Task Force #5—the role of cardiovascular specialists as leaders in prevention: from training to champion

Organizing services for cardiovascular prevention

“…The American College of Cardiology has outlined "a clear mandate for addressing primary prevention and risk factor control in all settings of patient encounters" [20]. With the cardiologist as a leader in inpatient management, a comprehensive team approach to managing risk factors can be implemented during the hospitalization, and through effective communication a plan to manage risk factors as an outpatient can be continued.…”

“…With the cardiologist as a leader in inpatient management, a comprehensive team approach to managing risk factors can be implemented during the hospitalization, and through effective communication a plan to manage risk factors as an outpatient can be continued. A discharge summary that outlines the management plan as well as an already begun optimal medication regimen will help to solidify secondary prevention by providing a consistent message to patients [20]. Specialty clinics and cardiac rehabilitation units provide unique opportunities in the management of difficult-tomanage cardiovascular risk factors.…”

The use of lipid-lowering therapy for secondary prevention in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

“…The cardiovascular specialist should ensure that appropriate therapy is initiated and maintained (28). Using education and process changes in the hospital to target women and patients undergoing elective procedures may increase appropriate lipidlowering use even further in these particular patients.…”

Working group 8: Defining the different types of cardiovascular specialists and developing a new model for training general clinical cardiologists

“…The middle year of this five-year program would be devoted to clinical cardiovascular medicine. The focus of this year would be on the non-procedural aspects of cardiology with emphasis on primary and secondary prevention and the medical management of patients with cardiovascular disease (6). It might include, for example, elective rotations in endocrinology (reflecting the importance of diabetes as a cardiovascular risk factor), clinical pharmacology, peripheral vascular disease, or research.…”