This year’s world’s largest Heart Failure Congress in Belgrade, Serbia (19-22 May 2012) will devote four days of scientific sessions to the latest advances and controversies in heart failure, with a presentation of trial results from drugs and devices at the meeting.
The hottest topic in heart failure at the moment are devices, a subject that is also the main theme at this year’s congress:
“Treatment of heart failure: integrating pharmacology and technology”.
Heart failure was traditionally treated with drugs and weight control. However, therapies have been revolutionized with the arrival of novel devices, such as cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) and telemedicine.
Professor Piotr Ponikowski, President of the Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) says:
“Pharmacology remains a fundamental part of management but extending it to include diagnostic technology, monitoring technology, and devices for treatment and management is of key importance.”
During the congress, heart failure specialists will also discuss new developments with the media, for instance, the new class of angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitors (ARNIs). A quarter of a century after the landmark CONSENSUS trial made its debut in demonstrating that ACE inhibitors prolong life in heart failure patients, specialists will discuss the question of whether ACE inhibitors are still the gold standard treatment in one of the sessions.
At this year’s congress, the late-breaking abstracts, will be presented in three different categories, i.e. clinical trials, basic and translational research, and clinical research. Journalists can look forward to receive new information on emerging mechanisms and therapies, as well as the latest results from drug and device trials. To enable the congress to choose the best and most up-to-date research, abstracts are being submitted until 4 April.
A new feature at this year’s congress include two rapid fire sessions, in which speakers will briefly present 16 abstracts, followed by by a Q&A session. There will also be devoted sessions for new therapy devices, patient monitoring and controversies over when to use CRT, for instance, in patients with atrial fibrillation or a narrow QRS.
Professor Stefan D Anker, President-Elect of the HFA remarks:
“There are subgroups of patients where it’s controversial whether the benefit is there or not. There is a big cost argument also. These devices don’t come for free and of course many want to maximize the benefits to cost ratio when the number of devices they can implant is limited.”
This year’s congress, which is organized by the HFA in conjunction with the European Section of the International Society for Heart Research and the ESC Working Group on Myocardial Function, is held at the Sava Center in Belgrade, Serbia from May 19 to May 22.
Professor Anker commented on the fact that the collaboration has increased the focus on translational and basic science, saying:
“When you want to develop new therapies it’s always important to have interactions with basic science because you need to look for new mechanisms and new targets.”
Journalists can expect a rich source of news stories. On the first day of the congress, Professor John JV McMurray from Glasgow in the UK will launch the eagerly anticipated 2012 European guidelines for heart failure. Professor Ponikowski comments:
“This is going to be the premiere of the most important and relevant recommendations for all cardiologists on how to manage heart failure.”
Professor Gregory YH Lip (Birmingham, UK) will launch a consensus document from the HFA that has been endorsed by the ESC Working Group on Thrombosis entitled, “Thromboembolism and antithrombotic therapy for heart failure in sinus rhythm” which will be published online in the European Journal of Heart Failure to coincide with the congress.
The Heart Failure Congress attracts specialists from all over the world, including cardiologists, internists, general physicians, basic scientists, epidemiologists, nurses and industry affiliates and will be the first of all ESC congresses to hold an entire track of sessions in Serbo-Croatian, Serbia’s local language, which is expected to increase attendance rates from the Western Balkans and neighboring countries.
Professor Petar M Seferovic, Scientific Chairperson of the Congress, declares:
“This congress will be not only a historical cardiology event in the Western Balkans countries but also a prime medical gathering in this part of Europe.”
Written by Petra Rattue