31st Annual Symposium Cardiology for the Practitioner

Yosemite National Park will be the site for the 30th annual course, “Cardiology for the Practitioner.” This three-day symposium is an intensive course designed for internists, primary care physicians, family practitioners, cardiologists, and other health care providers who encounter patients with various heart diseases. Recent advances in pathophysiology, treatment, and clinical relevance of common cardiovascular disorders will be presented. Emphasis will be placed on the frequently encountered clinical problems in cardiac patients by primary care physicians.

There will be state-of-the-art and comprehensive reviews on coronary risk factors, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, acute and chronic ischemic syndromes, heart disease in women and pregnancy, syncope, atrial fibrillation, aortic valve disease, and heart failure. Special focus will be placed on review of traditional and emerging cardiac risk factors highlighting primary and secondary prevention strategies. In addition, we will discuss updates and critical review of newer diagnostic imaging modalities, use of newer therapeutic strategies based on recent clinical trials, and emerging interventional strategies. Lastly, topics will be discussed pertaining to reviews on recent clinical trials and practice guidelines in the management of hypertension, dyslipidemia, stable and unstable angina, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and heart disease in pregnancy. This year's program will be devoted to topics of clinical relevance in practice and will include special emphasis on cost-effective, officebased evaluation of common symptoms as well as typical cardiac conditions. The topics and speakers will pay special attention to the clinical problems frequently encountered by the primary care physician in his/her practice. Special features of the program will include a workshop on ECG interpretation and cardiac auscultation. Throughout this course, efforts will be made to provide the clinician with practical knowledge required for the management of cardiac patients utilizing a selection of evidence-based, cost-effective therapies in the current climate of cost-containment in health care.