongoing efforts to report meaningful outcomes and improve patient care, the ACC has launched an open comment survey for the Chest Pain – MI Registry In-Hospital Risk-Standardized Mortality Model.

As part of ongoing efforts to report meaningful outcomes and improve patient care, the ACC has launched an open comment survey for the In-Hospital or 30-Day Risk-Standardized Mortality Model in patients undergoing PCI risk model.

The ACC Accreditation Services Foundation Committee is now accepting applications for proposals up to $100,000 to fund quality initiatives from U.S.-based health care organizations.

Learn to identify guideline-driven heart failure care, treatment options, and practice considerations associated with delivering IV iron replacement therapy with ACC’s new online course, Iron Deficiency in Heart Failure.

Nurses work hard to transform cardiovascular care for patients each day, and the ACC is celebrating their contributions to the profession all month long with a special offer to join the College for 40% off with code Nurses2023.

Demonstrate your clinical knowledge, commitment to cardiovascular excellence, and grow your professional accomplishments by taking and passing ACC’s Certified Cardiovascular Knowledge Examination (CCKE)!

Share your quality improvement successes with an abstract for ACC Quality Summit 2023, taking place Oct. 11-13 in Orlando, FL. Showcase how NCDR and ACC Accreditation Services data have helped you improve patient care, processes or quality initiatives through innovative educational experiences, team-based collaboration, data collection processes, or research activities.

Showcase your work during ACC’s Care of the Athletic Heart, returning June 8-10 in person in Washington, DC, and virtually!

The University of California San Francisco is recruiting patients for a new VIBRANT-AF Research Study.

Listen to concise summaries from FITs from the University of Michigan, with commentary from ACC.org Editor-in-Chief Kim A. Eagle, MD, MACC, on the most impactful late-breaking clinical trials from ACC.23/WCC.

Participating in NCDR offers facilities new opportunities to access patient-reported data to gage long-term outcomes.

In the January issue of Cardiology magazine, we explore the hottest clinical topics and biggest issues spanning cardiology that are expected to be top-of-mind in 2023.

Register today for the Cardiovascular Summit, Feb. 16-18, 2023, in Washington, DC, a transformative educational experience with access to expert faculty...

Cardiovascular Team members at ACC.23 Together With WCC will engage with the latest cutting-edge science, get insight on tips and tricks that can immediately be implemented into clinical practice...

"PulseCheck" is a series within the CardiaCast podcast that is designed for nurses or allied health care professionals who are new, or new to cardiology, offering practical team-based solutions to the challenges that nurses and allied health professionals face every day.

Join ACC’s Cardio-Obstetrics Work Group on Monday, Jan. 9 at 8 p.m. ET, for a webinar on the recent JACC: Advances article "The Utilization and Interpretation of Cardiac Biomarkers During Pregnancy."

It’s time to renew your membership for 2023! An active ACC membership gives you access to a collaborative network that can help you meet your career goals, cutting-edge education, the latest science in 10 JACC Journals and support to help you provide high-quality care.

Lipid management options for patients have expanded significantly in the last several years. This has been great for patient outcomes, but the delivery mechanisms of the newer pharmacologic therapies are complex.

"PulseCheck" is a series within the CardiaCast podcast that is designed for nurses or allied health care professionals who are new, or new to cardiology, offering practical team-based solutions to the challenges that nurses and allied health professionals face every day.

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are commonly used for the prevention of thrombosis in several cardiovascular contexts, including stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation and primary prevention, acute treatment or extended-duration secondary prevention of venous thromboembolism.

"PulseCheck" is a series within the CardiaCast podcast that is designed for nurses or allied health care professionals who are new, or new to cardiology, offering practical team-based solutions to the challenges that nurses and allied health professionals face every day.

In its continued effort to educate and empower the cardiovascular care team, MedAxiom, an ACC Company, developed the Cardiovascular Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Essential Education Series: Heart Failure (HF), available through the MedAxiom Academy.

Kimberly (Kim) Guibone, DNP, ACNP-BC, FACC, has been selected as ACC's Annual Scientific Session Cardiovascular (CV) Team Lead for ACC.24 and ACC.25.

The presence and value of advanced practice providers (APPs) has continued to increase as many organizations face staffing challenges in the current health care landscape.

November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. ACC's Palliative Care for the Cardiovascular Clinician online course brings together resources in a dynamic, case-based format. Earn up to 20.5 continuing education credits as you increase your comfort with advance care planning and symptom management for your patients with serious illness.

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are commonly used for the prevention of thrombosis in several cardiovascular contexts, including stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) and primary prevention, acute treatment or extended-duration secondary prevention of venous thromboembolism.

Did you know ACCSAP now offers 194 Category 1 CME credits for PAs? Improve your knowledge in the field of adult clinical cardiology with comprehensive educational material to help identify knowledge gaps, reinforce existing knowledge and learn new information.

MedAxiom's 10th annual Cardiovascular Provider Compensation and Production Survey Report showcases year-to-year compensation comparisons from roughly 5,700 cardiovascular providers, as well as 10-year trends.

The ACC recognizes more than 2,000 hospitals, health systems and facilities that participate in NCDR registries and ACC Accreditation Services in the 2023 U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospitals” guidebook, released Sept. 14.

Your high-risk cardiovascular patient has just become pregnant. What do you do now? Join us for a webinar, "A Team-Based Approach for When the Highest Risk Cardiovascular Patient Becomes Pregnant" for the guidance you need.

The annual ACC Legislative Conference is approaching! This year’s conference will take place in-person at the Hyatt Regency in Washington, DC from Oct. 16-18.

As part of ongoing advocacy efforts by the ACC and CV Team, a multi-disciplinary group virtually met with U.S. Representative Ann Kuster (D-NH-2) this summer. The group was comprised of advocates of varying specialties, including physicians, pharmacists, nurses, APPs, and CV administration.

Join moderator Sarah E. Slone, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CCRN, CNE, as well as Benjamin Hocutt, MSN, ACNP, AACC, and Stormi Gale, PharmD, BCPS, for an illuminating conversation on heart failure treatment strategies on Thursday, Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

ACC’s Lifelong Learning Oversight Committee, the committee that oversees ACC's Annual Scientific Session, is seeking a qualified candidate to serve as CV Team Lead on the Annual Scientific Session Program Committee for a two-year term for ACC.24 and ACC.25.

The ACC Distinguished Awards program recognizes individuals making contributions to the cardiovascular profession. It’s time to honor those in our community making a difference — nominate a deserving colleague for one of the 2023 Distinguished Awards!

Submit your complex clinical case for a chance to be featured at ACC.23/WCC, where you'll have the opportunity to shape the future of patient care by sharing your research with the global cardiovascular community.

Applications are due by Wednesday, August 17. Apply today!

The ACC is calling all young scientific investigators! Submit your abstract by Monday, Aug. 29 for the chance to be one of 18 finalists to compete in the Young Investigator Awards competition.

ACC’s official virtual career fair is returning! Mark your calendars for Thursday, Sept. 22, 5-8 p.m. ET for an opportunity to meet with leading employers from across the country in a variety of practice settings right from your home or office.

Virtually join ACC's inaugural Cardio-Obstetric Essentials: Team-Based Management of Cardiovascular Disease and Pregnancy course on Nov. 18!

The ACC wants to hear from you! As part of ongoing efforts to report meaningful outcomes and improve patient care, the ACC is launching an open comment survey for the CathPCI Registry In-Hospital Risk Standardized Acute Kidney Injury Model.

Join JACC: Case Reports Editor-in-Chief Julia Grapsa, MD, PhD, FACC; Deputy Editor Mary Norine Walsh, MD, FACC; and Associate Editor David L. Fischman, MD, FACC, on June 28 at 4 p.m. ET to learn tips and tricks for writing a successful case report.

Share your quality improvement successes with an abstract for ACC Quality Summit, scheduled for Sept. 14-16 in Los Angeles, CA, and virtually.

JACC: Case Reports is inviting submissions for a 2022 special themed issue on long COVID cardiac cases. Papers in the form of clinical cases, clinical case series and clinical vignettes will be accepted.

In the May issue of Cardiology magazine, Bailey Ann Estes, MSN, RN-BC, RNFA, CNOR, RCIS, on behalf of ACC’s CV Management Section, gives a perspective on the current nursing shortage and its impact on cardiovascular care.

Share your quality improvement successes with an abstract for ACC Quality Summit, scheduled for Sept. 14-16 in Los Angeles, CA, and virtually. Showcase how NCDR and ACC Accreditation Services data has helped improve patient care, processes or qualitative initiatives!

Improve your knowledge in the field of adult clinical cardiology with ACCSAP. This self-assessment program now offers 194 Category 1 CME credits for PAs and includes comprehensive educational material to help identify your knowledge gaps, reinforce your existing knowledge and learn new information.

Share your quality improvement successes with an abstract for ACC Quality Summit, scheduled for Sept. 14-16 in Los Angeles, CA, and virtually. Showcase how NCDR and ACC Accreditation Services data has helped you improve patient care, processes or qualitative initiatives!

Join your colleagues virtually and register for Care of the Athletic Heart on June 3 for live sessions, panel discussions, debates and a Q&A! Learn about fundamental cardiovascular diagnostic and management strategies from sports cardiology experts through cases, research and treatment options, as well as the impacts of COVID-19 on athletes.

Hear about Section accomplishments, learn about initiatives for the coming year, explore ways to get involved, and expand your professional network during the CV Team Section Meeting and Reception at ACC.22!

The CV Team, Women in Cardiology and Senior Cardiovascular Professionals Member Sections are co-sponsoring a Community Outreach Clothing Drive in partnership with Suited for Change and A Wider Circle. We will be collecting women’s and men’s professional attire, including suits, shoes and jewelry.

The countdown to ACC.22 has officially begun – after two years of virtual meetings, the CV Team is excited to meet up in person again from April 2-4 in Washington, DC!

Every March, the world comes together to recognize the contributions of women throughout history. At ACC, we are celebrating all the women who help advance our Mission to transform cardiovascular care and heart health each and every day.

Join the ACC's Accreditation Product Managers for a webinar on Feb. 24 at 3 p.m. ET to review how the pandemic has impacted the delivery of healthcare and how ACC, in response, is pivoting to a more streamlined approach to maintain Accreditation requirements.

Are you planning to submit an NCDR research proposal this year? Don’t miss the April 8 deadline! The NCDR Research & Publications (R&P) cycle offers one research proposal deadline annually for all NCDR programs except the STS/ACC TVT Registry.

The ACC is accepting applications for the Faculty Development Work Group (FDWG), which reports to the Lifelong Learning Oversight Committee (LLOC). The FDWG's mission is to educate and develop ACC faculty and support education endeavors of the College. Furthering ACC's commitment to being member driven, leadership involvement in ACC's Faculty Development Work Group offers a unique opportunity to enhance your involvement in the College and drive concepts that are meaningful to you and connect with ACC's mission.

The 2021 University of Colorado Heart Failure Conference and Colorado Chapter Annual Meeting took place Dec. 9 – 10, 2021, at the Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs.

Every February since Lyndon Johnson proclaimed American Heart Month in 1963, there is a unique opportunity to shine a public spotlight on the impacts of cardiovascular disease...

Join ACC Accreditation Services for a webinar on March 2 at 4 p.m. ET on the benefits of Transcatheter Valve Certification.

JACC: Case Reports will publish a special themed issue on sports cardiology in 2022. Authors are invited to submit manuscripts in the form of clinical cases, clinical case series and clinical vignettes for consideration by March 14.

While specialist-provided palliative care is important for patients with factors like difficult-to-treat symptoms, complex grief, existential distress, and family and team conflict, clinicians should be providing primary palliative care for all patients with serious illness.

We are pleased to invite you to participate in the Cardiovascular Team Section's Poster Sessions.

MedAxiom’s second annual Cardiovascular Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Compensation and Utilization Report outlines trends in APP roles and responsibilities, productivity, staffing ratios, hours, paid time off allowances, compensation and benefits, and more.

Register today for the Cardiovascular Summit, taking place Feb. 17-19, 2022, in Washington, DC, and discover how to align strong leadership with effective business strategies to improve cardiovascular care and patient outcomes.

ACC’s Legislative Conference 2021 took place virtually Oct. 3 – 5. While the conference was virtual for the second consecutive year, attendance and impact were outstanding. Over 500 ACC members were a part of more than 300 visits with House and Senate members.

This American Heart Association (AHA) scientific statement, which replaces the 2006 AHA statement on diet and lifestyle recommendations, provides 10 key dietary recommendations for optimal cardiovascular health.

ACC’s Geriatric Cardiology Section invites you to join the authors of the REHAB-HF trial on Wednesday, Dec. 1 at 6 p.m. ET, to examine the importance of early rehabilitation among older adults hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure.

Can you imagine still using urine as an antiseptic or giving boar bile enemas? How about the days in cardiology where exercise testing was done with an EKG before climbing a flight of stairs and then an EKG after?

October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Awareness Month. During this month, it’s a terrific opportunity for those of us in the cardiovascular team to review current literature and best practices for treatment and prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD).

Clinical trials have characterized the rates of GI bleeding between (DOACs and warfarin.

Increasing development and use of anticancer drugs has resulted in better prognoses and long-term survival for patients with malignancies but these drugs have also been associated with severe cardiovascular adverse drug reactions.

During this time of an international pandemic, it is vitally important that cardiovascular specialists recognize the role they can play in having all their patients vaccinated for influenza. Improve your understanding of the influenza vaccines and their impact on your patients with ACC’s Taking the Lead: Flu and Cardiovascular Disease free online course.

The ACC created the Raising the Bar in Arrhythmia Detection: A Diagnostic Toolbox online course to increase awareness and knowledge on the growing number of cardiac monitors available for the detection of arrhythmias.

Latinx Heritage Month is celebrated annually in the U.S. from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 and is linked to the independence anniversaries of several Latin American nations. The month also provides us with the opportunity to reflect and review our knowledge of the Latinx communities and implications for treatment within these groups of individuals.

This study evaluated the safety of flecainide in patients with nonobstructive and obstructive coronary artery disease.

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of apixaban, rivaroxaban, or dabigatran in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation weighing >120 kg compared to those weighing 60-120 kg.

This small pilot study used the Plan, Do, Study, Act quality improvement model to design and improve an effective onboarding strategy for newly hired hospitalist PAs and NPs.

The purpose of this document is to provide a framework for providers and health care systems to identify patients who would most likely benefit from referral to an advanced heart failure clinic.

The ACC recognizes more than 2,000 hospitals, health systems and facilities that participate in NCDR registries and ACC Accreditation Services in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report "Best Hospitals" guidebook, released Sept. 14.

Can you imagine what it must be like for a patient to be told they have atrial fibrillation (AFib)? Imagine that they have never heard of this problem.

As cardiovascular professionals, we are constantly exposed to the daily impact of cardiovascular disease on our local patients, families and communities.

As organizations continue to develop innovative solutions to care for their growing patient populations, many have increased utilization of advanced practice providers (APPs).

Hospital admission is our opportunity to influence management and improve the lives of patients with heart failure (HF). Clinical assessment of the patient's New York Heart Association functional classification, ACC and American Heart Association (AHA) staging, and echocardiographic findings guide our therapy.

ACC's Distinguished Awards program is your opportunity to nominate a peer whose outstanding work and leadership is advancing the College's Mission. The Distinguished Associate Award recognizes outstanding individuals whose contributions to initiatives of the College and the field of cardiology have encouraged and nurtured ACC's team approach to cardiovascular care.

When the Indiana University Health (IUH) Vaccine Clinics began to open across our system, I was eager to volunteer. Working remotely since the start of the pandemic, I felt my participation in this effort was one way I could give back to my peers who have been working tirelessly day in and day out on the front lines. I wanted to do my part to help keep my community safe.

Are you an early career cardiovascular nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, physician assistant or pharmacist? If so, don’t miss the Core Curriculum for the Cardiovascular Clinician Virtual Experience, taking place Oct. 8 – 9.

Outcomes of repeat transcatheter aortic valve replacement in the national Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services database are examined in this retrospective, observational study.

The CONNECT-HF trial was a cluster randomized clinical trial to improve hospital and post-discharge quality improvement intervention compared to usual care. The trial included 161 US hospitals and 5,647 patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

Investigators compared outcomes of statin users and non-users who presented to Detroit Medical Center with a confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 diagnosis during the early months of the pandemic. Main study endpoints were mortality, need for mechanical ventilation, and intensive care unit admission.

Registration is now open for ACC Quality Summit Virtual! Join NCDR and Accreditation Services colleagues Sept. 29 – Oct. 1 to learn best practices through phenomenal education sessions, networking and posters.

Using 5 administrative claims databases and 3 electronic health databases of more than 2.3 million patients initiating antihypertensive agents, researchers compared clinical endpoints, safety, and adverse effects between angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers.

Join the ACC Cardio-Obstetrics Work Group for a webinar on Tuesday, Sept. 7, at 8 p.m. ET, that will highlight a recent JACC state-of-the-art review article on peripartum cardiomyopathy.

The ACC has created the Raising the Bar in Arrhythmia Detection: A Diagnostic Toolbox online course to increase awareness and knowledge on the growing number of cardiac monitors available for the detection of arrhythmias.

The deadline for abstracts for ACC Quality Summit, Sept. 29 – Oct. 1, has been extended to 11:59 p.m. on July 8!

What a year! Littered with phrases such as "unprecedented" and "new normal," we have come full circle. As the virtual ACC.20/WCC wrapped up, we had high hopes that we would be meeting in person in Atlanta, GA, for ACC.21.

Every year in June, the U.S. observes Men's Health Month and Men's Health Week, which will be June 14 – 20 this year. The purpose of Men's Health Week is to encourage the men in our lives (and ourselves) to focus on improving health and wellness.

This retrospective, observational study analyzed characteristics of patients who use wearable devices capable of detecting atrial fibrillation and the devices' impact on pulse rate and health care use.

Connect with colleagues, expand your professional network and engage in small group discussions at the CV Team Section Virtual Networking Session at ACC.21 on Saturday, May 15 from 6 – 7 p.m. ET.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared 2020 the "Year of the Nurse…" in honor of Florence Nightingale’s 200th birthday, celebrated on May 12, 2020. This was proposed at a WHO meeting in January of 2019, over one year before COVID-19 would become significantly impactful around the globe.

In adults 18 years or older without hypertension (HTN), the US Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening for HTN with office blood pressure (BP) measurement. Before starting treatment, BP measurements outside of the clinical setting should be obtained for diagnostic confirmation.

The Los Angeles Barbershop Blood Pressure Study proved the effectiveness of a novel intervention pairing trusted, non-medical community partners with pharmacists in improving hypertension. This study seeks to answer concerns about the long-term cost-effectiveness and scalability of this intervention.

Join Jennifer Mieres, MD, FACC, and LaPrincess Brewer, MD, MPH, FACC, for this month’s ACC Diversity and Inclusion webinar on Thursday, April 29, at 7 p.m. ET.

This review article focuses on special considerations in managing antithrombotic therapy in older patients with coronary artery disease, who often have increased risk of both ischemic and bleeding events.

This study examined whether there is an association between the use of fluoroquinolones and risk of aortic dissection or aortic aneurysm.

Social media is frequently used for sharing memes and viral videos, but it can also play a vital role in connecting professionals – and the medical community has taken notice.

The CV Team Section Writing Group, led by Vicki L. Groo, PharmD, created two new infographics to illustrate how over-the-counter (OTC) and herbal supplements interact with the cardiovascular system and medications for certain cardiovascular conditions.

The ACC has changed the name of its ICD Registry to the EP Device Implant Registry, effective April 1. The EP Device Implant Registry will include data on ICD and CRT-D procedures previously captured in the ICD Registry, as well as provide flexibility to capture novel pacemaker procedures.

Early on in the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine in Baltimore, MD, officials began to sound the alarm that Black residents were receiving vaccines at a lower rate than white residents. Pastor Rodney Morton, a local faith leader, notes that initially there was a lot of reluctance to receive a COVID-19 vaccine due to the impression that it had been rushed to market, observing that calling the roll out Operation Warp Speed did not instill confidence.

Join ACC's CV Team Section on Tuesday, April 20 at 6 p.m. ET for a webinar on the basics of mitral valve disease with treatment options.

The ACC-supported Increasing Access to Cardiac Rehabilitation Act of 2021 is moving through Congress. This bipartisan legislation would expand patient access to critical cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation (rehab) services during a crucial time when treatments for medical conditions have been delayed or avoided during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the famous play, Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare wrote: "'Tis but thy name that is my enemy…" In the play, Juliet ponders, "What's in a name?" saying it is only Romeo's name that's the enemy.

Don’t miss the April 9 deadline to submit an NCDR research proposal in 2021! Last year, NCDR changed its Research & Publications (R&P) cycle to offer one research proposal deadline annually, with one annual review meeting for all NCDR programs except the STS/ACC TVT Registry.

This article reviews andexanet alfa for reversing the anticoagulant effects of apixaban or rivaroxaban.

As part of ongoing efforts to report meaningful outcomes and improve patient care, the ACC is launching an open comment period for the CathPCI Registry In-Hospital Risk-Standardized Mortality Model.

MedAxiom understands the important role of advanced practice providers (APPs) and is dedicated to providing tools and resources to propel them forward. Check out the new APP Hub on MedAxiom.com – a central location for consulting services, education and resources developed by MedAxiom experts to advance APPs and create sustainable care transformation initiatives.

The ACC, in collaboration with Novo Nordisk A/S, launched a global program to support improvements in multidisciplinary care for people with Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

There are an estimated 5 million active athletes at the high school, collegiate, professional and master's levels in the U.S. In a recent poll, cardiologists indicated they see an average of five patients who are athletes per week.

Patients with cardiovascular disease are at an increased risk of severe illness from the COVID-19 virus (CDC, 2020). In the face of a pandemic, Americans had to change the way they live their lives by following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines to mitigate the spread of the virus and protect the public.

This study is a randomized controlled trial that evaluated the effect of a clinical pharmacist post-hospital discharge home visit targeted to intervene on medication safety issues in patients discharged on anticoagulants, insulin, oral diabetes medication, and/or opioids.

Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women in the U.S., causing more women's deaths than all cancers, including breast cancer. At the same time, women often ignore symptoms and are less likely to get optimal treatment for cardiovascular conditions.

Ready to take the next step on your path to career success? Register for ACC’s Virtual Career Fair!

Are you planning to submit an NCDR research proposal this year? Don’t miss the April 9 deadline!

The latest issue of JACC: Case Reports includes mini-focus sections on congenital heart disease and imaging.

Improve your understanding of the influenza vaccines and their impact on cardiovascular patients with the “Taking the Lead: Flu and Cardiovascular Disease” hub.

As part of a larger clinical trial examining the impact of a motivational intervention on hopelessness in patients with ischemic heart disease, investigators described the development and preliminary testing of a suicide risk management protocol for identifying, referring, and reporting suicide risk in patients.

In March 2020, the employee health team at Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD, needed clinical and administrative leadership support to ensure they could keep staff as safe as possible in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sudden cardiac events are the leading cause of duty-related deaths among firefighters, brought on by the strenuous nature of firefighting, and more likely to occur among obese firefighters.

In collaboration with Salim Hayek, MD, FACC, and the ACC Cardio-Oncology Clinical Topic Collection editorial team, the ACC CV Team Writing Group, led by Vicki L. Groo, PharmD, created infographics to illustrate how to manage cardiotoxicity induced by Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors.

The College has selected Jane A. Linderbaum, ARNP, CNP, FACC, as the ACC Annual Scientific Session CV Team Lead for ACC.22 and ACC.23. Linderbaum is an associate professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

Join the ACC in recognizing Cardiac Rehab Awareness Week from Feb. 14 – 20 as part of American Heart Month.

ACC’s Cardiovascular Team Section and Clinical Pharmacy Workgroup is pleased to announce that there will be a pharmacy poster session at ACC.21, which takes place May 15 – 17 in Atlanta, GA.

"To improve patient outcomes, we must accurately measure, reliably compare and constantly improve the quality of care we deliver," write ACC President Athena Poppas, MD, FACC, and NCDR Oversight Committee Chair Frederick A. Masoudi, MD, MSPH, FACC, in a JACC Leadership Page highlighting the ways ACC’s NCDR registries are consistently delivering on this aspirational goal.

This study employed a novel approach to evaluate electronic health record and advance care planning data among older adults using geocoded and neighborhood socioeconomic status data.

This scientific statement from the National Lipid Association reviews practical aspects, indications, and contraindications for coronary artery calcium scoring regarding primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

The CV Team Writing Group, led by Vicki L. Groo, PharmD, created this infographic to describe the problem of chronic hyperkalemia and illustrate how to manage it with potassium binders.

Join ACC’s Academic Cardiology Section for a pitch-competition style webinar on Dec. 1!

A systematic approach may be needed to study and implement digital health strategies in older adults, according to a state-of-the-art review from ACC’s Health Care Innovation, Cardiovascular Team and Geriatric Cardiology Councils published Nov. 23 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cardiovascular disease and being age 65 or older are high risk factors for developing severe illness from COVID-19. In the University of Southern California’s Understanding America Study, depression, anxiety and loneliness increased up to three-fold nationwide in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

ACC’s Campaign for the Future is your chance to team up and help shape the future of the cardiology profession.

Patients with cardiovascular disease have a ten times higher risk of heart attack within three days of getting the flu and are more likely to have a heart attack even weeks after the flu.

The College has released guidance for the use of NCDR data for external accountability, such as health insurance payer programs or employment compensation programs.

Did you know the College invites cardiovascular team members to apply for Fellowship in the ACC?

Cardiac amyloidosis is a frequently underrecognized cause of heart failure, particularly diastolic heart failure. This review explains the basic pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of the most common forms of cardiac amyloidosis.

Caring for vulnerable populations presents some unique challenges. It also offers immense opportunities for innovation to effect positive change for many lives.

ACC's Lifelong Learning Oversight Committee, the committee that oversees ACC's Annual Scientific Session, is seeking a qualified candidate to serve as CV Team Lead on the Annual Scientific Session Program Committee for a two-year term for ACC.22 and ACC.23.

Salim Hayek, MD, FACC, in collaboration with ACC's Cardio-Oncology Clinical Topic Collection editorial team and the CV Team Writing Group, led by Vicki L. Groo, PharmD, created this infographic to illustrate how to manage cardiotoxicity induced by anthracyclines and HER2 antagonists.

The ACC recently launched the Multilingual ASCVD Risk Estimator app, a simplified web-based version of the ASCVD Risk Estimator Plus app that provides clinicians with an efficient way to calculate a patient's estimated 10-year ASCVD risk, optimal risk and lifetime risk.

Heart failure (HF) is associated with high rates of hospitalization, with patients transported to hospitals via emergency medical services (EMS), or ambulance. To evaluate EMS use among persons with HF, EMS data from a Midwestern city over an 8-year period were modelled to evaluate predictors of EMS use, including multiple EMS transports.

Are you a cardiovascular clinician early in your career? If so, do not miss the Core Curriculum for the Cardiovascular Clinician Virtual Experience – with access beginning on Oct. 19!

Are you attending ACC's 2020 Virtual Legislative Conference from Oct. 4 – 6? Make sure you are prepared by participating in the CV Team and CV Administrators Legislative Conference Pre-Session, taking place on Sunday, Oct. 4 from 2 – 4 p.m. ET.

Now live via online open access, the September issue of JACC: Case Reports is divided into three mini-focus issues highlighting coronary pathology, congenital heart disease (CHD) and electrophysiology clinical cases.

Patients with heart failure (HF) are instructed to reduce sodium intake. This may inadvertently lead to insufficient caloric intake in patients with HF, including those who are obese. The authors found that insufficient calorie intake was associated with poor quality of life at discharge, increased risk for readmission, and longer rehospitalization days.

This review summarizes contemporary use and emerging applications for coronary computed tomography angiography, which is positioned to become a leading modality in cardiac imaging.

More than half of nurses caring for children with cardiovascular conditions are emotionally exhausted and good working environments were linked with less burnout, according to a survey presented during ESC Congress 2020.

According to these updated National Lipid Association guidelines, decisions regarding genetic testing of patients with dyslipidemia should be based upon clinical suspicion of a genetic basis, anticipated benefits/risks of testing, and patient preference.

Addressing the COVID-19 pandemic requires a coordinated plan that balances quality patient care with the safety of health care workers, all while maintaining consistent access to care for patients with and without COVID-19.

JACC: Case Reports will publish a special themed issue on complications this December. Authors are invited to submit cases representing interventional, electrophysiology and transcatheter complications for consideration on or before Monday, Sept. 7.

People chose to live in our area because of the abundant sunshine, recreational opportunities and slower pace of life. Naturally, a large portion of our population is retired and in need of comprehensive medical services.

This article explores the role of technology among health care workers caring for patients with heart failure and the opportunities for identifying how technology could improve home health care delivery and better leverage the role of health care workers in the care team.

Impaired exercise capacity (a hallmark symptom of chronic heart failure) improves after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, though it remains substantially below the exercise capacity of cardiac transplant patients and healthy same-aged individuals. This article examines whether LVAD implantation improves daily physical activity levels when compared to a group of patients with similarly advanced chronic heart failure but without LVADs.

The College is working to improve the ACC.org homepage experience for all ACC members – and we need your help! Take two to three minutes to fill out a brief survey letting us know what information that matters most to you on ACC.org.

ACC's new CardioSmart website is designed to emphasize the value of the patient and clinician partnership to personalize care. With the goal of better connecting patients with their clinicians to prevent or treat heart disease, the new CardioSmart.org, provides information on heart conditions and trusted resources and tools to support important health conversations and foster a strong partnership.

Temporary mechanical circulatory support (MCS) is an attractive and intuitive option when medical approaches to supporting a weakened heart are insufficient. But while the field is a growing one, it is also one that has produced a jumbled evidence base for a range of devices and a smattering of indications.

The benefits of a physical activity intervention in peripheral arterial disease have been demonstrated; however, the extent to which increased physical activity and reduced sedentary behavior improves endothelial function in asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease has not been well studied.

This study investigated risk factors and characteristics of patients with pulmonary embolism among those hospitalized for coronavirus disease 2019.

This article reviews important principles undergirding contemporary use of percutaneous coronary intervention and its limited role in the management of stable ischemic heart disease.

Many nonurgent tests and procedures have been put on hold because of COVID-19. Potential delays can worry patients living with a heart condition. ACC's CardioSmart team has created a second Coronavirus and Your Heart infographic to help patients cope with postponed procedures.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a ripple effect across the globe and impacted our professional and personal lives. On one hand, the negative impact of the virus is very apparent. However, there is a silver lining in how it has pulled communities together. Our community, which was already close, has been drawn closer as the need for support has never been greater. Thus, the ACC and the Cardiovascular Team Section have been working to devise resources to support our membership.

The publications team is conducting reader surveys to gain insights and opinions on two JACC Journals.

This state-of-the-art review and international consensus statement updates prior recommendations for drug-coated balloons and reviews efficacy and safety in in-stent restenosis, de novo small vessel disease, high-bleeding-risk patients, bifurcation lesions, and large vessel disease. There are minimal data that support the use of drug-coated balloons in patients with diabetes mellitus and acute coronary syndromes.

Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly delayed "elective" procedures – including TAVR at many centers.

Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) continue to assume an increasing role in the care of individuals with cardiovascular disease.

The ACC will begin collecting COVID-19 data through the NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry and the CathPCI Registry to capture the relationship between COVID-19 and heart disease and maximize data on the cardiac impact of the virus.

A coordinated quality improvement program like ACC's Patient Navigator Program may be associated with increased identification of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and heart failure (HF) patients who are at risk for readmission, according to a recent study in the American Heart Journal.

Nurses deserve the utmost gratitude and appreciation for their commitment to delivering the highest standards of cardiovascular care, especially in times like these.

The new 2020 ACC Clinical Competencies for Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants in Adult Cardiovascular Medicine lead the way in laying down a foundation to build our practice and enhance our value within the cardiovascular team.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to multiple professional organizations working together to create coordinated responses and creating resources to help guide the front-line team.

The ACC Annual Scientific Session has been a staple for the latest in science, education and networking for cardiovascular professionals worldwide for the past 69 years. Years are spent planning and coordinating this global conference.

Submit your abstract for ACC Quality Summit, scheduled for Oct. 7 – Oct. 9 in Orlando, FL.

This study aimed to identify associations between physical and affective symptom clusters in heart failure using cross-classification modeling approaches, quantify the influence of symptom subgroups on 6-month event-free survival, and characterize determinants of symptom subgroups.

In the United States, the number of heart failure (HF) hospitalizations remains high despite efforts to detect HF decompensation earlier by telemonitoring surveillance of patients’ signs and symptoms. Because hemodynamic changes precede HF decompensation by several weeks, the ability to monitor pulmonary artery pressures by an implanted sensor can allow for the early detection of rising pulmonary artery pressures, earlier intervention, and the reduction of HF hospitalization.

NCDR and ACC Accreditation Services recognize the incredible challenges hospitals and front-line health care workers are facing while providing lifesaving measures for their patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hospitals across the U.S. are experiencing an influx of COVID-19 patients, but clinicians are reportedly seeing fewer patients going to the emergency room for heart attack or stroke. Experts worry that patients who need critical care are delaying their treatment over COVID-19 concerns.

For patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), anticoagulation for stroke prevention is under-prescribed. This study looks at the use of alert-based computerized decision support to increase anticoagulation prescribing in hospitalized patients with AF.

This article provides a broad overview of the biological basis, clinical presentation, and management of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as broken heart syndrome.

In an effort to help inform and educate our medical community on improved patient care related to the COVID-19 pandemic, JACC: Case Reports offers a publication avenue for sharing this knowledge with less preparation time than traditional manuscripts and fast-tracked review.

The newest issue of JACC: Case Reports contains a wide variety of clinical cases, imaging vignettes, editorial comments and viewpoint articles providing actionable science for cardiovascular clinicians of all experience levels.

These are key points to remember about this American College of Cardiology (ACC) Competency Statement for nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) in adult cardiovascular medicine.

The ACC is seeking comments on a draft of the 2020 ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway for Anticoagulant and Antiplatelet Therapy in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation or Venous Thromboembolism Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention or with Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease.

There is a paucity of clinical information regarding use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in obese patients. For this reason, current guidelines discourage use of DOACs in patients weighing over 120 kg or with a body mass index greater than 40 kg/m2.

This JACC Heart Failure State-of-the-Art Review discusses various innovative features of the electronic health record (EHR) that can support heart failure care. Throughout the review, the authors follow a hypothetical patient and contrast care using minimal versus optimal EHR tools.

Connect with ACC leaders and expand your professional network at the CV Team Section Meeting and Reception, taking place March 28 at 5 p.m. CT at the Marriott Marquis Chicago, at ACC.20/Together With World Congress of Cardiology (ACC.20/WCC).

Adverse cardiovascular outcomes following traumatic events are well established, especially in the aftermath of tragedies that evoke intense or prolonged stress. Firefighters who arrived early or had prolonged exposure to the World Trade Center trauma had higher incident rates of myocardial infarction, stroke, unstable angina, and cardiovascular mortality.

Join the ACC in recognizing Cardiac Rehab Awareness Week from Feb. 9 – 15 as part of American Heart Month. Clinicians can easily explain the benefits of cardiac rehab with CardioSmart's Cardiac Rehab infographic.

This study looked at the impact of the Camden Core Model, a well-known and highly respected transitional care program, on a diverse group of medically and socially complex patients and their healthcare utilization, specifically their readmissions at 180 days after an index admission.

Most studies on the management and outcomes of aortic stenosis focus on black and white racial groups, with limited data on Asian and Hispanic populations. This article highlights the differences in underrepresented racial/ethnic groups in the management and outcomes of aortic stenosis.

This review article provides an overview of the diagnosis and management of idiopathic pericarditis, incorporating recommendations from the 2015 European Society of Cardiology guidelines on pericardial disease.

The newest issue of JACC: Case Reports is entirely dedicated to the topic of cardiovascular disease in women.

As clinicians, we spend a lot of time thinking and talking about risk. While risk-related concepts may seem clear to us, they can register with patients as a confusing assortment of jargon and numbers. Moreover, patients' comprehension of and reactions to risk are influenced by a host of factors that are not always well understood by clinicians.

In a new Leadership Page published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Richard J. Kovacs, MD, FACC; Jason H. Gilbert, PHD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC; and William J. Oetgen, MD, MBA, FACC, discuss the issues that clinicians, hospitals and practices are facing in light of the opioid crisis.

High levels of measured cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality and may reduce the development of atrial fibrillation (AF). Less is known about estimated CRF and AF risk and if long-term changes in estimated CRF affects AF risk.

Join Glenn N. Levine, MD, FACC, recent chair of the DAPT Guideline Focused Update and chair of the ACC/AHA Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines, for a webinar on Monday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. ET.

In many low-and-middle income countries, there is evidence of suboptimal heart failure management. To address this issue and bring the quality of care available in the U.S. to other countries, the ACC launched an international training program for heart failure nurses in 2017. Cardiology magazine spoke with the two lead educators for the initiative, Sara Paul, DNP, FNP, CHFN, CCA, who directs the Heart Function Clinic at Catawba Valley Cardiology in Conover, NC, and Cynthia Bither, ACNP, MSN, AACC, chief nurse practitioner of the Advanced Heart Failure Program at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC, who have spent the past three years traveling the world to empower heart failure nurses.

I recently read the obituary of one of my esteemed colleagues. It listed all his certifications, achievements, awards and invaluable contributions to our field – symbols of his pioneering vision. I thought to myself. I hope he had time to take a step back, look at all his achievements and life journey with a smile. I hope he took a walk in the rain. On a day so bleak and dreary, the rain-tipped leaves formed diamond crystals that sparkled.

On Dec. 4th, the ACC Iowa Women in Cardiology (WIC) Chapter held an event, Introduction to Women in Cardiology, for Quad-City area female high school students with interests in science and medicine. Reception of the event was fantastic, with almost triple the anticipated attendance.

This study looked at the effects of cognitive impairment on self-care in patients with heart failure and showed that there are distinctly different factors positively associated with self-care in patients with differing levels of cognitive function.

This article assesses trends in oral anticoagulant use, persistence, and adherence rates for 1 year post-hospitalization in new oral anticoagulant users with atrial fibrillation from 2011 to 2017.

The multi-faceted Improving Heart Failure Outcomes Through Personalized Education (HOPE) curriculum from the ACC and Haymarket Medical Education consists of 30 live and online certified education activities to help health care professionals improve heart failure (HF) patient care and outcomes.

At this year's ACC Legislative Conference, the CV Team lobbied for important cardiovascular initiatives. Overall, the response from the House and Senate representatives were very positive and supportive of our concerns.

Advanced practice providers (APPs) provide invaluable services to the cardiovascular team. These services are often not captured by RVUs, as APPs save time and resources in procedures, bundled payments, and free up physician time to engage in productive high RVU generating work.

This scientific statement from the National Lipid Association recommends icosapent ethyl for cardiovascular risk reduction in select patients and is largely based on results of REDUCE-IT (Reduction of Cardiovascular Events With Icosapent Ethyl–Intervention Trial).

The ACC is launching a year-long structured mentoring program to provide real-world support and coaching for early career members.

Submit to JACC: Case Reports by Dec. 31 and your case could be selected for presentation during the Journal's Best of 2019 session during ACC.20 Together With the World Congress of Cardiology.

Join the ACC in recognizing National Family Caregivers Month. Caregivers are an important part of the care team; however, caregiving is a complex responsibility, and the stress of being a caregiver can strain your own health.

This study assessed rates of ventricular tachyarrhythmia in those who did and did not improve with cardiac resynchronization therapy in the MADIT-CRT trial beyond the current guideline indication for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator.

There are a lot of big ways to get involved with the College – being on a Section Leadership Council, participating on a taskforce or committee, or serving as faculty for a live course, to name a few. However, we know that not everyone has the time for some of these larger-scale commitments. That's why the ACC is excited to announce the launch of our Microvolunteering Platform.

Applications are now being accepted for the ACC Leadership Academy Cohort IV, which will launch at ACC.20/World Congress of Cardiology in Chicago, IL.

The ACC CV Team Section's Structural Heart Disease (SHD) Team Work Group will host the first in a series of two webinars this fall targeting members of the interdisciplinary SHD care team.

The ACC CV Team Section's Communication Committee needs articles from members for the upcoming issues of its newsletter. Consider submitting a short article on a topic of interest to you. Articles only need to be 250 – 500 words and ACC staff can help with copyediting.

Join world-renowned cardiologist and course director Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, MACC, at ACC's New York Cardiovascular Symposium, taking place Dec. 6 – 8.

The ACC is marking both American Pharmacists Month and National PA Week (Oct. 6 – 12) with a special discount for nonmembers. Pharmacists and PAs who join the College in October save 40 percent on membership.

During this year’s World Heart Day, which took place on Sunday, Sept. 29, ACC CV Team members took to Twitter to show the world how they pursue heart health in their own lives. Below are some examples of how members continue to keep their heart strong, whether it’s exercising, hiking, playing with their kids or grandkids, walking a pet, or more!

Can’t attend ACC’s Core Curriculum For the Cardiovascular Clinician course? Participate with ACC Anywhere and attend virtually!

This retrospective study evaluated computed tomography-derived fractional flow reserve for patients with acute chest pain presenting to an emergency department.

Patient and provider end-of-life discussions and decision-making are integral aspects of guideline-based care for patients undergoing cardioverter-defibrillator implantation. However, how health literacy is related to patient experiences, attitudes, and knowledge of the implanted cardioverter defibrillator at the end of life is unknown.

The ACC is seeking comments on a draft competency statement describing the knowledge and skills of clinical cardiovascular nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs), including those in general cardiology practice and those working in focused areas of cardiovascular medicine.

ACC's CardioSmart team recently developed a suite of tools and resources to help patients with heart failure begin managing their condition and know what to expect. Help your patients reach their goals with the "I Have Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction. Now What?" My Heart Failure Action Plan.

Show your peers and the world how you pursue heart health in your own life on World Heart Day, taking place on Sunday, Sept. 29. Post a photo or video on Twitter of yourself exercising, hiking, playing with your kids or grandkids, or walking a pet – anything you do to keep your heart strong.

The second issue of JACC: Case Reports is now online. Accompanied by a summary podcast from Editor-in-Chief Julia Grapsa, MD, PhD, FACC, the issue includes a mini-focus issue on interventional complications and their management, a heart care team/multidisciplinary team live case, clinical vignettes and more.

For several years, our ACC worked together with other stakeholder groups and members of Congress to pass legislation that expands access to cardiac rehabilitation (rehab) services by allowing advanced practice clinicians – nurse practitioners, physician assistants and clinical nurse specialists – to supervise cardiac rehab services.

The ACC is now accepting nominations from CV Team Section Members for the 2019 ACC Emerging Faculty Leadership Academy, taking place Dec. 2 – 4 at Heart House in Washington, DC.

Clinicians of all kinds, across all specialties and care settings, are experiencing alarming rates of burnout.

New legislation introduced yesterday in Congress – a result of joint efforts between the ACC, the American Heart Association, and others – will take an important step towards addressing heart disease in the United States.

Cardiology is the ACC's flagship member magazine — your member magazine — providing cardiovascular professionals with a comprehensive source for clinical and professional news. Find links to all of the July issue's articles and share on social media!

This study demonstrated positive effects of motivational counseling on reducing sedentary behavior and depression, as well as an improvement in health-related quality of life scores in Taiwanese women with metabolic syndrome.

In a new Leadership Page published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Richard J. Kovacs, MD, FACC, president of the ACC; Kim K. Birtcher, MS, PharmD, AACC, ACC/AHA Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines member; and James E. Tisdale, PharmD, FACC, ACC Electrophysiology Section Leadership Council member, reflect on the past, present and future of pharmacist involvement in the ACC and in cardiology.

Are you attending ACC's 2019 Legislative Conference? Then join the CV Team and CV Administrators Legislative Conference Pre-Session, taking place Sunday, Nov. 3 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Regency Ballroom C.

This brief article reviews a secondary analysis of the COMPASS (Cardiovascular Outcomes for People Using Anticoagulation Strategies) trial in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) treated with rivaroxaban and/or aspirin. The review suggests that treatment with rivaroxaban 2.5 mg twice daily with aspirin 100 mg daily may represent a new and effective treatment for PAD.

This study is a statistical analysis of blood lipid levels over a 17-year period (1999-2016) in adults with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

The 16th Annual ACC Oregon Cardiovascular Symposium, held in Portland, OR, was a resounding success. The CV Team was well-represented with 146 of the total 227 registrants.

The use of aspirin in primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) has faced increasing controversy. To address this concern, the College created an infographic to explain a recently-published four-trial series evaluating the use of aspirin therapy in the primary prevention of ASCVD.

The first issue of JACC: Case Reports – the newest JACC Journal – is now live.

Biomarkers of inflammation (such as C-reactive protein), low cardiorespiratory fitness (peak oxygen consumption), and poor endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation) are all associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk and vascular mortality and other cardiovascular risk factors such as metabolic syndrome, but their interdependence has not been established in a healthy population.

This purpose of this study was to determine if invasive monitoring would improve outcomes in patients with heart failure who were in cardiogenic shock.

The ACC has made a select number of travel awards available to cover expenses for members to travel to ACC's 2019 Legislative Conference, Nov. 3 – 5, in Washington, DC.

On May 10, the ACC Rhode Island Chapter hosted its second annual cardiovascular team conference entitled, "Advanced Cardiology for the Cardiovascular Team." The program was jointly provided with the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and scheduled to coincide with Nurses Appreciation Week. For the second consecutive year, this conference was sold out.

With the rise in pediatric cardiac arrest cases across the country in recent years, CPR awareness and early implementation training is an essential component for best outcomes. Numerous efforts have been made across the U.S. to place automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) in schools where first responders, including fellow students, can save precious minutes by executing basic life support (BLS) skills (CPR and AED) before emergency medical services arrive to provide advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) measures.

The technology of the leadless pacemaker and its advantages, risks, and promise are explained in this review of the innovative device.

This review describes the assessment and management of postcatheterization femoral artery pseudoaneurysms and techniques for ultrasound-guided thrombin injection and ultrasound-guided pseudoaneurysm compression.

In a new Leadership Page published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, ACC President Richard J. Kovacs, MD, FACC, reflects on ACC.19; the new Primary Prevention Guideline; and his mother, Elizabeth M. Kovacs, who passed away in 2018 at the age of 99.

JACC: Case Reports Editor-in-Chief Julia Grapsa, MD, PhD, FACC, and Associate Editor Mary Norine Walsh, MD, MACC, have recorded an informative webinar on how clinicians and members of the care team can develop a high-quality case report submission.

The hypotensive effect of aerobic training, due largely to an autonomic-modulated reduction in systemic vascular resistance, is well-established and appears to be additive to antihypertensive medications in hypertensive people. Multiple factors that enhance (e.g., weight loss) or diminish (e.g., genetics) this effect have been identified; however, it is unclear if time of day for aerobic training impacts its hypotensive effects.

The PRESERVE-EF (Risk Stratification in Patients With Preserved Ejection Fraction) study evaluated a protocol for identifying patients with ejection fraction ≥40% post-myocardial infarction who might benefit from implantable cardioverter-defibrillator due to a high risk of sudden cardiac death.

Submit your recommendations to ACC's Nominating Committee for ACC vice president and Trustees by July 1.

Unlock the power of your ACC network with ACC Member Hub, designed to help you connect, collaborate and create.

This study examines the independent association of specific cardiovascular diseases with respiratory diseases and their impact on all-cause mortality.

This May, the ACC is celebrating the important role nurses play in transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health with a special membership discount.

Compared with urban dwellers, rural community dwellers living with heart failure (HF) face higher rates of health disparities in terms of being uninsured and having poor access to medical providers, especially specialists, and tend to have lower socioeconomic status. Although the influence of demographic and clinical factors on high-impact HF outcomes such as death and rehospitalization was identified in the literature, little is known about the influence of lifestyle variables, and sedentary lifestyle in particular, among rural dwellers with HF.

This study evaluates the increased use of guideline-recommended therapy and the effect on mortality, rehospitalization, and function decline in long-stay nursing home patients who are post acute myocardial infarction.

Are you a cardiovascular clinician early in your career? If so, do not miss ACC's Core Curriculum for the Cardiovascular Clinician course, October 2 – 5, at Heart House in Washington, DC.

Attend ACC's Cardiovascular Health Promotion course, taking place May 30 – June 1 in Washington, DC, and get the answers you need to prevent cardiovascular disease.

In 2018, Indiana University Health launched a Patient Safety Hero Program to recognize caregivers for creating a positive patient safety culture.

Researchers, early career cardiologists and members of the cardiovascular care team have a new publication vehicle for case reports, imaging vignettes, global health reports and voices in cardiology centered on clinical problem solving.

The CardioSmart team has created several patient resources to help patients understand the new ACC and American Heart Association primary prevention guideline

Statin-related myopathy is dose related, occurring at rates of up to 25 percent. 

The new ACC and American Heart Association (AHA) primary prevention guideline provides a comprehensive roadmap of strategies that can be used and tailored to help prevent or slow the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).

Nurse-led delivery care models may have the potential to address the significant burden of heart failure in sub-Saharan Africa, according to a study published Feb. 25 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

This single-center study measures the impact of a pharmacist-driven workplace program of cardiovascular (CV) risk reduction in a moderate- to high-CV risk group of subjects over a 12-month period of time.

Join the ACC Interventional Council's Structural Heart Disease Work Group for a webinar, Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. ET, on lessons learned from established TAVR programs.

The American Heart Association, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health and other government agencies, annually compiles into a single document the most up-to-date statistics regarding heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular risk factors. This statistical update presents the latest data on clinical heart and circulatory diseases and associated outcomes, including quality of care, procedures, and economic costs.

Check out ACC's brand-new case series on improving understanding and recognition of cardiac syncope on ACC.org.

Measurements during cardiopulmonary exercise testing have well-established prognostic value for patients with advanced heart failure (HF). However, less is known about the predictive value of hemodynamic responses to cardiopulmonary exercise testing in advanced HF, such as changes in blood pressure.

Throughout February, cardiac rehabilitation professionals who join the College as Associates of the ACC or CV Team members can save 30 percent or more on their first year of membership.

Submit a case presentation highlighting the work of the structural heart multidisciplinary team and get the chance to be featured at the inaugural Open House of the ACC CV Team Section Structural Heart Team Work Group at ACC.19!

Are you subscribed to the ACC Update newsletter? Starting this month, on the second Friday of every month, ACC Update will provide a segmented, personalized newsletter with the CV Team-focused information you've come to expect, including member articles, upcoming events, clinical content, apps and tools, and more.

A recent article published in the American Academy of PAs features ACC CV Team Physician Assistants Committee Co-Chairs Disty Pearson, PA-C, and Viet Le, MPAS, PA-C.

In November 2018, the annual ACC Washington State Chapter meeting took place at the Bellevue Marriott Hotel in Bellevue, WA.

Each year, over 1 million patients with heart failure (HF) present to the emergency department and are often treated with diuretic therapy and discharged. Optimal timing of physician follow-up after an emergency department visit for HF is unclear, and investigators examined outcomes (i.e., hospital readmission and death) of early and late follow-up among patients with a primary diagnosis of HF who were treated and discharged from the emergency department.

Join the ACC in recognizing Cardiac Rehab Awareness Week from Feb. 10 – 16 as part of American Heart Month.

ACC President C. Michael Valentine, MD, FACC; SCAI President David A. Cox, MD, MSCAI, FACC; HRS President Thomas F. Deering, MD, FHRS, FACC; and HFSA President Randall C. Starling, MD, FACC, offer guidance to cardiovascular professionals seeking to navigate Maintenance of Certification (MOC) in 2019 and beyond as part of a joint Leadership Page published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Join us at the ACC.19 All-Section Reception, March 17, from 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m., at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside, Grand Ballroom A.

Network with nurses, PAs, clinical pharmacists, cardiac rehab professionals and other members of the cardiovascular team at ACC.19 during the CV Team Section Meeting and Reception, taking place Saturday, March 16, from 5 – 7:30 p.m. CT.

Beginning in February, look out for a CV Team version of the ACC Update newsletter the second Friday of every month.

ACC.19, which takes place March 16 – 18 in New Orleans, LA, offers CV Team professionals numerous opportunities to connect with peers, exchange ideas and gain knowledge.

ACC's Cardiovascular Summit – taking place Feb. 14 – 16 in Orlando, FL – offers training across many nonclinical competencies with the goal of helping cardiovascular professionals survive and thrive in today’s health care environment.

This month's ACC CV Team Newsletter features an interview with Jean C. McSweeney, PhD, RN, associate dean for research at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, AR.

The acute and prolonged stress of adverse events has been found to have undisputed negative effects on the heart and longevity. Stress-induced compassion fatigue is also increasingly blamed for the premature end to productive careers.

Individuals interested in applying for one of two new JACC Journal Editor-in-Chief positions must submit applications by Tuesday, Jan. 15.

This study demonstrates that adherence to more than one healthy lifestyle behavior has an additive positive effect on subclinical atherosclerosis. This has implications for public health education to reduce cardiovascular disease burden in a population by targeting multiple healthy behaviors in public health campaigns.

Clinical approaches to assessing and reducing inflammation are reviewed in light of findings from CANTOS (Canakinumab Anti-inflammatory Thrombosis Outcomes Study), a secondary prevention trial.

Take advantage of free, online certified educational activities to fulfill your 2018 CME requirements and earn MOC credit at the same time!

The ACC.org editorial board is looking for two team members – one PharmD candidate and one PA candidate – to join the certified e-learning team to expand educational offerings for PharmDs and PAs.

Pulmonary hypertension in patients with severe aortic stenosis who undergo transcatheter aortic valve replacement can be reversed with an improvement in overall survival.

In a recent Leadership Page published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Andrew P. Miller, MD, FACC; Eileen M. Handberg, PhD, ARNP, FACC; and George P. Rodgers, MD, FACC, discuss how expanding the College's membership in 2003 recognized cardiovascular medicine as a team sport.

I became involved with ACC CV Team after a physician approached me to consider becoming state liaison for the ACC Indiana Chapter. Initially, I was overwhelmed and hesitant to add another professional responsibility on to my plate, especially one that was largely unknown to me.

In the latest issues of Cardiology, deep-dive into the emerging risk factors of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia.

The ACC.org editorial board is looking for two team members – one PharmD candidate and one PA candidate – to join the certified e-learning team to expand educational offerings for PharmDs and PAs.

The ACC is seeking applications for editor-in-chief of its new, online, open-access JACC: Case Reports journal launching in Spring 2019.

The deadline to submit abstracts for ACC's Cardiovascular Summit has been extended to Monday, Nov. 26.

In this deep-dive video discussion, Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, MACC; Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, FACC; Anne B. Curtis, MD, FACC; Peter Libby, MD, FACC; and Marc Ruel, MD, MPH, share their perspectives on the most significant science released during AHA.18.

The month of October gave the ACC the opportunity to celebrate the important contributions of PAs and pharmacists to transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health. As a result of the recruitment campaign the College ran during the month, 37 pharmacists and 39 PAs joined as members.

Did you know that several of ACC's Certified Patient Cases offer CNE credit at no cost? These challenging cases on a wide variety of important topics range from cardio-oncology and valvular heart disease, to hypertension and arrhythmias.

Jessica Patel, PharmD, a medical science liaison for Novartis Pharmaceuticals, and Jennifer Fox, CRNP, heart failure nurse practitioner for Lankenau Medical Center, recently joined together to host a Heart Failure Health Literacy Workshop for Main Line Health Nurses and Advanced Practitioners.

ACC's 2018 Legislative Conference recently took place in Washington, DC. It was the largest legislative conference to date with more than 470 attendees, 70 of which were ACC CV Team Section members.

Join the ACC in recognizing National Hospice and Palliative Care Month this November to raise awareness about how important hospice and palliative care is to all ages.

The ACC continues to set the standards for lifelong learning for the entire cardiovascular care team. Did you know that several of ACC's Certified Patient Cases offer CNE credit at no cost?

The incidence of acute ischemic stroke and hemorrhage was determined retrospectively from an electronic database of >125,000 patients with atrial fibrillation on home novel oral anticoagulants or warfarin. The results seemed to contradict several recent studies.

It is recommended to avoid nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in patients with hypertension, heart failure, or chronic kidney disease. This trial describes frequency of NSAID prescribing in these populations and looks to determine if there are short-term safety-related outcomes.

October marks both American Pharmacists Month and National PA Week, and the ACC is celebrating the work PharmDs and PAs do through discounts on membership and educational products. Nonmember PAs and clinical pharmacists can save more than 35 percent on 2019 dues by joining the ACC in October using the code Thanks2018. Encourage your nonmember colleagues to visit ACC.org/Thanks2018 and get started on their application. (They will use the promo code on the payment screen.)

Inappropriate dosing of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) is not uncommon in treating patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib). To that end, the College has created an infographic to provide information on how clinicians should appropriately dose DOACs.

Each month, the CV Team Section newsletter highlights the achievements of one CV Team member. This month features Holly Cook, BSN, RN-BC, manager of the cardiovascular level one emergency programs and chest pain center coordinator at the Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, IN.

The annual Washington State Eastside ACC CV Team Dinner was held on Sept. 5, in Spokane, WA, and was a wonderful gathering of registered nurses (RNs), advanced practice registered nurses (ARNPs), physician assistants and a few cardiologists. There were more than 45 attendees and 12 vendors who enjoyed an evening of networking, education, and delicious food and drink.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and the world. Over 800,000 Americans die annually of cardiovascular disease, which equals to approximately one of every three deaths.

Pay-for-performance programs use a limited set of patient variables for assessing hospital readmissions risk. Wide variations in hospital readmission rates might be more fully explained by clinical and social patient characteristics currently not used in pay-for-performance models.

This survey assessed prevalence of burnout symptoms, career choice regret, and specialty choice regret in a national study of second year US resident physicians and explored factors associated with each.

Patients with advanced heart failure who enrolled in hospice used less healthcare services, lived longer, and were less likely to die in the hospital.

The September 2018 issue of Cardiology, YOUR member magazine, is now live! Cardiology provides cardiovascular professionals with comprehensive clinical, professional and health policy news; feature-length articles on the top trends and innovations in cardiovascular medicine; expert commentary from leaders in the cardiovascular field; quick-read summaries of the latest research from the JACC Journals and other major cardiovascular journals; profiles of ACC members, like you; and so much more!

ACC.19 registration is NOW OPEN exclusively for ACC members. Nonmember registration will open Wednesday, Sept. 26. Register early for the lowest rates and best selection of hotel rooms!

A series of eight state-of-the-art reviews is now publishing in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC). One review is publishing each week, examining the top risk factors affecting the cardiovascular health of patients: diet, tobacco, lipid control/cholesterol, blood pressure, psychological health, weight, physical activity and blood sugar.

The ACC and other advocates celebrated a major victory for infants born with critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) with the adoption of IDAPA 10.02.12, a rule that adds CCHD screening to the uniform screening panel in Idaho. After successfully passing through several Senate committee hearings and closing the Idaho legislative session on March 31, this rule became effective in Idaho on July 1.

A multidisciplinary team approach has long been advocated as a model to provide the best patient care. The Best Practices for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Programs: A Guide to Effective Health Care System Interventions and Community Programs Linked to Clinical Services, a publication by the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), further highlights a team-based care model for prevention strategies.

World Heart Day is an international campaign held every year on Sept. 29 to inform people about cardiovascular disease — the biggest cause of death — and promote preventive measures to reduce the risk. The first World Heart Day was celebrated in 2000 as a joint initiative between the World Heart Foundation and World Health Organization. It is the world’s largest platform for raising awareness about cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke.

Learn more about articles from the August issue of Cardiology magazine, YOUR member magazine! View the “Dog Days of August” photo gallery featuring cardiovascular professionals and their dogs from around the world.

This Journal of the American College of Cardiology state-of-the-art review of Brugada syndrome conveys a comprehensive update and overall perspective on this rare but significant cause of sudden cardiac death.

This American Heart Association Scientific Statement provides a contemporary overview of research and recommendations regarding youth sedentary behavior and its impact on obesity and cardiometabolic health in the modern digital age.

There is nothing that strikes fear in an administrator’s heart more than their dyad partner saying, "Let’s add a compensation model review for our next group meeting!" Whether you work in a hospital-employed setting, academia, or private practice, an equitable and sustainable compensation plan is paramount to a successful work environment.

Save the date for the next ACC Twitter Journal Club on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 3 - 4 p.m. ET! ACC Journal Club faculty members Dipti Itchhaporia, MD, FACC, and John Ryan, MD, FACC, will be joined by Annabelle Volgman, MD, FACC, ACC, ACC Cardiovascular Disease in Women committee member; Andrew Freeman, MD, FACC, ACC Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease Section council member; and Dave Dixon, PharmD, FACC, ACC Diabetes and Cardiometabolic Disorder sub-section member, to discuss some of the hottest topics from ESC Congress 2018 in Munich.

The August 2018 issue of Cardiology, YOUR member magazine, is now live! Cardiology provides cardiovascular professionals with comprehensive clinical, professional and health policy news; feature-length articles on the top trends and innovations in cardiovascular medicine; expert commentary from leaders in the cardiovascular field; quick-read summaries of the latest research from the JACC Journals and other major cardiovascular journals; profiles of ACC members, like you; and so much more!

The ACC Rhode Island Chapter recently held its first ever CV Team Section educational conference at the Marriott Hotel in Providence, RI. Leanne M. Burke, MSN, APRN-CNP, ANP-BC, AACC, ACC Rhode Island Chapter CV Team representative, and David M. Donaldson, MD, FACC, ACC Rhode Island Chapter governor, organized this educational conference specifically for the CV Team Section members.

It has been shown that networking through social media benefits the professional careers of health care providers. While professionals in specialties such as cardiology may have limited peer support at their institutions, Twitter and Facebook can provide near-instantaneous support from professionals with similar backgrounds miles away. As support is readily available from online communities that face common problems, colleagues are able to share their experiences and help brainstorm solutions to workplace problems that improve patient outcomes.

Heather M. Ross, DNP, PhD, chair of the ACC CV Team Advocacy Committee, is running for U.S. Congress in Arizona’s 6th district. Combining her passion for cardiology and the personal conviction that nurses have a responsibility to participate in professional organizations, Ross was one of the first 100 nurses to join the ACC. She urges nurses to not be afraid to start with local chapter involvement, volunteer for state and national committees or work forces, and pursue political health care activities.

The latest issue of Cardiology looks at the impact of obesity on cardiovascular disease and provides tips for talking with patients.

The College has partnered with the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) to produce study tools for the Board of Pharmacy Specialties Cardiology Pharmacy Specialty Certification Examination that will debut Fall 2018.

NAMES (Northwestern University and Access Community Health Network Medication Education Study) was designed to test the effectiveness of an electronic health record-based medication management tool with and without nurse-led education in improving blood pressure and medication management in hypertensive patients.

Beta-blocker treatment of chronic heart failure (HF) has been shown to improve survival and reduce HF-related hospitalizations. Beta-adrenergic blockade blunts peak heart rate; however, less is known about the effects of prolonged beta-blocker treatment on peak oxygen consumption, an important functional index of exercise capacity, in patients with HF.

The ACC Cardio-Oncology Section recently hosted its second annual Advancing Cardiovascular Care of the Oncology Patient meeting in Washington, DC. Hosted by Ana Barac, MD, PhD, FACC, and Bonnie Ky, MD, FACC, this course offered a general overview of the field of cardio-oncology care, with specific focus on current research and practical implications for clinicians.

The 2018 Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) Annual Congress was recently held in San Antonio, TX, with over 6,000 critical care practitioners from around the world who presented research, attended educational sessions and used the opportunity to network.

The ACC Ohio CV Team Council held a successful 11th annual CV Team Update as part of the ACC Ohio Chapter Spring Summit in Cleveland.

This single-center comparative effectiveness trial provides a direct head-to-head comparison of coronary computed tomography angiography versus stress echocardiography in low- to intermediate-risk patients with chest pain in the emergency department on measures of clinical efficiency, safety, and resource utilization.

This state-of-the-art review describes technical aspects, indications, outcomes, management, weaning parameters, complications, and costs of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in cardiogenic shock.

Home-time, or the time spent out of a health care institution, was studied to among patients with heart failure. The researchers showed that more time outside of a health care institution, including a skilled nursing facility, correlated to time-to-event mortality and hospitalization outcomes.

The Maryland CV Team Leadership Council recently welcomed a diverse group of professionals for the spring networking event at the Blue Hill Tavern in Baltimore.

The Methodist Hospitals in Gary and Merrillville, Indiana held a terrific Cardiovascular Symposium this year. More than 120 members and clinicians from the Chicago-area and Northwest Indiana attended this program in Schererville, Indiana.

Investigators reviewed evidence for vitamin and mineral supplementation in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease since 2012. The meta-analysis utilized studies prior to and including the US Preventive Services Task Force report, which published evidence and recommendations in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

Patients with familial hypercholesterolemia can develop cardiovascular (CV) events even when treated with stable lipid-lowering therapy. This study analyzes which patient factors and CV risk factors are associated with higher CV risk despite optimal or maximum tolerated lipid-lowering therapy.

Left ventricular (LV) diastolic function declines with sedentary aging but is preserved by long-term endurance exercise; however, little is known about the effects of sedentary aging and lifelong exercise training on LV systolic function.

Depression is frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), but effective treatment of depression can improve cardiac outcomes, mortality, and quality of life. This article reviews current recommendations for the screening, diagnosis, and management of depression in patients with CAD.

When prescribing medication, there are a number of considerations to take into account. To that end, Vicki L. Groo, PharmD, along with the CV Team Writing Group, has created an infographic to provide information for safe prescribing and use of Sacubitril/Valsartan (Entresto).

The ACC recently launched the PINNACLE Advance Care Planning Toolkit to help providers understand, integrate and document advance care planning into their routine practice. 

The ACC has a limited number of travel awards available to cover expenses for CV Team members to travel to the 2018 Legislative Conference, Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, in Washington, DC. The award provides reimbursement funding for airfare, lodging and other expenses up to $1,000 for travel to and from the conference.

This month, the CV Team Section is highlighting some of the newly designated Associates of the American College of Cardiology (AACCs).

The 4th Annual Southern California CV Team Symposium, held at the Marriott Resort and Spa in Newport Beach, CA, on Feb. 23, was a huge success with over 95 attendees.

The ACC congratulates all newly designated Associates of the American College of Cardiology (AACCs)!

The CV Team invited members attending ACC.18 and NCDR.18 to become "roving reporters" and share their meeting experiences.

Do you have innovative ideas for potential sessions at ACC.19? CV Team members are encouraged to submit ideas, including relevant CV Team speakers and topics, that address needs assessment gaps.

ACC’s Surgeons and Interventional Member Section Councils have created a transcatheter heart valve handbook to provide a single source of introductory information on aortic, mitral and pulmonary transcatheter valve technology, intended for residents and Fellows in Training in cardiovascular medicine and cardiothoracic surgery. 

Please join us for this year's Careers in Heart Failure & Transplant Symposium during ACC.18. The event will take place on Saturday, March 10th, 2018 at the Hyatt Regency Orlando, Regency Ballroom Q at 4:30pm-6:00pm.

On average, 45% of adverse drug reactions that lead to hospitalization are preventable. The transition from hospital to primary care settings may introduce errors in communication regarding patient medical treatment. Medication reviews led by pharmacists can provide some solutions to these issues.

Many male marathon runners have elevated coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores despite high levels of physical activity, which raises concerns that extreme endurance exercise may lead to increased atherosclerosis in men. This study sets out to reexamine the data on 50 male marathon runners to determine the relationship between CAC scores and coronary artery disease risk factors.

ACC's 67th Annual Scientific Session and Expo (ACC.18) is one of the premier cardiology events. Unfortunately, not all members are able to attend, and sharing feedback on experiences can be extremely valuable for those members.

How did you get started in health care?
In 1983, my then 3-year-old daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I spent many years after the diagnosis learning how to care for her and navigate through the health care industry.

As my term as CV Team Communication Committee chair comes to a close, I wanted to share that it has been an honor to represent you all.

Differences in type, etiology, and treatment of heart failure between men and women and among ethnic groups might affect non-cardiac surgical outcomes. Gender and ethnic differences in 30-day surgical morbidity and mortality outcomes were characterized and compared in adults with new and acute, worsening heart failure.

Heart failure self-care education is recommended for family members and the patient. This study describes the characteristics for a successful dyad and the impact on self-care behaviors.

Physician assistants (PAs) are health care professionals who are helping to address the growing need for high-quality cardiovascular health care providers in the U.S. As the PA profession marks its 50th anniversary, a new survey reveals that as the profession has matured, so has the role of PAs who work in cardiology. Conducted by the ACC's PA Work Group of the Cardiovascular Team Council, the survey provides important insights into the experience, scope of practice and services provided in cardiovascular practice, as well as opportunities to enhance professional membership. More work experience in cardiology and greater autonomy in providing cardiovascular care are two notable findings among the current generation of PAs.

This American Heart Association scientific statement summarizes the existing scientific literature on the impact of childhood and adolescent adversity on cardiometabolic health outcomes and suggests future directions for research and clinical interventions.

The ACC Cardiovascular Team Section is seeking 22 qualified, motivated individuals to serve as the 2018 – 2019 Cardiovascular Team Writing Group Editorial Fellows for the ACC.org webpage.

In the latest ACC Cardiology Hour, Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, MACC, is joined by Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, FACC; Rachel J. Lampert, MD, FACC; Prediman K. Shah, MD, MACC; and Chadwick W. Stouffer, MD, in a roundtable discussion of the hottest trials from AHA 2017 in Anaheim, CA. Among the trials discussed are DACAB, CANVAS, EXSCEL, POISE-2 and more.

We are in a great time in health care; a time when individuals can share their voices, the voices of their patients and the needs of their practice. There are several ways to communicate ideas and concerns, and it begins with being aware of the ongoing problems.

The IN.PACT Admiral (Medtronic, Dublin, Ireland) paclitaxel-coated balloon was evaluated for safety and effectiveness in treatment of de novo in-stent restenosis of the femoral and popliteal arteries. The trial was one of several cohorts in the much larger multi-continent IN.PACT Global Study assessing the performance of the drug-coated balloon in femoropopliteal disease.

The ICE-CUBII (Impact on Mid-term Mortality of Guidelines for ICU Admission of Elderly Patients Arriving in Emergency Departments) cluster randomized trial in France evaluated whether systematic intensive care unit (ICU) triage in critically ill elderly patients would affect mortality at 6 months compared with usual practice. Secondary outcomes included in-hospital mortality, ICU admission rates, functional status, and quality of life at 6 months.

Cardiovascular Team members had a strong presence at the ACC's recent 2017 Legislative Conference that took place Sept. 10 – 12 in Washington, DC. Several Cardiovascular Team members shared their personal thoughts and takeaways from this important educational and immersive event.