Intended Audience:
This symposium is designed for cardiovascular anesthesiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiovascular critical care specialists and related specialists.

Registration:
Enrollment for this webcast is complimentary, and clinicians are invited to attend this CME-certified symposium and/or share this invitation with other colleagues, departmental staff members, and healthcare professionals.

Grantor Support:
Supported by an independent educational grant from The Medicines Company, Inc.

Accreditation Statement for Jointly-Sponsored Programs:
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint sponsorship of The University of Massachusetts Medical School and CMEducation Resources, LLC. The University of Massachusetts Medical School is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation Statement:
The University of Massachusetts Medical School designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)^TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Policy on Faculty and Provider Disclosure:
It is the policy of the University of Massachusetts Medical School to ensure fair balance, independence, objectivity and scientific rigor in all activities. All faculty participating in CME activities sponsored by the University of Massachusetts Medical School are required to present evidence-based data, identify and reference off-label product use and disclose all relevant financial relationships with those supporting the activity or others whose products or services are discussed. Faculty disclosure will be provided in the activity materials.

Faculty Disclosures:

Solomon Aronson, MD
Grant/Research Support: Abbott
Consultant: The Medicines Company
Speaker’s Bureau: Baxter
Major Shareholder: Medwave

Jerrold H. Levy, MD
Grant/Research Support: Alexion
Consultant: Bayer HealthCare, Dyax, Novo Nordisk, and Organon  

Kevin A. Stierer Sr., MD
Nothing to report

Faculty:
Solomon Aronson, MD
Program Co-Chairman
Professor
Duke University Medical Center
Executive Vice Chair
Department of Anesthesiology
Durham, NC

Jerrold H. Levy, MD
Program Co-Chairman
Professor and Deputy Chair for Research
Emory University School of Medicine
Director of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology
Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology
and Critical Care
Emory Healthcare
Atlanta, GA

Kevin A. Stierer Sr., MD
Chief Cardiac Anesthesia
Associate Director Cardiac Surgery ICU
The Heart Institute
St. Joseph Medical Center
Towson, MD

Educational Objectives:
As a result of this session, cardiovascular anesthesiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiovascular critical care specialists and related specialists will be able to:

• Identify signs and symptoms of multiple disease states and clinical presentations—among them: perioperative hypertension, hypertension associated with vascular dissection, blood pressure elevations associated with ischemic and/or hemorrhagic cardiovascular events, perioperative hypertension—manifesting as serious and/or life-threatening elevations in systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure.

• Learn to manage the hemodynamic derangements and complications of serious and/or life-threatening elevations in systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure in the perioperative setting.

• Learn evidence-based approaches to prompt and safe lowering of serious elevations in BP in the perioperative setting, using agents that are titratable, do not overshoot BP reduction goals, and that have an acceptable safety profile.

• Learn how to select among intravenous pharmacologic agents, including calcium channel blockers/dihydropyridines, that offer unique benefits for blood pressure control in the setting of cardiovascular disease.

• Learn how landmark trials and analyses focusing on BP reduction may have an impact on current and future strategies for management of BP elevations in the setting of cardiovascular surgery.

• Be able to assess the need for and implement optimal BP-lowering strategies for patients with serious and/or life-threatening elevations in systolic and/or diastolic BP in the setting of cardiothoracic surgery.

• Understand the efficacy and safety profiles of specific pharmacologic agents used for anesthesiology-based control of systemic blood pressure.

• Be able to discuss the potential impact that new trials are likely to have on future management of patients with BP elevation in the perioperative setting.

• Learn to apply national guidelines to management of acute, serious elevations in systolic and/or diastolic BP.