On Friday, February 24, nearly one hundred area and regional health care providers gathered at a local Iowa City hotel to attend one of many conferences the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine sponsors throughout the year. This year’s event featured a keynote address from Dr. Blair Grubb, director of Electrophysiology at the University of Toledo Medical Center. Dr. Grubb gave an engaging overview of autonomic disorders, their diversity, diagnosis, and treatment options. In discussing his research, Dr. Grubb also revealed results from experiments using tilt tables and what they show us about the connection between hypertension and cerebral syncope.

A variety of other topics both purely cardiovascular in focus as well as its interconnectivity with other disciplines were part of the day’s lineup. Third-year fellow Dr. Drew Behunin gave an overview of how CT scans identify atherosclerotic plaque buildup in addition to how these results should influence clinical decisions. Dr. Vlad Cortalan gave an update on left-ventricular assist devices for patients and the criteria providers should consider.

Conference director Dr. Michael Giudici described potential interventions to prevent embolic strokes in some patients with left-atrial appendages, outlining the risks and benefits of everything from anticoagulants to device implantation. And, in an important nod to the always-changing landscape of healthcare reimbursement, Dr. Linda Lee gave a detailed overview of both what the Affordable Care Act was meant to address and how providers should refocus their attention from volume to value.

Congratulations to all the presenters and the conference organizers on a successful event!