Course Overview:

For women with coronary heart disease, important gender differences require the practitioner to understand and develop specific treatment strategies. Factors unique or of increased importance to the female patient at risk for heart disease include older age, reproductive and hormonal status, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and the presence of diabetes. A consistent plan to address risk factor management of each woman is the key to long term risk reduction.

This CME course, led by a nationally recognized faculty of experts in women’s cardiovascular health, will integrate the latest scientific data with practical treatment strategies, and will provide clinicians with tools to develop treatment strategies for women with heart disease. Topics will include coronary risk factors, chest pain in women, and diagnostic testing and therapeutic interventions. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with the faculty in a personalized setting, as each session will end with an expert panel discussion featuring challenging case studies and interactive audience participation

This high caliber educational activity will contain essential information for cardiologists, internal medicine and family medicine physicians, obstetricians/gynecologists, nurses and allied health professionals who care for women at risk for heart disease.

Educational Objectives:

Upon completion of this educational activity, the participant should be better able to:

1.       Assess cardiovascular risk factors and their specific impact on the female patient, including lipids, hypertension, and diabetes.

2.       Discuss the gender differences in the diagnosis and treatment of both chronic and acute cardiac ischemia.

3.       Evaluate the new data regarding angina in the female patient population.

4.       Construct appropriate management plans for the female patient with chest pains.

5.       Integrate new methods of diagnostic testing into the care of the female cardiac patient.