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While pulmonary hypertension remains a challenging disease, there has been an increased awareness by clinicians from the routine use of diagnostic tools such as Doppler echocardiography and the availability of the many pulmonary vasodilator drugs. Because it is uncommon, it is difficult for physicians to develop sufficient experience and expertise unless they are part of a specialty center. The etiology can be multifactorial, making it difficult to know the dominant cause in some patients and thus requires a meticulous approach to arrive at the correct diagnosis. The program is designed to increase knowledge of the presentation and diagnosis of the different etiologies of pulmonary hypertension and address ways to implement the latest practice guidelines into clinical practice. The program is designed to improve the competence of physicians in managing patients who present in the community, and know when to refer to specialty centers for advanced care.

Sponsored by: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Office of Continuing Medical Education and Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute

Target Audience

Cardiovascular Disease, Critical Care Medicine, Hospitalist, Internal Medicine, Nurse Practitioner, Nursing, Pharmacist, Physician Assistant, Pulmonary Disease

Learning Objectives

At the end of this activity, participants will be able to:

1. Recognize when patients have suboptimal response to treatments and be aware of what advanced treatments are available.

2. Identify the imaging features that indicate operability in CTEPH patients.

3. Acknowledge the overlap in the use of BPA and PEA in patients with segmental CTEPH disease dependent on institutional experience and hence the uncertainty in the current guidelines.

4. Recognize the advanced technical endarterectomy procedure and care of patients with perioperative complications.

5. Explain how to risk stratify patients with advanced right heart failure in order to assess optimally time mechanical circulatory support (MCS) implantation.

6. Recognize the various types of MCS support available for patients with advanced right heart failure and the technological differences that may impact pump selection and patient/device management.

7. Explain how to evaluate and list potential candidates for lung transplantation.

8. Discuss perioperative management of the donor, lung procurement and operative strategies including use of extracorporeal life support and ex-vivo lung perfusion.

9. Recognize the most common post-transplant complications.

10. Identify the challenges during the diagnosis and management of complex cardiogenic shock patients and the potential benefits of a multidisciplinary team approach.

11. Name the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of early and late RV failure.

12. Develop an understanding of ECMO placement, management and explant in combination with lung transplantation.

Accreditation Statement 

The Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 7.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

For more information please contact: cvconferences@northwestern.edu