Cardiology and Geriatrics for Primary Care

Cardiology and Geriatrics for Primary Care – 12 credits 

Overview
This conference is designed to provide primary care clinicians with up-to-date, evidence-based information on commonly encountered issues in Cardiology and Geriatrics, while suggesting pragmatic approaches to clinical management. The discussion-based format of the conference will encourage audience participation through dynamic lectures, case-based studies, and hands-on workshops. Keynote speakers will present and critically assess recent advancements and industry updates in Cardiology and Geriatrics with the goal of enhancing the knowledge-base and core competence of attendees. The successful completion of this interactive program diagnosing, treating, and prescribing the most effective courses of treatment, with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes.

Target Audience
All Physicians and other Healthcare Professionals seeking clinical information about issues in Cardiology and Geriatrics.

Speakers
Our presenting national faculty speakers make it their professional goals to enhance the training of primary care clinicians. This Continuing Medical Education program promises to help you learn the most current, best medicine, and techniques for making the diagnosis easier and quicker during a 20-minute office visit.

Topics and Objectives

Friday, October 1
(7:30 AM – 11:50 AM PDT // 10:30 AM – 2:50 PM EDT)

7:30 AM – 8:30 AM: 
Multimorbidity: Discussing Goals of Care and the Challenging Decisions 
Objectives: 1) Illustrate the four principles of clinical ethics 2) Discuss principles of shared decision-making and the challenges to achieving this 3) Define the “technological imperative” and how it applies to care of seriously ill patients 4) Interpret preferences regarding survival, quality of life, and costs to patients for optimal patient-centered outcomes 

 8:30 AM – 8:35 AM ~ BREAK  

8:35 AM – 9:35 AM: 
Opioids and Pain Management in the Seriously Ill
Objectives: 1) Discuss how pain management strategies may vary in seriously ill patients, those approaching end-of-life, or those with chronic pain syndromes 2) Describe differences between dose, onset and duration of opioids based on drug, formulation, route administered and tolerance 3) List commonly encountered opioid side-effects 

9:35 AM – 9:45 AM ~ BREAK  

9:45 AM – 10:45 AM:
Sorting Through the Headlines: Anticoagulation for Atrial Fibrillation
Objectives: 1) Review the currently available agents for anticoagulation 2) Discuss the approved indications for the various agents 3) Learn of the promising agents on the horizon for anticoagulation 4) Become informed of the concerns and lessons learned thus far with the new agents 5) Discuss a clinical perspective on how to choose a drug for specific patient populations 

10:45 AM – 10:50 AM ~ BREAK  

10:50 AM – 11:50 AM:
Bradyarrhythmias: How SSSSSlow is Too Slow? 
Objectives: 1) Review the classes of Bradyarrhythmias 2) Discuss a clinical approach to the work-up and management of bradycardia 3) Understand the circumstances that require referral to specialists 4) Review the indications for permanent pacemakers 

Saturday, October 2
(7:30 AM – 11:50 AM PDT // 10:30 AM – 2:50 PM EDT)

7:30 AM – 8:30 AM:
Finding and Fighting the Enemy: Sudden Cardiac Death
Objectives: 1) Appreciate the epidemiology of sudden cardiac death (SCD) 2) Discuss the current state of risk stratification and its impact on management 3) Understand options for prevention of SCD 4) Review the role and indication for implantable cardioverter defibrillators 

8:30 AM – 8:35 AM ~ BREAK  

8:35 AM – 9:35 AM:
Corralling the Racing Heart: Approach to SVT
Objectives: 1) Review the classes and ECG appearance of supraventricular tachycardias 2) Discuss a clinical approach to the work-up and management of SVT 3) Understand the circumstances that require referral to specialists 4) Review the indications for catheter ablation 

9:35 AM – 9:45 AM ~ BREAK  

9:45 AM – 10:45 AM:
Polypharmacy and Pearls for Non-Pain Symptom Management in the Elderly 
Objectives: 1) Compare and contrast efficacy of antiemetics and how to select appropriate medication based on patient symptom profile 2) Interpret evidence of the role of oxygen and opioids in treatment of dyspnea 3) Describe common management strategies for care of patients who are actively dying and/or receiving comfort cares 

10:45 AM – 10:50 AM ~ BREAK  

10:50 AM – 11:50 AM:
Non-Malignant Pain Considerations and Safe Opioid Prescribing
Objectives: 1) Understand the neurobiology of chronic pain and how this relates to pharmacologic targets 2) Develop a data-driven and practical understanding of dosing, benefits, and side-effects of common nonopioid pharmacologic agents 3) Become familiar in pharmacologic algorithms for treating common pain syndromes, such as acute back pain, fibromyalgia, and neuropathic pain 4) Develop a practical approach to opioid risk stratification and identification of opioid use disorder 

Sunday, October 3
(7:30 AM – 11:50 AM PDT // 10:30 AM – 2:50 PM EDT)

7:30 AM – 8:30 AM:
Approaches to Early and Late-Stage Dementia Syndromes
Objectives: 1) Compare Cognitive Impairment and Dementia and discuss the common trajectories of each 2) Interpret the best evidence in investigating the role of nutritional support in patients with dementia 3) Describe common prognostic scales for patients with dementia, including the Mitchell Mortality Index and the FAST Score 

8:30 AM – 8:35 AM ~ BREAK  

8:35 AM – 9:35 AM:
Ethics in the Geriatric Primary Care Setting: A Case-Based Interactive Approach 
Objectives 1) Identify and differentiate the four prima facie principles of ethics 2) Describe the case analysis approach to ethical dilemmas in clinical practice 3) Identify and describe approaches to commonly encountered ethical dilemmas in clinical practice 

9:35 AM – 9:45 AM ~ BREAK  

9:45 AM – 10:45 AM:
Sorting out Syncope: Benign to Deadly
Objectives: 1) To review the various causes of syncope 2) Review a systematic diagnostic approach to help define prognosis 3) Review ECG patterns that may suggest a dangerous cause of syncope 4) Review basic management strategy of common causes of syncope 

10:45 AM – 10:50 AM ~ BREAK  

10:50 AM – 11:50 AM
Beyond Beta Blockers: Modern-day Management of PVCs
Objectives: 1) Understand the range of symptoms and presentations of patients with frequent PVCs 2) Illustrate the importance of defining prognosis in these patients 3) Outline the therapeutic options to suppress or eliminate ventricular ectopy 4) Illustrate the role of ablative therapy in PVC management 

Note: Content is subject to change without notice. Please refer to the activity website for the most current information.