September 2nd, 2013
Living History and a Glimpse into the Future
M. Louis Handoko, MD PhD
Several Cardiology Fellows who are attending ESC.13 in Amsterdam this week are blogging for CardioExchange. The Fellows include Paddy Barrett, Louis Handoko, and Amanda Vest. For more of our ESC.13 coverage of late-breaking clinical trials, interviews with the authors of the most important research, and blogs from our fellows on the most interesting presentations at the meeting, check out our Coverage Headquarters.
My Monday morning started with an historic overview on the milestones in cardiovascular medicine. Who better to give this lecture than Dr. Eugene Braunwald himself, whom I consider the Godfather of Cardiology. Of course I know his legacy, but I have never seen him in person. Despite his fragile appearance (84-years old!), his presentation was energetic and very inspirational. It made me feel proud to be a member of the cardiovascular community that has accomplished such major achievements in just a few decades.
Braunwald’s talk made me think about my (near) future as cardiologist. Although I just started my training in cardiology, I’ve already developed something of a preference for electrophysiology. By mere luck, I came across a live demonstration of the human cardiac anatomy by Dr. Ho, with specific emphasis on anatomical structures relevant to electrophysiology.
This is better than any atlas on clinical anatomy! I got even more enthusiastic after following a session about the emerging role of catheter ablation in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. I think today I had a glimpse of my future.
NEJM Journal Watch — Recent Cardiology Articles- Transcatheter Valve Replacement for Severe Tricuspid Regurgitation
- Time in Blood Pressure Target Range and Outcomes in Hypertension: Real-World Data
- When to Start Anticoagulation After Ischemic Stroke in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation
- Aortic-Valve Replacement vs. Clinical Surveillance for Asymptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis
- Secondary Hypertension in Young Adults