Need Assessment

The Puerto Rico Chapter of the American College of Cardiology, on its 36th Meeting, will provide the most updated information regarding the management of basic and complex cardiovascular diseases and practice improvement. A well-balanced scientific program has been developed, emphasizing appropriateness of care in patients with progressive and cardiovascular diseases and other relevant conditions carrying significant morbidity and mortality in our population. Also, will highlight the application of current guidelines, existing and new technologies, and breakthroughs in the management and prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Educational Objectives for the ACC Puerto Rico Chapter 2026 Meeting:

1. Analyze the most recent updates in the ACC/AHA guidelines for the management of acute coronary syndromes and their impact on contemporary clinical practice.
2. Integrate evidence-based recommendations regarding antiplatelet therapy, anticoagulation strategies, and revascularization timing into the management of patients with STEMI and NSTEMI.
3. Evaluate risk stratification tools and guideline-directed medical therapy to optimize short- and long-term outcomes in patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes.
4. Evaluate the pathophysiologic relationship between obesity, cardiometabolic dysfunction, and the development and progression of heart failure, particularly HFpEF.
5. Analyze current clinical trial data regarding the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists in patients with heart failure and obesity, including their effects on functional capacity, symptom burden, and cardiovascular outcomes.
6. Integrate evidence-based weight management strategies, including pharmacologic therapy with GLP-1 receptor agonists, into comprehensive heart failure management to improve clinical outcomes and quality of life.
7. Differentiate obstructive and non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy phenotypes and their implications for therapeutic decision-making.
8. Evaluate currently approved pharmacologic and interventional treatment options for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, including novel cardiac myosin inhibitors, in the context of symptom burden and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.
9. Assess emerging therapies and evolving clinical trial data to inform individualized treatment strategies and optimize long-term outcomes in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
10. Differentiate transthyretin (ATTR) and light-chain (AL) cardiac amyloidosis based on pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and diagnostic strategies to guide appropriate management.
11. Evaluate currently approved pharmacologic therapies for cardiac amyloidosis, including transthyretin stabilizers and gene-silencing agents, in the context of disease stage and patient characteristics.
12. Assess emerging therapeutic agents and ongoing clinical trial data to inform timely referral, multidisciplinary care, and optimization of long-term outcomes in patients with cardiac amyloidosis.
13. Evaluate current guideline recommendations and patient selection criteria for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in severe aortic stenosis across surgical risk categories.
14. Analyze emerging evidence and technical considerations for the use of TAVR in patients with severe native aortic regurgitation, including anatomical challenges and procedural outcomes.
15. Integrate contemporary imaging, heart team assessment, and device selection strategies to optimize procedural success and long-term outcomes in patients undergoing TAVR.
16. Differentiate current indications and patient selection criteria for transcatheter mitral and tricuspid valve replacement based on valve pathology, anatomic considerations, and surgical risk.
17. Evaluate contemporary clinical trial data and real-world outcomes supporting transcatheter mitral and tricuspid valve replacement therapies in patients with severe valvular heart disease.
18. Differentiate traditional and emerging modalities for early detection of chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction, including biomarkers and advanced cardiac imaging techniques.
19. Evaluate the role of strain imaging, cardiac MRI, and circulating biomarkers in identifying subclinical myocardial injury in patients receiving cardiotoxic cancer therapies.
20. Integrate contemporary cardio-oncology surveillance strategies into clinical practice to enable early intervention and mitigate the progression of cancer therapy–related cardiac dysfunction.