Course Description

Valvular heart diseases are “mystery killers.” Generally, they progress very slowly and almost imperceptibly, yet can cause sudden and unexpected death.

Valvular heart diseases are among the most prominent causes of heart failure and premature cardiac death. It is estimated that more than 10 million Americans have some type of heart valve abnormality, and in approximately five million, the disease is moderate to severe. Three to four million will require surgery at some time in their lives. These numbers will grow as the population ages, since heart valve diseases develop and progress with aging. Since other causes of relatively early death are diminishing, valve diseases are emerging as an important public health concern.

Valves in the Heart of the Big Apple V: Evaluation and Management of Valvular Heart Diseases 2007 will provide state-of-the-art information for cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, other physicians and allied health professionals about how to deal with this emerging public health problem. The latest strategies for evaluating and managing patients with valvular heart diseases will be presented. In addition, the pathophysiological basis of outcomes, including very recent data concerning myocardial responses at the cellular and molecular levels, will be discussed to elucidate the foundations for future therapy.

The program will carry forward and update the previous Valves in the Heart of the Big Apple conferences (2001-2005).

The course is designed for medical professionals involved in the diagnosis, evaluation and management of valvular heart diseases and in research related to these activities. It will be conducted by nationally and internationally-recognized cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, anesthesiologists, epidemiologists and allied health professionals specializing in the field.

Valves in the Heart of the Big Apple V: Evaluation and Management of Valvular Heart Diseases 2007 will get to the core of major valvular heart disease issues.

New & Recently-Updated Features

• current criteria for surgical intervention
• cell and molecular biology of valve and/or myocardial dysfunction in valve disease
• generally accepted and recently emerging predictors of prognostically- important deterioration among common lesions
• current approaches to preparation of the patient with valve disease for anesthesia
• emerging data on the use of percutaneous techniques for valve repair and replacement, as well as the regulatory concerns related to development of these methods
• emerging information on the role of pacemaker therapy for mitral regurgitation
• the controversial role of drug prophylaxis for asymptomatic patients
• predictive value of arrhythmias for sudden death after mitral valve surgery; the possible basis of ICD use
• the emerging role of aortic valve repair for aortic valve diseases in association with aortic aneurysm
• the relative efficacy of medical and surgical therapies for mitral regurgitation secondary to cardiomyopathy
• the impact of age on morbidity and mortality in valve surgery; considerations for surgical candidacy
• anti-coagulation strategy early and late after valve replacement
• criteria for mitral valve surgery when mitral regurgitation is secondary to ischemic injury
• the relative efficacy of surgical and catheter-based therapy for atrial fibrillation associated with mitral valve disease

Valves in the Heart of the Big Apple V: Evaluation and Management of Valvular Heart Diseases 2007 will get to the core of major valvular heart disease issues.