Participants from 26 states and four countries recently gathered in Kansas City for presentations on groundbreaking, current topics including the evolution of disease processes, diagnostic tools, therapeutic strategies and ethical issues in the advancement of patient care at the 10th annual Kansas City Heart Rhythm Symposium (KCHRS), an intensive two-day event with an agenda of Electrophysiology (EP)-focused medical education.
Nearly 25 leading cardiac experts from across the globe presented to electrophysiologists, cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and other healthcare professionals. Cardiologists from the HCA Midwest Health and Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute at HCA Midwest Health—leaders in education and innovation in heart rhythm disorders in the region and country—were among the experts participating in the symposium.
The symposium was hosted and directed by Dhanunjaya “DJ” Lakkireddy, M.D., a board-certified, fellowship-trained cardiologist, researcher and renowned leader in electrophysiology research and an education leader in atrial fibrillation and complex arrhythmias. Dr. Lakkireddy, with Midwest Heart and Vascular and is executive medical director of the Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute at HCA Midwest Health, also delivered a keynote address. HCA Midwest Health is Kansas City’s leading healthcare and cardiology care provider.
“As an internationally known and respected industry veteran, educator, researcher and leader in atrial fibrillation, Dr. Lakkireddy has a unique ability to bring an incredible vision for world-class cardiology care educational events like the Kansas City Heart Rhythm Symposium,” says Darryl Nelson, M.D., Centerpoint Medical Center Chief Medical Officer. “The event underscores not only the tremendous contributions of patient care that cardiologists make, but the level of commitment to education and excellence in patient outcomes.”
"As an internationally known and respected industry veteran, educator, researcher and leader in atrial fibrillation, Dr. Lakkireddy has a unique ability to bring an incredible vision for world-class cardiology care."
“Every year this major symposium, held in Kansas City, updates medical practitioners in the greater Midwest region on the future of cardiac electrophysiology and on new diagnosis and treatment guidelines in the care and management of patients with atrial and ventricular arrhythmias and heart failure,” Dr. Lakkireddy says. “Not only are significant advances shared in this rapidly evolving field that directly impact patients, the symposium highlights the clinical excellence and fierce passion in the field of cardiology by professionals who care for the most vulnerable, cardiology patients who may fear their life is ending.”
A key element of this year’s symposium included how early recognition and treatment of atrial fibrillation—an irregular and often rapid heart rate that can increase risk of stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications—can improve quality of life, mortality, stroke risk and dementia.
“Advances in radio frequency ablation to accomplish these goals were presented to the audience,” Dr. Lakkireddy says. “Ablation is an important therapeutic tool in the treatment of atrial fibrillation and the Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute at HCA Midwest Health is the nation’s leader in providing world-class ablation therapy.”
Other topics included lifestyle modifications that significantly decrease the risk of cardiac arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation; findings on fetal cardiac arrhythmias; the importance of multi-disciplinary, patient-centered care for arrhythmias; and a review of clinical trials that have helped change the clinic practice of electrophysiology.
Featured keynote speaker was John Camm, M.D., Professor of Clinical Cardiology at St George’s Hospital Medical School, University of London, UK, and Professor of Cardiology at Imperial College, London. Dr. Camm is a world-renowned leader in a leader who has written or edited more than 40 books, authored or co-authored nearly 1,300 peer- reviewed papers, developed more than 500 book chapters, written in excess of 2,500 accepted abstracts and delivered more than 500 international lectures. He has been involved in the production of numerous guidelines, including the ESC guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation and the NICE guidelines for the treatment of unstable angina and non- ST elevation ACS and received the prestigious ESC Gold Medal in 2005 and the British Cardiovascular Society Mackenzie Medal in 2008. Dr. Nelson presented Dr. Camm with The Pioneer Award at the symposium.
For more information on HCA Midwest Health and its comprehensive cardiology services, visit hcamidwest.com/service/heart-care.