6 SCIENTIFIC SESSIONS DAILY NEWS | Day 1 Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024 “This is a condition where protein buildup in the heart makes it thicker and stiffer over time, and the heart eventually fails,” he said. Historically, physicians would diagnose the condition with heart biopsy, an invasive procedure that not every center has the expertise to perform. “Fortunately, in recent years, there has been rapid and widespread adoption of a nuclear scan as a noninvasive diagnostic alternative to avoid the biopsy in many cases,” he said. “This allows us to screen more patients because it’s safe and more centers have access to this test.” However, more work needs to be done to raise awareness of amyloidosis and ensure diagnostic and treatment access in underserved areas, he said. Rosalyn O. Adigun, MD, PharmD, advanced heart failure and imaging cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, will also present at the session. Adigun said she believes gaps in knowledge and level of awareness have hindered the ability of providers to identify some of the uncommon cardiomyopathies they may encounter. “Most clinicians learn about these ‘rare’ disorders in medical school and then are far removed from them based on where they may practice,” said Adigun, who is also an assistant professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. “Because of this, there is often a distance between learning about these cardiomyopathies and seeing them in practice. The heterogenous presentation of some of these disorders can unfortunately also limit the ability of some providers to recognize them earlier in the disease course before patients develop systemic involvement and end-organ dysfunction.” Over the last few years, professional medical organizations have provided expert consensus statements, developed centers of excellence and increased patient outreach to increase public awareness, she said, highlighting red-flag symptoms, patterns or associations of disease and heterogenous presentations. Additionally, patient advocacy groups have provided educational resources to patients, family members and caregivers to help them identify and improve access to local resources and ongoing research trials. Cardiologists continue to raise awareness within their specialty, including clinicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners who are often the first to see these patients. There has also been a strong emphasis, through clinical practice guidelines, for example to reflect evolving knowledge on these rare cardiomyopathies and the role of family histories and genetic testing to identify some cardiomyopathies earlier. These efforts continue to improve the work of identifying these cardiomyopathies earlier. Influential guidelines include the 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines; the 2024 AHA/ACC/AMSSM/ HRS/PACES/SCMR Guideline for the Management of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: A Report of the American Heart Association/ American College of Cardiology Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines; Advancing Transthyretin Amyloidosis Drug Development in an Evolving Treatment Landscape: Amyloidosis Forum Meeting Proceedings and expert consensus recommendations to improve diagnosis of ATTR amyloidosis with polyneuropathy. Early identification and intervention have been shown to influence outcomes, she said. In addition, although scientists have made progress in understanding the molecular basis of most cardiomyopathies, there’s much still to learn about how and why specific cardiomyopathies can often present differently in different patients, Adigun said. Limited therapeutic options add to the challenge as well, she said, calling the problem “complex and layered,” Adigun said. There is a tendency Connect to submission guidelines, policies, and more. The new AHA Scientific Journals’ Author Hub is designed to simplify the publishing process. These comprehensive resources offer clear guidance every step of the way, Publishing in AHA Scientific Journals is synonymous with quality, relevance, and importance. Our Editors and expert peer reviewers ensure your work is accurate, significantly improves medical knowledge, and/or offers better ways to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. AHA Scientific Journals are committed to publishing high-quality research and upholding accepted standards of methodological rigor, reproducibility, and transparency. Find out about the policies and guidelines required for a successful publication in the AHA Scientific Sessions. Publish Proudly Editorial Policies Submit Today Find Out More NEW Author Hub 4-P121 Advertisement CARDIOMYOPATHIES continued from page 1
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