By Laura Freeman

It’s an exciting time to work in the healing professions. Medical innovations are emerging faster than any one provider can keep pace. This is especially true in cardiology. To help primary care professionals stay current with new knowledge and treatments, the Cardiovascular Associates Medical Education Foundation was established almost two decades ago.

This year’s update was scheduled during Heart Month, Saturday, February 7 at the Marriott Birmingham Hotel. As conference director, interventional cardiologist Saji Jacob, MD, FACE is one of the guiding forces helping to organize the event. He is also one of several Baptist Health Cardiovascular Associates physicians who will be speaking on key topics.

“We host primary care professionals from all over Alabama and the southeast, and every year we ask for their input on the topics they’d like to see covered the next year,” Jacob said. “That gives us a good starting point for planning. We want to give primary care providers the information they want to know and practical details they can use to improve patient care.”

The process continues through the year as topics are selected, developed and fine-tuned to reflect the latest research findings and new techniques that are being introduced.

One of the popular aspects of the annual update is the range of heart-related topics covered. In addition to dealing with the full spectrum of health conditions patients encounter, primary care professionals are often on the front line when the first signs of developing heart conditions arise. They need to be well-versed in a daunting number of cardiovascular problems and their potential impact on the body to determine when patients should be referred to a cardiologist and whether a particular subspecialty is indicated.

Each year, the conference gives healthcare professionals an opportunity to hear directly from specialists working with the latest advances in heart health, to interact with them and to ask follow-up questions to learn more about applying new information in daily patient care.

“This year’s update looks at devices for monitoring arrhythmias, anti-arrhythmia drugs and a discussion of ablation versus medications for atrial fibrillation. We’ll also be discussing frequent premature ventricular contractions, managing carotid disease and the next steps to consider when shortness of breath remains after a pulmonary embolism,” Jacob said.

There will also be a briefing on a minimally invasive transcatheter procedure to repair tricuspid valves without the risks of open surgery that interventional cardiologists from Baptist Health Cardiovascular Associates are now performing. (See companion article.)

In addition to keeping the heart healthy, providers have to consider both the effects of heart conditions and different treatment options—or lack of treatment—on kidneys, liver, muscles, joints, tissues, and other systems. This year’s topics discussing the effects of heart health on the body include a focus on critical limb ischemia.

In too many cases, the first sign of a heart problem may be a life-threatening heart attack that can bring patients to their doctor’s office thinking they are only experiencing indigestion. Survival may depend on their family doctor’s skills. In light of this, Jacob will be reviewing acute coronary syndrome guidelines. He will also discuss the lifetime benefits of controlling modifiable risk factors. Other topics look at how low LDLs should be to help with secondary prevention, and the effects of hormone replacement in women.

Preventing and slowing the development of heart disease is where primary providers have an opportunity to make a critical lifelong difference. Every heart that remains strong, every heart attack that doesn’t happen, is a major win for patients and those who love them.

Primary care providers interested in attending the 20th update conference in 2027 can contact the CVA Medical Education Foundation at 205 616-5938.