The presenters at the Lundbeck Learning Destinations (l. to r.): Brian Olshansky, MD, FACC, Dinesh K. Kalra, MD, FACC and Sameh K. Mobarek, MD, FACC.

Lundbeck, a global pharmaceutical company specializing in psychiatry and neurology, will offer a 30-minute Innovation Stage presentation titled Doctor, I’m Dizzy: Clinical Perspectives of Neurogenic Orthostatic Hypotension today from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Lundbeck will also present three Interactive Learning Lab sessions on neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (nOH), including Identifying the nOH Patient in the Cardiology Clinic today from 9:45 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.; Orthostatics: What, Where, How today from 12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. and tomorrow from 9:45 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.; and nOH Treatment: What it Means to Your Patient today from 3:45 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. and tomorrow from 12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. ACC spoke with Lundbeck U.S. about the content and format of these sessions.

Would you provide an overview of the Innovation Stage presentation and Interactive Learning Lab sessions Lundbeck will present?

We’re very excited about what we will be doing at ACC with these sessions. Our Innovation Stage presentation will provide a clinical overview of nOH and will explore distinction of nOH from other forms of orthostatic hypotension, underlying pathophysiology, common symptoms and patient impact, and diagnosis and management. A patient case study on diagnosis and treatment will provide audience members with relevant information they can use in their practice. Recommendations for measuring orthostatic blood pressure, a step-wise approach to treatment, and non-pharmacologic management options that patients can implement into their daily lives will be highlighted.

For the Interactive Learning Labs, we have created nine 45-minute sessions, each of which will be moderated by a physician experienced in the care of patients with nOH. We are focusing each of these sessions on one particular area by building upon a patient case study that is relevant to the cardiovascular clinician. We structured the case study to specifically address screening, diagnosis, and treatment of nOH.

The purpose of the sessions on screening is to discuss appropriate questions to ask patients and screening techniques specifically associated with timing of blood pressure measurements. We want to show clinicians how to make the screening process more efficient and streamlined by focusing on patients who are most at risk. The second session topic will provide clinicians with a stepwise approach to the diagnosis of nOH starting with orthostatic blood pressure measurement and heart rate, followed by autonomic testing in select cases. The last session is focused on the treatment of nOH, including nonpharmacologic measures such as adjusting salt intake, blood volume repletion, and physical conditioning, as well as pharmacologic treatments.

The overall goal of the Interactive Learning Lab is to provide an environment where Lundbeck can directly interact with clinicians. We can learn from them based on their experience and share information and techniques that have recently emerged in the treatment of nOH.

What drives topic selection for the presentations?

nOH is an underdiagnosed disorder that can greatly impact patients. The need for better understanding of what nOH is, who it affects, and how to properly diagnose and manage symptoms is what drives the selection of this topic.

What is unique about the Innovation Stage and Interactive Learning Lab settings?

Both settings provide an interactive environment to examine clinical issues. A venue such as the Innovation Stage is particularly useful for topics like nOH that might be misunderstood and can benefit from an open discussion.

The Interactive Learning Lab provide a unique opportunity to have a roundtable discussion with nOH experts and clinicians. We can walk clinicians through the patient case study in an interactive discussion that is not just a didactic presentation. We can create a more dynamic and meaningful way of communicating using a patient case that the clinicians can identify with.

How will the education be provided? In other words, what types of learning activities will be used?

The Innovation Stage presentation will consist of a single speaker presenting with PowerPoint slides. Questions and feedback from the audience will be encouraged.

For the Interactive Learning Lab, we’re bringing in a physician experienced in the care of patients with nOH who can establish a connection with these clinicians – someone who has experience with screening, diagnosing and treating nOH in a cardiovascular setting. We will ask questions via iPads and gauge attendees’ experience with an audience response system. The verbal and nonverbal activities will be hands-on and interactive.

What can attendees expect to gain from participating in Lundbeck’s Innovation Stage and Interactive Learning Lab sessions?

Attendees will gain a better appreciation of nOH and how its cause and impact of symptoms is best addressed by proper diagnosis and management. Attendees will also learn about an additional option to consider when diagnosing patients with these symptoms.

Our goal is for clinicians to walk away feeling more confident in their ability to recognize the symptoms associated with nOH. They will gain additional knowledge, tools and resources that will help them screen, diagnose and manage these patients.

Learning Destinations are not part of ACC.17, as planned by its Program Committee, and do not qualify for continuing medical education (CME), continuing nursing education (CNE) or continuing education (CE) credit.

* Information is current as of February 20, 2017 and is subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, download the ACC.17 App, or visit accscientificsession.org.

Keywords: ACC Publications, ACC Scientific Session Newspaper, ACC Annual Scientific Session, Autonomic Nervous System, Blood Pressure, Blood Volume, Hypotension, Orthostatic, Neurology