Over 65% of this year’s attendees already have responded that they are likely or very likely to return next year. Why? The quality of CME programming was the number one reason people cited, with the Lake Louise opportunity for camaraderie being number two.

Attendees felt strongly that, overall, faculty presentations were of a high instructional quality. For the charts below, attendees expressed to what extent they agreed with the following statements:

• the topic achieved important educational objectives.
• the presenter was knowledgeable, well prepared and engaging.

Scores below indicate the average response. The key to interpreting numbers is:
4= Strongly Agree
3= Agree
2= Neutral
1= Disagree
0= Strongly Disagree

Sunday & Monday Presentations

Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday Presentations

Tuesday & Wednesday Workshops

Faculty and events specially praised in written comments

• Dr. Genest
• Dr. Gersh
• Dr. Grogan (”excellent”)
• Dr. Kastelein (”superb!”)
• Dr. Lau (”Bring Dr. Lau back.”)
• Dr. Sleight (”…a delight!” “…a revelation…” “…really enjoyed Dr. Sleight’s music talk…” “… excellent [declaration of competing interests]…”)
• Dr. Smith

• “Session in cardiac imaging was superb”
• “Merck Frosst morning meeting was excellent. It should have been a non-symposium and made a main event. The collection of speakers was outstanding…”

Ninety-seven percent said registration lived up to its billing as easy and quick, and 99% found the conference website, e-mails and RSS feed useful.

Cost of attending the event was worthy of remark by many attendees, and 85% report staying at the Fairmont Château. Some attendees requested favourite recreational events be reinstituted in future years (the barn dance, hikes or outdoor activities in addition to skiing). In any case, even when commenting on expenses, 91% of attendees still regard the quality of food and lodging as commensurate with pricing.

Overall at the 2008 Annual Cardiovascular Conference at Lake Louise 86% of attendees were from Canada, 8% were from the US and 6% were from outside North America, including Australia, Belgium, Japan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, The Netherlands and The United Kingdom.

Nine Canadian provinces were represented by over 225 attendees: more than half came from Alberta and Ontario, and a third were from Québec, Manitoba and British Columbia.

For those who attended before, their average number of years attending was more than eight. Over 20 people indicated having attended more than 10 years, and five of these had attended 20 or more times.

Faculty were from McGill, Alberta, Montréal, Toronto, the Mayo Clinic, Oxford University and the University of Amsterdam, among elsewhere.

Dr. Jonathan Afilalo, McGill University (Montréal, Québec, Canada)

“Is Normal Aging Associated with a
Decline in the Expression of Lamin A/C in Cardiomyocytes?”

– — –

Congratulations! We look for many future successes from all our 2008 Finalists, who also included Dr. Osama Alhadramy from the University of Alberta, Dr. Jaroslav Hubacek from Dalhousie and Dr. Jeannot Potvin from the University of Montréal.

Judges for this year’s competition were (left to right, below):

- Dr. Paul W. Armstrong, Director of the Canadian VIGOUR Centre, U of Alberta
- Dr. Jean Rouleau, Dean of Medicine at U of Montréal
- Dr. Peter Sleight, Professor Emeritus at Oxford, UK.

Dr. J. Wayne Warnica, Director of the Annual Residents’ Research Competition at Lake Louise, reports: “All three of our distinguished judges commented on and praised the high quality of the research and presentations by the competitors. They strongly encouraged us to continue and even expand this competition if possible.”

Previous Winners
2007 – Dr. Francois-Pierre Mongeon, CHU Montreal
2006 – Dr. E. Marc Jolicoeur, Montreal
2005 – Dr. Jean-Francois Sarrazin, Quebec City
2004 – Dr. Justin Ezekowitz, U of Alberta
2003 – Dr. Subodh Verma, U of Calgary, U of Toronto
2000 – Dr. P. J. Devereaux, Dalhousie
1998 – Dr. Satish Raj, Queen’s U, Ontario
1997 – Dr. Chris Simpson, Queen’s U, Ontario
1996 – Dr. Derek Exner, U of Calgary

ACC Lake Louise is grateful for the generosity of contributors in supporting our success. For a full listing of our corporate sponsors this year, please visit our sponsors page.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Merck Frosst Satellite Symposium and Breakfast
“Comprehensive Lipid Management (CLM) – Can We Do Better?”
Mount Temple Ballroom

7:30 AM Welcome Reception and Introduction, Jacques Genest, MD
What Level of Cardiovascular Risk Remains After Aggressive LDL-C Reduction?
Download Dr. Genest’s slides [2.60 MB PPT].

7:55 AM John Kastelein, MD
Current & Future Evidence from Outcomes Trials in CLM
Download Dr. Kastelein’s slides [740 KB PPT].

8:20 AM Gordon Francis, MD
The Canadian Context & Current Therapeutic Options for CLM
Download Dr. Francis’s slides [780 KB PPT].

8:45 AM Robert Hegele, MD
Putting Science into Practice – Comprehensive Patient Lipid Management
Download Dr. Hegele’s slides [12.8 MB PPT].

9:10 AM Q & A

9:25 AM Closing Remarks
Jacques Genest, MD

ACC Lake Louise is grateful for the generosity of contributors in supporting our success. For a full listing of our corporate sponsors this year, please visit our sponsors page.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Sanofi Aventis / Bristol Myers Squibb Symposium and Dinner
“New Developments in ACS Management: Where Do We Stand Today?”
Mount Temple Ballroom

Download presentation slides for Drs. Fitchett, Théroux and Welsh [15.6 MB PPT].
Download presentation slides for Dr. Armstrong [1.81 MB PDF].

7:30 PM Welcome Reception and Introduction from the Chair
The Canadian Care Gap in ACS Management: Is it Widening?
Robert C. Welsh, MD

7:40 PM Overview of Key Changes in the 2007 ACC/AHA Guidelines for non-ST Elevation ACS
Pierre Théroux, MD

7:55 PM Q & A

8:00 PM Seamless Integration of Anticoagulation Therapy Throughout the Spectrum of CAD
Robert C. Welsh, MD

8:15 PM Q & A

8:20 PM Risks and Benefits of Early Clopidogrel Therapy in ACS: What is the Evidence?
David Fitchett, MD

8:35 PM Q & A

8:40 PM Looking Ahead: Trials and Tribulations in ACS Care
Paul W. Armstrong, MD

8:55 PM Q & A

9:00 PM Case Presentations

9:20 PM Q & A

9:30 PM Closing Remarks
Robert C. Welsh, MD

Download the original SA-BMS Satellite Symposium Invitation [541.04 KB PDF].

The 2008 Conference Evaluation is an opportunity for attendees to provide feedback about the ACC Lake Louise experience.

This year’s evaluation requires about 5-10 minutes to complete, and candid responses help Program Directors continually improve the event. Comments and suggestions are welcomed. Completing an evaluation also enters you into a drawing for complimentary tuition next year.

A hardcopy version of the 2008 Conference Evaluation will be available onsite this year as usual, and submitting the completed evaluation at the ACC Registration Desk is the way to receive a 2008 Certificate of Attendance for CME purposes.

Electronic Submission Option
A downloadable conference evaluation is also available here. It is nearly identical to this year’s hardcopy form and may be used by tech savvy renegades at the Conference or by any attendee who–for whatever reason–is unable to submit a hard copy evaluation.

To complete the 2008 Conference Evaluation electronically:

1. Download the 2008 ACC Lake Louise Conference Evaluation [1.63 MB PDF].
2. Complete the evaluation to your satisfaction.
3. Press the “Submit by Email” button at the end of the evaluation form and send the automatically generated e-mail to ACC Directors.

   — or –

   Save your completed evaluation form as a PDF and send it as an e-mail attachment to info@ACCLakeLouise.com.

Thank you for participating in ACC Lake Louise 2008. See you next year!

MP3 Audio Files are also available at the 2008 Conference Program.

Paul W. Armstrong, MD FRCPC
Recent ACS Guidelines and Implications for Practice
- abstract, references, online article links and slides available

Renzo Cecere, MD FRCPC
Ventricular Assist Devices and Transplantation for End Stage Heart Failure
- abstract and slides available

Eric A. Cohen, MD FRCPC
The Efficacy and Safety of Drug Eluting Stents
The Importance and Prevention of Bleeding Complications Following PCI
- slides available

Heidi Connolly and Martha Grogan, MDs
PFO and Stroke: Guilt by Association
- abstract, references and slides available

Atrial & Ventricular Septal Defects: Identification & Management in the Adult
- abstract and slides available

Derek Exner, MD MPH FRCPC
Resynchronization Therapy for Severe Heart Failure
- slides available

David Fitchett, MD FRCPC FACC
The Management of Acute Coronary Syndrome in Diabetics
- abstract, references and slides available

Tailored Anti-Thrombotic and Anti-Platelet Therapy for the Patient with Acute Coronary Syndrome
- abstract available

Jacques Genest, Jr., MD FRCPC FACC
2008 Ronnie Campbell Lecture–Statins at 21: A Brief Look Back and Long Look Forward
- abstract and slides available

Alcohol and Heart Disease: In Vino Veritas (Are you MADD?)
- abstract and slides available

Bernard J. Gersh, MB ChB DPhil FRCP FACC
Management of Chronic Stable Angina: Do We Have the COURAGE?
- abstract and slides available

The Global Burden of Cardiovascular Disease
- abstract and slides available

John J.P. Kastelein, MD PhD
Why Have HDL Raising Drugs Failed to Demonstrate Improved Patient Outcomes?
- abstract and slides available

David C.W. Lau, MD PhD FRCPC
Management of Obesity-Related Cardiometabolic Risk
- abstract and slides available

Controversies in the Management of Cardiovascular Complications of Diabetes
- abstract and slides available

Peter Liu, MD FRCPC FACC
Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy for Regeneration: Re-Building a Castle in the Air or True Homecoming?
- abstract and references available

Renin Angiotensin System In Cardiovascular Disease: Are We at the End or the Beginning?
- abstract and references available

Allan M. Ross, MD FACC FAHA
Rescue PCI in STEMI: Outcomes and Evidence Revisited
- slides available

Jean Rouleau, MD FRCPC
Studies that Impact Medical Therapy of CHF from Now to 2010
- abstract and slides available

Peter Sleight, MD FACC
Music, Mantras, Prayer & Biological Rhythms
- abstract and slides available

Why Do We Need Clinical Trials?
- abstract and slides available

Reginald E. Smith, PharmD
Anticoagulation Bridging for Surgical Procedures: Practical Solutions
- abstract and slides available

Robert Welsh, MD FRCPC FACC
Systems Approach to STEMI
- abstract and slides available

Dr. Armstrong’s investigative career has developed around congestive heart failure and acute coronary syndromes. He frequently serves as visiting professor and is the author or co-author of over 400 peer reviewed publications.

He is also a member of a number of international editorial boards, advisory groups and consults widely on health science matters.

Dr. Armstrong has received several awards, including the Research Achievement Award of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society, Heart and Stroke Foundation Award of Merit, Robert Beamish Leadership Award, Prix Galien Canada Research Award, and University of Alberta Kaplan Award for Excellence in Research.

Recent ACS Guidelines and Implications for Practice

Sunday, March 16, 2008
4:30 PM

Download Dr. Armstrong’s complete slide set [18.7 MB PPT].
Download Dr. Armstrong’s featured preconference slides [1.40 MB PDF].

The ACC/AHA practice guidelines addressing ST elevation myocardial infarction in 2004 had a profound impact on the practice of cardiovascular medicine. They were developed in collaboration with the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and the Society subsequently elaborated a Canadian perspective. The guidelines articulated an important triangle formed by timely reperfusion, novel pharmacologic regimens, and the role of mechanical revascularization. Several major new clinical trials have emerged since the 2004 guidelines were established, promoting a focused update available for the first time in December of 2007. This presentation will focus on new evidence on aspects of pharmacologic and mechanical reperfusion that have informed the 2007 update and are directly applicable to contemporary clinical practice.

References

1. Antman EM, Anbe DT, Armstrong PW, Bates ER, Green LA, Hand M, Hochman JS, Krumholz HM, Kushner FG, Lamas GA, Mullany CJ, Ornato JP, Pearle DL, Sloan MA, Smith SC Jr, Alpert JS, Anderson JL, Faxon DP, Fuster V, Gibbons RJ, Gregoratos G, Halperin JL, Hiratzka LF, Hunt SA, Jacobs AK, Ornato JP. “ACC/AHA guidelines for the management of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Committee to Revise the 1999 Guidelines for the Management of patients with acute myocardial infarction).” J Am Coll Cardiol 2004; 44(3): E1-E211 and Circulation 2004; 110(9): e82-292. Available online at the ACC at www.acc.org/qualityandscience/clinical/guidelines/stemi/STEMIFullText.pdf
2. Armstrong PW, Bogaty P, Buller CE, Dorian P, O’Neill BJ. “The 2004 ACC/AHA Guidelines: A perspective and adaption for Canada by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society Working Group.” Can J Cardiol 2004; 20(11): 1075-1079.
3. Antman EM, Hand M, Armstrong PW, Bates ER, Green LA, Halasyamani LK, Hochman JS, Krumholz HM, Lamas GA, Mullany CJ, Pearle DL, Sloan MA, Smith SC Jr. “2007 focused update of the ACC/AHA Guidelines for the Management of Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Writing Group to Review New Evidence and Update the ACC/AHA 2004 Guidelines for the Management of Patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction).” J Am Coll Cardiol 2008; 117: 296-329 and Circulation 2008; 117: 296-329. Available online at http://content.onlinejacc.org/cgi/content/full/j.jacc.2007.10.001 and
   http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/reprint/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.188209.
4. Kiernan MS, Kuvin JT. “ACC/AHA 2007 STEMI Focused Update Slide Set. Based on the ACC/AHA 2007 Focused Update of the Guidelines for the Management of Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI).” Available online at http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3052304.

Originally trained in General Surgery and Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at McGill University, he went on to complete Fellowships at Loma Linda University and Stanford University in Congenital Cardiac Surgery, Pediatric Heart and Lung Transplantation, and Mechanical Circulatory Support.

He then returned to McGill University and the McGill University Health Centre to develop the multidisciplinary Heart Failure, Transplantation, and Mechanical Cardiac Assist Programs.

Dr. Cecere’s clinical research interests include innovative therapies for heart failure and long-term mechanical cardiac assist as alternatives to transplantation, and he has participated as local PI in many international clinical trials.

Ventricular Assist Devices and Transplantation for End Stage Heart Failure

Monday, March 17, 2008
8:00 AM

Download Dr. Cecere’s complete slide set [9.23 MB PPT].

Patients with end-stage heart disease represent an on-going challenge. Novel therapies aimed at improving patients’ quality of life have led to marked benefits, with more patients avoiding heart transplantation.

However, as the availability of suitable organ donors continues to wane, those patients requiring heart transplantation are spending longer periods of time on transplant waiting lists, with the inevitable deterioration in clinical condition and quality of life.

The properly-timed use of Ventricular Assist Devices (VADs) as a bridge-to-transplant (BTT) has allowed us to stabilize such patients by reversing multi-organ dysfunction, essentially eliminating emergency department visits and hospital admissions for heart failure, and permits safe rehabilitation until a donor is identified.

This presentation will review the state of the art.

Currently he is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, and a cardiologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, where he is the Director of Invasive Cardiology and the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory.

He has been actively involved with the Cardiac Care Network of Ontario (CCN) for several years. The Network monitors access to and outcomes of advanced cardiac services, and provides planning advice on these services to the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

Dr. Cohen holds the position of Medical Officer for CCN and is Chair of the Clinical Services Committee. He has chaired or served as a member of several CCN Expert Panels, including Ensuring Continued Excellence in Cardiac Surgery (2006), Target Setting Consensus Panel (2004), and Panel on Invasive Cardiology (2001). He remains actively involved in clinical research related to interventional cardiology and has authored or co-authored more than 85 peer reviewed publications.

Dr. Cohen is married to Tracy Shantz and has four children. Away from work, he is an avid skier and a struggling golfer.

The Efficacy and Safety of Drug Eluting Stents

Thursday, March 20, 2008
8:00 AM

Download Dr. Cohen’s complete slide set [6.56 MB PPT].

The Importance and Prevention of Bleeding Complications Following PCI

Thursday, March 20, 2008
9:00 AM

Download Dr. Cohen’s complete slide set [5.92 MB PPT].