Activity Release: December 2006
Expiration Date: December 31, 2007

This interactive Web site activity features highlights of presentations from Frontiers of Atrial Fibrillation: Devices, Drugs, and Decisions originally presented on November 11, 2006, in Chicago, Illinois, by world-renowned faculty. The activity will take approximately 1 hour to complete.

Introduction
Jeremy N. Ruskin, MD, Chair

Catheter Ablation: Ready for Prime Time?
Jeremy N. Ruskin, MD

Current Antiarrhythmic Options and Emerging Agents: Putting It All Together
Peter Kowey, MD

Guidelines in Atrial Fibrillation: Update for the Practicing Clinician
Eric Prystowsky, MD

Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects over 2 million people in the United States and continues to represent a significant healthcare burden. Approaches to cardioversion and maintenance of sinus rhythm are complicated by the lack of safe and effective therapy. New approaches and options are on the horizon for patient management including ablation and new antiarrhythmics. Cardiologists require educational programming to learn about these advances.

Faculty presenters discuss the guidelines for management of patients with AF and review mechanisms of action and clinical data on current and emerging antiarrhythmic agents for rhythm control in AF. Current ablation approaches, success rates, and patient selection are discussed. Incorporation of data to practical management is presented.

After viewing the program, cardiologists should be able to do the following:

• Describe current indications, patient selection, and outcome data for ablation
• Discuss current limitations for effective maintenance of sinus rhythm
• Review current and emerging antiarrhythmic agents
• Discuss guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation

This educational activity has been designed for cardiologists.

This continuing medical education activity is provided by the Academy for Healthcare Education, Inc.

This continuing medical education activity is supported by an educational grant from sanofi-aventis.

The Academy for Healthcare Education, Inc., is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Academy for Healthcare Education, Inc., designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

In order to receive a statement of credit after viewing the activity, participants must successfully complete the posttest. Participants will have 2 opportunities to pass the posttest with a score of 70% or higher. Please follow the directions below.

Click on the link provided to complete the user information form and submit your posttest results electronically by December 31, 2007. Each test will be graded and results displayed instantaneously. Participants will receive an electronic, printable statement of credit immediately after successfully completing the posttest.

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Please click the speaker’s name in the right hand column to view disclosure information reported for the faculty of Frontiers of Atrial Fibrillation: Devices, Drugs, and Decisions.

The Academy for Healthcare Education, Inc. has received educational grants from sanofi-aventis.

Robbin Moisa, MD, Medical Director for the Academy for Healthcare Education, Inc., has no financial relationships to disclose.

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Medical Director Review With Evidence Classification

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• Level B (intermediate level): data derived from other clinical trials, observational, cohort, and case-controlled studies, systematic reviews of observational, cohort, and case-controlled studies where studies are homogeneous in design, evidence-based clinical practice guideline recommendations supported by B-level evidence


• Level C (lowest level): data derived from consensus reports, expert opinion, case reports, clinical practice guidelines based on a consensus model, systematic reviews where the basis for comparison is not clear or that have other methodological problems

ⁱIndicates that these data have been published in abstract form but have not appeared in a peer-reviewed publication.
ⁱⁱIndicates that these data are unpublished and have not been reviewed by the scientific community. The Academy for Healthcare Education, Inc., has reviewed the study outline and has confirmed that the experimental design, data collection methods, and data analysis conform to standards that are generally accepted within the scientific community.

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The information about drugs mentioned does not cover all possible uses, actions, precautions, side effects, or interactions of these medicines, nor is the information intended as medical advice for individual problems or for making an evaluation as to the risks and benefits of taking a particular drug.