Peripheral Vascular Disease PVD in the U.S. affects approximately 8 million to 12 million patients a year; some experts in the field believe this may be underestimated. The disease is associated with significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, with a high rate of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction, stroke, renal failure, limb amputations, abdominal aortic aneurysms, pulmonary embolus and progressive ischemic end-organ dysfunction.

Since atherosclerosis is the most common cause of PVD, patients with PVD have a rate of cardiovascular mortality that is 3 to 4 times higher than age-matched controls. The cardiac mortality in symptomatic PVD is estimated to be 50% at 10 years. The reduction in quality of life from global vasculopathy in many patients can thus be significant.

Prompt and accurate diagnosis of these disease processes is of utmost importance. The AVIDsymposium is designed to address this need by providing the vascular ommunity with continuing medical education in this area. The latest pharmacologic, radiologic, surgical and endovascular techniqes and technologies will be presented, along with discussions of when these treatments are justified and indicated and when they are not. Updates on clinical trials and opportunities for dialogue with experts in the field provide insight along with the latest data on the results of the various diagnostic and treatment modalities

Advances in Vascular Imaging and Diagnosis^TM 21st Symposium and Workshops on Management and Clinical Issues is an intensive two-day course designed to provide a comprehensive update on the diagnosis of vascular disease using real time B-mode imaging, color and spectral Doppler and other noninvasive techniques. The course will also address important issues in the area of Vascular Laboratory management, vascular ultrasound education, reimbursement and laboratory accreditation. An internationally renowned faculty has been assembled to provide the latest in their respective areas of expertise. This will be accomplished via didactic lectures and will be enhanced by ample time for faculty panel discussions designed to provide interaction with the audience. In addition, live scanning demonstrations and hands-on workshops will be supervised by known experts in their fields and will utilize leading edge equipment. This course is intended for Vascular Technologists, Sonographers, Vascular Surgeons, Radiologists, Neurologists, Vascular Nurses, Vascular Interventionalists, Medical and Ultrasound Students an other Physicians and Allied Health Professionals with an interest in the diagnosis and treatment of vascular disease.

Following this continuing medical education activity, the participants will:

1. Describe recent developments in vascular ultrasound technology

2. Incorporate the Vascular Laboratory into the management of patients with vascular disease

3. Identify and compare noninvasive tests that are available to aid in the diagnosis of vascular disease

4. Identify current therapy and their roles for the effective management of peripheral arterial/venous disease, and carotid artery disease

5. Utilize duplex ultrasound prior to, during and after endovascular procedures

6. Apply issues regarding Vascular Laboratory management, reimbursement and accreditation to their practice

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

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation Center for Continuing Education designates this educational activity for a maximum of 16 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Participants claiming CME credit from this activity may submit the credit hours to the American Osteopathic Association Council on Continuing Medical Education for Category 2 credit.

For Vascular Technologists and Sonographers, Society for Vascular Ultrasound-Continuing Medical Education (SVU-CME) credit hours are available on an hour-for-hour basis and may be used to fulfill the continuing medical education requirements necessary to retain certification with the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) or for accreditation with the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC).

Your CME certificate will be available online at www.AVIDsymposium.org. An e-mail will be sent to all registered attendees immediately following the meeting with a unique password and instructions on how to obtain the certificate and complete a brief, optional course evaluation. Please note that the e-mail will be sent to the e-mail address that is used to register the attendee.

All conference attendees will receive instructions on how to access and print out available meeting abstracts prior to the meeting. These abstracts will be available on the program/archives page of the AVIDsymposium web site at www.avidsymposium.org. Abstracts will be available on the web site for one full year.

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation Center for Continuing Education has implemented a policy to comply with the current Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education Standards for Commercial Support requiring resolution of all faculty conflicts of interest. Faculty declaring a relevant commercial interest will be identified in the activity syllabus.

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation Center for Continuing Education complies with the legal requirements of the Americans with Disability Act. If any participant of the AVIDsymposium requires special assistance, please send written request to AVIDsymposium by e-mail to NYSymposia@aol.com, or by fax to (845) 368-2324, at least one month prior to the activity.

The information in this educational activity is provided for general medical education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical judgment of a physician relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient's medical condition. The viewpoints expressed in this CME activity are those of the authors/faculty. They do not represent an endorsement by The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. In no event will The Cleveland Clinic Foundation be liable for any decision made or action taken in reliance upon the information provided through this CME activity.

Copyright © 2010 The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. All rights reserved.