AF Spotlight: Using NOACs Safely: Overview, Dosing, Transitioning, and Using a Patient-centered Approach

Cardiology
Curriculum:
AF Spotlight: Using NOACs Safely
Credits:
1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)
Launch Date:
January 05, 2016
Expiration Date:
The accreditation for this activity has expired.

Primary Audience:

Cardiologists, Clinical Cardiologists, Interventional Cardiologists, EPs, Internal Medicine/Primary Care Physicians, Endocrinologists, NPs/PAs, Fellows, Nurses, and other healthcare providers involved in the care of patients with atrial fibrillation

Relevant Terms:

Atrial Fibrillation, NOACs, stroke prevention, bleeding

A. John Camm, MD

A. John Camm, MD
Professor of Clinical Cardiology
St. George's University of London and Imperial College
London, UK

Dr. Camm is a Professor of Clinical Cardiology at St George’s University of London and Imperial College in London, UK. He graduated from Guy’s Hospital, London. Dr. Camm’s research interests include clinical electrocardiology, clinical cardiac electrophysiology, cardiac arrhythmias, implantable devices for rhythm control, risk stratification for sudden death in patients with ischemic heart disease, for thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation, and for ventricular arrhythmia in patients with cardiomyopathy and channelopathy, adverse cardiovascular events in new and old drugs, and anticoagulation. He has authored numerous major peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Dr. Camm is President-Elect of the European Heart Rhythm Association and a board member of the World Society of Arrhythmias and the Drug Safety Research Unit. He is president of the Arrhythmia Alliance, and founder and trustee of the Atrial Fibrillation Association. He is editor-in-chief of Clinical Cardiology and EP-Europace, a senior consulting editor of the European Heart Journal and an editor of the European Society of Cardiology Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. Dr. Camm holds the European Society of Cardiology Gold Medal.

Christopher B. Granger, MD

Christopher B. Granger, MD
Professor of Medicine
Duke University
Director, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC

Dr. Granger is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology at Duke University and Director of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit for the Duke University Medical Center. He earned his medical degree at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Colorado and a cardiology fellowship at Duke University. Dr. Granger’s primary research interest is in the conduct and methodology of large randomized clinical trials in heart disease. He serves on a number of clinical trial steering committees, data monitoring committees, and on the editorial boards of the European Heart Journal and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Dr. Granger is a cardiology section author for Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment. He is on the Board of External Experts of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

Christrian T. Ruff, MD, MPH

Christian T. Ruff, MD, MPH
Investigator, TIMI Study Group
Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School
Associate Physician, Cardiovascular Medicine Division
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, MA

Dr. Ruff is an Associate Physician in the Cardiovascular Medicine Division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA. He earned his medical degree at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, his MPH at the Harvard School of Public Health, and completed his internal medicine residency and cardiovascular medicine fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Ruff is an investigator in the TIMI Study Group and serves as Director of the Pharmacogenetics Core Laboratory and Assistant Director of the Clinical Events Committee. He has led a broad array of projects, ranging from investigator-initiated studies of biomarkers and genetic variants to large clinical trials, including being the lead co-investigator for the ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 study. Dr. Ruff has specific expertise in atrial fibrillation, both risk stratification and implementation of antithrombotic therapy for stroke prevention, as well as the treatment and prevention of venous thromboembolism. Dr. Ruff has given more than 100 lectures nationally and internationally, and authored many scholarly articles, editorials, reviews, and book chapters.

Jeffrey Weitz, MD

Jeffrey Weitz, MD
Professor of Medicine & Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences
McMaster University
Executive Director
Thrombosis & Atherosclerosis Research Institute
Hamilton, ON, Canada

Dr. Weitz is a Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences at McMaster University and Executive Director of the Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Research Institute in Hamilton, Canada. He holds an Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Research at McMaster University, and the Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Thrombosis. Dr. Weitz is involved in basic research in the biochemistry of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis, translational studies and clinical trials examining optimal methods for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of clotting disorders. Dr. Weitz has published numerous peer-reviewed papers and textbook chapters. He is a member of Council of the International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis and has previously served on the Board of Directors of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, and was Chair of the Scientific Review Committee for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, member of the Executive Council on Thrombosis of the American Heart Foundation, and Chair of the Council on Vascular Biology for the American Society of Hematology.
1. Assess the clinical experience and potential of NOACs to manage thromboembolic risk associated with AF
2. Apply the AHA/ACC/HRS and EHRA guidelines for anticoagulant management of patients with AF
3. Describe ways to initiate NOAC therapy, switch between agents, transition between agents, and take into account dosing considerations
4. Use patient-centered approaches for the management of stroke prevention in patients with AF

Estimated time to complete activity: 1.5 hours.
 
This activity is jointly provided by Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (www.pimed.com) and Medtelligence.
 
This activity is supported by an independent educational grant from Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.
 
Physician Continuing Medical Education
Accreditation Statement
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of Postgraduate Institute for Medicine and Medtelligence. The Postgraduate Institute for Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
 
Credit Designation
The Postgraduate Institute for Medicine designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
 
Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest
Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM) requires instructors, planners, managers and other individuals who are in a position to control the content of this activity to disclose any real or apparent conflict of interest (COI) they may have as related to the content of this activity. All identified COI are thoroughly vetted and resolved according to PIM policy. PIM is committed to providing its learners with high quality CME activities and related materials that promote improvements or quality in healthcare and not a specific proprietary business interest of a commercial interest.
 
The faculty reported the following financial relationships or relationships to products or devices they or their spouse/life partner have with commercial interests related to the content of this CME activity:
 
A. John Camm, MD: Consulting Fees: Mitsubishi, Laguna, Bayer, BIOTRONIK, Richmond Pharmacology, Boehringer Ingelheim, Daiichi, Menarini, Novartis, St. Jude Medical, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Medtronic, Servier, Boston Scientific, and Eli Lilly and Company; Speakers Bureau: Pfizer; Data Safety Monitoring Board: BIOTRONIK and St. Jude Medical; Organizational (non-commercial): European Heart Rhythm Association.
 
Christopher B. Granger, MD: Research Grants: Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Medtronic Foundation, Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis, Takeda, The Medicines Company, AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and Armetheon; Consulting Fees (including CME): Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Daiichi Sankyo, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Hoffman-La Roche, Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis, Takeda, The Medicine Company, AstraZeneca, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Salix Pharmaceuticals, Gilead, and Medtronic.
 
Christian T. Ruff, MD, MPH: Consulting Fees: Daiichi Sankyo, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bayer, and Portola.
 
Jeffrey Weitz, MD: Consulting Fees: Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Daiichi Sankyo, Pfizer, Portola, Janssen, and Isis Pharmaceuticals.
 
The planners and managers reported the following financial relationships or relationships to products or devices they or their spouse/life partner have with commercial interests related to the content of this CME activity:
 
The following PIM planners and managers, Trace Hutchison, PharmD, Samantha Mattiucci, PharmD, CHCP, Jan Schultz, MSN, RN, CHCP, and Judi Smelker-Mitchek, RN, BSN hereby state that they or their spouse/life partner do not have any financial relationships or relationships to products or devices with any commercial interest related to the content of this activity of any amount during the past 12 months.
 
Medtelligence: Ben Caref, PhD; Pamela Clark - No financial relationships or relationships to products or devices with any commercial interest related to the content of this activity of any amount during the past 12 months.

Media
Internet
 
Disclosure of Unlabeled Use
This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the FDA. The planners of this activity do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications. 
 
The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of the planners. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

Disclaimer
Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. The information presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patient's conditions and possible contraindications and/or dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer's product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities.
 
Method of Participation and Request for Credit
By reviewing the course content and successfully completing the post-test and evaluation, physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants are entitled to receive up to 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. A statement of credit will be available to print from your user history page. Users must:
  • Read the learning objectives and faculty disclosures
  • Participate in the activity
  • Complete the post-test and activity evaluation
Physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants who successfully complete the post-test and evaluation will receive CME credit. You must score 75% or higher on the post-test to receive credit for this activity. All other participants who successfully complete the post-test and evaluation will receive a certificate of participation.
 
For any questions about the accreditation of this activity, please contact PIM at (800) 423-3576 or information@pimed.com.
 
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