Program Description

Ensuring appropriate use of contrast agents in echocardiography and providing physicians with accurate and complete information on risks and adverse events are two educational priorities recommended by the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE). Despite its proven benefits, contrast-enhanced echocardiography has failed to gain popular use in clinical practice. Lack of knowledge about the benefits of contrast media and contrast-enhanced echocardiography, along with misperceptions about ease of use, have been identified as major barriers preventing the use of this technology. Recent regulatory changes limiting contrast use among certain patient populations have added to the confusion. ASE recently released a Consensus statement on the clinical applications of ultrasonic contrast agents in echocardiography, published in the November 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography. The continuously changing environment has created a clinical competency gap among physicians, who are now unsure about which patients can receive contrast media, as well as how those agents should be administered.

This CME program will clarify issues surrounding the appropriate use of contrast agents, including patient identification, the benefits and risks of contrast in echocardiography, and the regulatory changes and guidelines that will have an impact on patient care.

Faculty

	Thomas Ryan, MD, MBA, FACC, FASE John G. and Jeanne Bonnet McCoy Chair Professor of Internal Medicine Division of Cardiovascular Medicine The Ohio State University Columbus, OH
	Jonathan R. Lindner, MD, FACC, FASE Professor of Medicine Associate Chief for Education Cardiovascular Division Oregon Health & Science University Portland, OR
	Todd Belcik, RDCS, FASE Senior Research Associate/Research Sonographer Division of Cardiovascular Medicine Oregon Health & Science University Portland, OR

Target Audience

This program was developed for echocardiologists, cardiologists, sonographers, and sonography nurses involved in echocardiography.

Educational Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:

• Identify patients who are still candidates for contrast echocardiography with perfluorocarbon based agents after the release of the FDA warning
• Demonstrate how to correctly use perfluorocarbon based contrast agents, and show how their use can improve diagnostic efficacy and efficiency, and implement strategies to inform and monitor patients who are appropriate for contrast media
• Explain to patients the safety issues surrounding the use of perfluorocarbon based agents

Program Agenda

• Welcome and Introduction
• Background
  • Background surrounding the FDA black-box warning
  • Safety surrounding contrast agents
  • Practical use of contrast agents – what do we do now?
• Strategies and Solutions: A Case-based Approach
  • Patients with no contraindication for contrast
  • Monitoring
  • In-patient, out-patient setting, ICU
  • Expected changes
• Question and Answer Session

System Requirements

In order to view these presentations, your computer must have:

• Audio capabilities (working speakers or headphones)
• Microsoft Windows Media Player v6.4 or RealPlayer 8 or later. Click here for more information.

Accreditation Statements

The Potomac Center for Medical Education is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Medical Education Resources is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Colorado Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

Credit Designations

Physicians: The Potomac Center for Medical Education designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurses: This CE activity provides 1.0 contact hours. Provider approval expires July 31, 2010.

Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #CEP 12299, for 1.0 contact hours.

Sonographers: This CE activity provides 1.0 contact hours.

This activity is tracked by SMDS CME Tracker

Disclosure

Potomac Center for Medical Education (PCME) adheres to the policies and guidelines, including the Standards for Commercial Support, set forth to providers by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and all other professional organizations, as applicable, stating those activities where continuing education credits are awarded must be balanced, independent, objective, and scientifically rigorous.

All persons in a position to control the content of a continuing medical education program sponsored by the Potomac Center for Medical Education are required to disclose any relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest to PCME as well as to learners. All conflicts are identified and resolved by PCME in accordance with the Standards for Commercial Support in advance of delivery of the activity to learners.

The content of this activity was vetted by an external medical reviewer to assure objectivity and that the activity is free of commercial bias.

The faculty reported the following relevant financial relationships that they or their spouse/partner have with commercial interests:

Thomas Ryan, MD, MBA, FACC, FASE: Advisory Board: Philips

Jonathan R. Lindner, MD, FACC, FASE: Advisory Board: VisualSonics, Inc.; Investigator: Genentech

Todd Belcik, RDCS, FASE: Speaker: Point Biomedical, American Society of Echocardiography

Non-faculty content contributors and/or reviewers reported the following relevant financial relationships that they or their spouse/partner have with commercial interests:

Laurie Frueh, MD; Barry Watkins, PhD; Robert Morris, PharmD; Brad Pine; Donna Fucello; Blair St. Amand; Judy Chernoff, MD: Nothing to Disclose

FDA Disclosure

The contents of some CME/CE activities may contain discussions of non-approved or off label uses of some agents mentioned. Please consult the prescribing information for full disclosure of approved uses.

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