Heart Matters

Despite advances in lipid-lowering therapies, disparities in hyperlipidemia diagnosis and treatment persist. Dr. Keith Ferdinand examines how social drivers of health impact access, adherence, and outcomes and explains how clinicians can help address gaps in care for underserved populations. Dr. Ferdinand is a Professor of Medicine as well as the Gerald S. Berenson Chair in Preventative Cardiology and Director of Preventative Cardiology at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans.

Effective management of hyperlipidemia requires tailoring treatment to a patient’s cardiovascular risk profile. Lifestyle modification remains the cornerstone of care, while high-risk patients often require pharmacotherapy. Dr. Keith Ferdinand shares evidence-based strategies for reducing LDL and addressing comorbidities while engaging patients in shared decision making. Dr. Ferdinand is a Professor of Medicine as well as the Gerald S. Berenson Chair in Preventative Cardiology and Director of Preventative Cardiology at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans.

This on-demand knowledge primer explores key challenges and evidence-based strategies for improving atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) management in rural populations. Led by two expert faculty members, the program provides a comprehensive overview of disparities in ASCVD care, guideline-directed therapies, and practical approaches to overcoming barriers in rural settings. Participants will gain essential knowledge to enhance patient outcomes and optimize cardiovascular care in underserved communities.

Transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CM) is an underrecognized disorder, leading to a variety of unmet needs for patients. Dr. Michelle Kittleson, Director of Postgraduate Education in Heart Failure and Transplantation and Professor of Medicine at the Cedars-Smidt Heart Institute, explores these challenges and discusses how early recognition, genetic screening, and emerging therapies can help improve patient outcomes.

The Masterclass in Cardiac Amyloidosis: Disease Spectrum, Diagnosis and Management will consist of four virtual live sessions on March 7-9, 2025. The case-based sessions will provide an in-depth discussion of cardiac amyloidosis and its pathogenesis, diagnostic techniques and pitfalls, management strategies, mechanisms to facilitate early diagnosis, treatment and management, and challenging case studies presented by leading internationally recognized experts in transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis.

A concerning number of patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) reached suboptimal LDL-C levels between 2021 and 2022. Even with new strategies that can help lower LDL-C, an analysis of over 3 million ASCVD patients in the Family Heart Database shows that these treatments are not being properly utilized. Join Dr. Keith C. Ferdinand as he delves into an analysis of management trends among these patients, which he presented at the 2024 Family Heart Foundation Global Summit. Dr. Ferdinand is a Professor of Medicine and the Gerald S. Berenson Endowed Chair in Preventative Cardiology at the Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Amyloidosis, often unrecognized, misdiagnosed, and either inappropriately treated or undertreated, is a collection of diseases caused by the misfolding of proteins that aggregate into insoluble amyloid fibrils and deposit in tissues. There are two prominent forms of amyloidosis misfolding of light chain proteins (AL amyloidosis) and transthyretin protein misfolding (ATTR amyloidosis). In this program, two experts in amyloidosis, cardiologist Dr. Noel Dasgupta and neurologist Dr. Sami Khella, will explain the pathophysiology of amyloidosis, describe the prognosis for patients, discuss timely patient screening and diagnostic testing, and provide updated treatment options.

There is a high unmet need for patients with persistent chylomicronemia. Plozasiran (ARO-APOC3) is an investigational drug that is being evaluated for these patients. Professor Gerald Watts shares the outcomes of the PALISADE trial, in which the efficacy and safety of plozasiran was examined in patients with familial chylomicronemia syndrome.

Many different artificial sweeteners are being consumed by patients; however, this discussion will focus on research around one that has been used in the food industry for a long time, called erythritol. Interestingly, it was found that patients with cardiac problems had the highest levels of erythritol levels in their blood, which prompted further studies on this association. So to learn more about the impact of artificial sweeteners on heart disease and how we can guide patients into consuming less, join Dr. Mary Katherine Cheeley as she speaks with Dr. Wilson Tang, Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University and Co-Author of the article, titled “The Artificial Sweetener Erythritol and Cardiovascular Event Risk,” published in Nature Medicine in February 2023.

There’s a decent amount of evidence showing allergic immune responses could have connections with heart disease. But with the knowledge gaps that exist, a need for bigger cohorts is necessary to get more information and data. So to explore the link between allergic reactions from food and heart disease, Dr. Javed Butler is joined by Dr. Jeffrey Wilson, Allergist and Immunologist in the Department of Medicine’s Division of Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology at the University of Virginia.