UAB to present at annual American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions

The University of Alabama at Birmingham has a number of presentations and experts available to comment on news being presented at the annual American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions that begin Saturday, March 23, 2012, in Chicago.

UAB experts available on site during the Scientific Sessions include:
• Suzanne Oparil, M.D. - Oparil is a former president of the American Heart Association and currently is director of the UAB Vascular Biology and Hypertension Program.
• Vera Bittner, M.D. - Bittner serves on the board of the National Lipid Association and on several ACC and American Heart Association committees. She is section head of preventive cardiology at UAB and medical director of the UAB Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. Bittner is a co-author on a recent AHA statement on the use of cardiac rehabilitation.
• Donna Arnett, Ph.D. - Arnett is president-elect of the American Heart Association. She is professor and chair of Department of Epidemiology in the UAB School of Public Health.

Some of the 20 presentations UAB faculty will make during the Scientific Sessions include:
• "Comparison of exercise myocardial perfusion imaging and exercise electrocardiogram in detecting ischemia in asymptomatic patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus: result of a prospective multicenter study in developing nations" (Embargoed until 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 24, 2012) - Fadi Hage, M.D., will be discussing the prevalence of silent cardiovascular disease in diabetics in developing nations and whether this is best identified by stress test and imaging or stress test and ECG. Presentation location will be McCormick Place South, Hall A.
• "The heart-rate response to adenosine as a predictor of adverse cardiac outcomes in the detection of ischemia in asymptomatic diabetics study" (Embargoed until 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 24, 2012) - Fadi Hage, M.D. will be discussing the effectiveness of sing the heart rate response to adenosine in asymptomatic diabetics to identify individuals at high risk for cardiovascular events. Presentation location will be McCormick Place South, Hall A.
• "Updates and new guidelines for hypertension management in 2012" (Embargoed until 4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 24, 2012) - Suzanne Oparil, M.D., will discuss recent advances in the treatment of hypertension. Presentation location will be McCormick Place South, S100c.
• "High-fat, low-carbohydrate diet results in increased myocardial oxidative stress and impaired mitochondrial function in obese rats" (Embargoed until 9:30 a.m. Sunday, March 25, 2012) - Steven Lloyd, M.D., Ph.D., will discuss the effect of high-fat, low-carb diets on mitochondrial function and oxidative stress in the heart, and how those impact tissue damage from reduced blood flow to the heart during a heart attack. Presentation location will be McCormick Place South, Hall A.
• "High fat, low-carbohydrate diet increases susceptibility to myocardial ischemic injury in obese rats" (Embargoed until 9:30 a.m. Sunday, March 25, 2012) - Steven Lloyd, M.D., Ph.D., will discuss the impact of high-fat, low-carb diets on the size of a heart attack and how well the heart recovers after a cardiac event. Presentation location will be McCormick Place South, Hall A.
• "Impact of high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet on insulin sensitivity and TCA cycle substrate entry during ischemia-reperfusion" (Embargoed until 9:30 a.m. Sunday, March 25, 2012) - Steven Lloyd, M.D., Ph.D., will discuss how high fat, low-carb diets impact the heart's insulin sensitivity and the fuels it uses to function during both normal function and during a heart attack. Insulin is known to be important in protecting the heart immediately after a heart attack. Presentation location will be McCormick Place South, Hall A.
• "Renal sympathetic denervation - a novel therapy for hypertension?" (Embargoed until 10:45 a.m. Sunday, March 25, 2012) - Suzanne Oparil, M.D., will discuss the role of radiofrequency ablation of the renal nerves in the treatment of hypertension. Presentation location will be McCormick Place North, N228.
• "Impact of high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet on myocardial ischemia/infarction: an in vivo study" (Embargoed until 11 a.m. Sunday, March 25, 2012) - Steven Lloyd, M.D., Ph.D., will discuss the impact of high-fat, low-carb diets on heart attack size and survival in the time immediately following a heart attack. Presentation location will be McCormick Place South, Hall A.
• "Role of physical activity in CVD prevention" (Embargoed until 12:15 p.m. Monday, March 26, 2012) - Vera Bittner, M.D., will discuss the epidemiology of exercise and its impact on cardiovascular disease prevention. Presentation location will be McCormick Place South, S100c.
• "Improving metabolic risk factors through lifestyle" (Embargoed until 2:15 p.m. Monday, March 26, 2012) - Vera Bittner, M.D., will discuss the long-term effects of lifestyle intervention in improving cardiovascular disease risk factors in people with Type 2 diabetes. Presentation location will be McCormick Place South, S100c.
• "Cardiac rehabilitation: why break a sweat?" (Embargoed until 2:45 p.m. Monday, March 26, 2012) - Vera Bittner, M.D., will discuss the importance of cardiac rehabilitation after a heart attack or other cardiac event and its impact on long-term survival. Presentation location will be McCormick Place South, S401a.