The Heart Course : Emergency Cardiovascular Care for the Frontline Provider

Cardiovascular emergencies must be recognized immediately and treated appropriately to prevent life threatening consequence. Sometimes only seconds matter to save a life. The skills tools and resources to respond to these emergencies is rapidly evolving. The Heart Course provides an opportunity for front line providers of emergency cardiology to learn discuss and apply emerging data, new guidelines and optimal treatment strategies for the management of cardiac and vascular emergencies.

Target Audience : The Heart Course is intended for physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners physician assistants and advanced practice professionals that provide care to patients with acute cardiovascular problems.

Learning Goals : After attending The Heart Course, learners will be better able to:
1. Understand chest pain risk stratification by exploring the ins and outs of the Heart Score
2. Identify the evidence based strategies for the management of patients with acute coronary
syndrome (STEMI, and UA/ NSTEMI), atrial fibrillation, heart failure, transient ischemic attack (TIA), stroke, and cerebral hemorrhage
3. Describe the mechanisms of action and optimal evidence based use of new and emerging
cardiovascular medications, including new oral anticoagulants (NOAC) therapy and reversal agents
4. Demonstrate state-of-the-art resuscitation strategies for patients presenting with cardiovascular emergencies
5. Evaluate and initiate appropriate treatment strategies for high-risk, high-threat electrocardiography (ECG) findings and unusual dysrhythmias
6. Discuss the emerging data on current and novel biomarkers in the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease
7. Identify optimal antiplatelet and anticoagulant management strategies for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), atrial fibrillation (AF), venous thromboembolism (VTE), and stroke
8. Determine evidence based best practices in the management of device related emergencies in patients with cardiac disease, including ventricular assist devices (VADs), pacemakers, and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs).