CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION CME Course Director A.M. Gotto, Jr. M.D., Weill Cornell Medical College (New York, NY, USA) Independent Clinical Reviewer P. Kligfield, M.D., Weill Cornell Medical College  (New York, NY, USA) Statement of Need This activity is designed to update researchers and clinicians on recent research regarding the effect of drugs on lipid metabolism and the state of the art in clinical treatment of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular disease, thereby enhancing patient outcome. In particular, this activity will provide physicians with a comprehensive update of the developments in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, thus reducing global risk. The meeting will furthermore provide physicians with insight into pharmacological and lifestyle interventions used to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, including updates on the optimal diet to prevent obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. New clinical trial data relevant to LDL lowering will be discussed, as will potential therapies to increase HDL levels and functions. An important focus will be the different pathological “facets” of increased metabolic risk (triglycerides, HDL, insulin resistance, hypertension, and obesity) and the constellation of other risk markers present in individuals with obesity and/or type 2 diabetes. Researchers, clinicians, and other health care professionals dealing with metabolic disorders and cardiovascular disease in a wide variety of disciplines will benefit from this meeting.

Target Audience
Practicing physicians involved in the diagnosis and treatment of lipid disorders, metabolic disorders, and cardiovascular diseases such as lipidologists, internists, cardiologists, diabetologists, gerontologists, and general practitioners.

Course Goals and Objectives
At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:

1. Assess the benefits of lipid modification in clinical trials on endpoints of cardiovascular events and surrogate endpoints such as progression/regression of atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction;
2. Evaluate the importance of traditional and novel risk factors including genetic polymorphisms as they relate to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease and contribute to the response to drug therapy;
3. Differentiate the multiple effects of various classes of medication, alone, and in combination, on lipid modification and measures of vascular function and disease;
4. Appraise new drugs, neutraceuticals, and dietary approaches and their application to the treatment of lipid disorders;
5. Evaluate the role of new technologies (such as CT, MRI, and IVUS) and new biochemical markers in identifying the atherosclerotic burden and the vulnerable plaque;
6. Review and evaluate new research regarding the underlying and environmental causes of the metabolic syndrome;
7. Assess the role of the cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors in the development of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in special groups of patients;
8. Describe recent clinical trials and assess their impact on the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease; and
9. Determine the practical basis for the appropriate use and the implementation of guidelines.

Accreditation
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essentials and Standards of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of Weill Cornell Medical College, the Giovanni Lorenzini Medical Foundation (Houston, TX, USA), and the Fondazione Giovanni Lorenzini Medical Science Foundation (Milan, Italy).

Weill Cornell Medical College is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians.

Weill Cornell Medical College designates this educational activity for a maximum of 32 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Each physician should claim only those credits that he/she actually spent in the activity.

Disclosure
It is the policy of Weill Cornell Medical College to adhere to ACCME Essential Areas, Policies, and Standards for Commercial Support in order to ensure fair balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all of its sponsored programs. All faculty participating in sponsoring programs are expected to disclose to the audience any potential, apparent, or real conflict of interest related to their contribution to the activity, and any discussions of off-label or investigational uses of any commercial product or device not yet approved in the United States. All disclosures will be made at the time of this activity.

Weill Cornell Medical College gratefully acknowledges support for this activity in the form of an unrestricted education grant from Abbott Laboratories, Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo Inc., F. Hoffmann-LaRoche, Pfizer Inc, Merck & Co., Inc., Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals, Reliant Pharmaceuticals, Inc., sanofi-aventis, and Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc.

• North American Continuing Medical Education (ACCME CME): Continuing Medical Education (CME) information for North American physicians will be found in the CME Information packet in the on-site registration bag.
  
  
• CME Credits (EACCME, ECM and EBAC): CME Credits for the DALM2007 Symposium will be requested from EACCME (European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education) and from EBAC (European Board for Accreditation in Cardiology) for European participants and from the Italian Ministry of Health for Italian participants. Detailed information will be given at the Symposium.

The DALM 2007 Symposium is accredited by EBAC for 21 hours of external CME credits.

Additional CME Information will be available with on-site Registration Materials.