What to expect at ACC 2018

The name of the game at this year’s American College of Cardiology (ACC) Scientific Sessions is innovation. Between thousands of handpicked poster sessions, 20 late-breakers and a handful of featured clinical research trials, presenters will focus on the latest in cutting-edge cardiology, ACC leaders said at a Wednesday, Feb. 21 briefing.

The 67th annual meeting, held in Orlando, will zone in on cardio-oncology, PCSK9 inhibitors and implantable devices, ACC President Mary Norine Walsh, MD, said. She said there will also be an emphasis on healthcare’s newfound “quadruple aim”—a 2014 push to keep clinicians’ wellbeing in mind—and expanded use of social media, with experts weighing in on subcategories like interventional cardiology, non-invasive imaging, vascular medicine and ischemic heart disease via Twitter.

In addition to the 2,719 abstracts that were accepted for oral presentations and poster sessions, 20 late-breaking clinical trials and 17 featured clinical trials will take the stage between March 10 and 12.

ACC 18 will open with a combined presentation of the ODYSSEY and VEST trials, which will focus on the efficacy of PCSK9 inhibitor alirocumab and the viability of a wearable cardioverter defibrillator known as the LifeVest, respectively.

“I think the data are going to be interesting no matter what we see,” ACC Scientific Session Chair Jeffrey Kuvin, MD, said of the ODYSSEY study. “I think FOURIER was a big splash exactly one year ago, and I think that this is going to be an equally important set of information that we’re going to be able to utilize and incorporate in our guidelines regardless of what we see.”

Other late-breakers will focus on the impact of patient copayment reduction on continued P2Y12 inhibitor use (ARTEMIS), the usability of Abbott's HeartMate left ventricular device (MOMENTUM-3), the relationship between chemotherapy and cardiotoxicity, blood pressure reduction in black barbershops and more.

Six keynotes featuring distinguished speakers will be “sprinkled” throughout the weekend, Kuvin said. The Simon Dack lecture, which will kick off ACC 18 at 8 a.m., March 10, will be delivered by Nanette Kass Wenger, MD, who will center her talk around the role of women in the field.

“There’s no one better than Nanette to talk about the past, present and future of cardiovascular disease in women,” Kuvin said.

The meeting will also underline its new motto—“less lecturing, more learning”—by incorporating interactive presentations known as “intensives” and group games into the conference, the speakers said. Clinicians will have the chance to enroll in 3-hour mini-courses that will be more hands-on than the majority of presentations, and, for added interaction and networking, ACC is offering Jeopardy and Family Feud-style cardiology challenges.

“People come to the meeting for a variety of reasons,” Kuvin said. “To network, to improve their overall education, to make sure they’re hitting their competencies.”

ACC will take place this March at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center. Visit its official website for a full list of presentations.