The Genetics of Heart & Vascular Disease

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This 1 ½ day CME course is to have experts in the field of cardiovascular genetics detail the important role of genetics, genomics, and pharmacogenetics in the diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment of diseases affecting the heart and the blood vessels.

Topics covered will include, Genetics/Genomics 101, pharmacogenetics, gene risk scores, genetic purgatory, the molecular autopsy, and the diagnostic, prognostic, & therapeutic implications of genetic testing for patients with congenital heart disease, long QT syndrome and the other channelopathies, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and the other cardiomyopathies, coronary heart disease, hyperlipidemias, heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, and the aortopathies.

Unique Features:  Audience response system to enhance immediate feedback.  Easy access to faculty members.  One-on-one interaction.  Efforts will be made to introduce the clinical applications using new technology, however, there is no hands-on experience provided.  Self-assessment questions to gauge outcome.  

COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon conclusion of this program, participants should be able to:

• Summarize the probabilistic nature of genetic testing and develop a strategy to manage the variant of uncertain significance (VUS) test results
• Identify the impact of genetic testing in the diagnosis and pathophysiology of the heritable cardiomyopathies, channelopathies, and aortopathies
• Determine the role of genetic testing children and adults with congenital heart disease
• Define genetic markers of atherosclerosis and their role in risk stratification of coronary heart disease
• Identify the genetic basis of heritable causes of the hyperlipidemias and implications for prevention and familial screening
• Define the role of inheritance in cardiovascular drug response and to utilize genetics to minimize adverse events and maximize drug efficacy

INTENDED AUDIENCE
This course is intended for pediatric and adult cardiologists, internists, primary care providers, and nurse practitioners with special interest in the management of patients with CVD, pediatric and adult cardiology trainees, and genetic counselors with an interest in cardiology.