Care of the Athletic Heart: Investing in the Cardiac Care of Athletic Patients

"And since all this loveliness cannot be Heaven, I know in my heart it is June."
— Abba Louisa Goold Woolson

Care of the Athletic Heart Virtual

The month of June, known as the "gateway to summer," heralds ACC's annual Care of the Athletic Heart meeting. This year, the flagship meeting of the Sports and Exercise Cardiology Section will take place virtually on June 3. We invite you to join the leading national and international voices in sports cardiology for a day of learning and fun interaction.

There is no debate that the cardiovascular care of athletic patients requires nuanced expertise in the field of cardiology. For example, habitual exercise may result in cardiac adaptations, which can be difficult to differentiate from pathology. These manifest as electrical and morphofunctional changes. Further, while the use of the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) as a component of pre-participation screening remains controversial, all those involved in the care of athletes must be equipped to identify normal athletic changes on the ECG from pathology. We will begin the meeting with a perennial hit, reviewing athlete ECG cases with our experts, followed by a focus on imaging the athlete's heart – from basic concepts to advanced imaging.

This year's content also delves into contemporary challenges faced in the field of sports cardiology. The role of shared decision making (SDM) for participation in sports in individuals with cardiac conditions continues to evolve. The "when, where, and how" of incorporating SDM will be discussed by two of the leading voices in the field. Clinical controversies, such as whether the decision algorithm for revascularization in coronary artery disease should be different in athletes compared to non-athletes, will also be debated. Other highlights will include hot-topic sessions on the use of wearables in sports cardiology, disparities in sports cardiology and the impact COVID-19 has had on athletes. Throughout the meeting, salient management issues for treating athletes with heart disease will be discussed by the experts with practical take-home points for all involved in the cardiac care of athletes.

Additional benefits for participants:

  • Join a virtual 5K with the planning committee and your peers with great prizes available.
  • Access on-demand content from the "Best of" prior Care of the Athletic Heart conferences.
  • Review adjudicated abstracts from the ACC Scientific Sessions and the most impactful sports cardiology papers of the last year.
  • FITs will have the opportunity to partake in smaller virtual conversations with faculty.

Early bird registration concludes Thursday, April 28, so why delay signing up? We look forward to seeing you on June 3!