Heart Valve Summit: Medical, Surgical and Interventional Decision Making

 Heart disease accounts for more fatalities than any other single cause or group of causes of death in the United States. Valvular heart disease, affecting over 5 million individuals in the United States alone, can be congenital or acquired and may or may not be symptomatic for patients. While national Guidelines inform the care, controversies in care within advancing technological and medical arenas demand collaborative methods of diagnosis and strategies for medical, surgical and interventional management.

The American Association for Thoracic Surgery and the American College of Cardiology are once again partnering to bring together cardiologists and surgeons in a cooperative, case-based course to address the rapid advances in the treatment of valvular heart disease.

With the tradition of interactivity and practical decision making, the unique Heart Valve Summit is designed to engage participants in discussions, debates and potential controversies surrounding real-world cases with renowned faculty on the cutting edge of clinically relevant data for valvular heart disease management.

This interdisciplinary course emphasizes clinical decision making while combining the most relevant medical, surgical and interventional options for patient care. Tools for management are rapidly advancing and can significantly impact the entire care team.

Breakout sessions for cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, nurses and physician assistants are designed to help specialists manage their unique challenges from a team perspective.