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J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2009;137:791-794
© 2009 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery

Meeting Proceedings

Highlights from the 2008 American Heart Association Scientific Session

^a Cardiovascular Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
^b Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
^c Division of Cardiac Surgery, Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario

Received for publication December 4, 2008; accepted for publication December 4, 2008.

^_* Address for reprints: Peter M. Kang, MD, FAHA, Cardiovascular Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 3 Blackfan Circle, Rm 910, Boston, MA 02215. (Email: pkang@bidmc.harvard.edu).

The first 300 words of the full text of this article appear below.

	Introduction

 
The 2008 Annual Scientific Session of the American Heart Association was held in New Orleans from November 9 to 12, 2008. Many innovative clinical and scientific developments were presented and discussed at the meeting. The American Heart Association meeting is unique in that all major specialties treating cardiovascular disease are represented, including cardiac surgery, cardiology, neurology, basic science, and imaging.

This year, cardiac surgery was especially well represented. Dr Tim Gardner presented his Presidential address, Dr Philippe Menasché gave the Paul Dudley White International Lecture, and Dr Tirone David presented the William W. L. Glenn Lecture entitled "Aortic Valve Sparing: Matching the Procedure to the Aortic Root Pathology." In his Presidential address, Dr Gardner challenged the audience to become citizen leaders with a "passion for prevention" to reduce heart disease and stroke. Worldwide heart disease mortality rates peaked approximately 30 years ago and have been declining, largely because of preventative measures. Dr Gardner noted "Despite this progress, serious challenges remain. The major threat to continued reductions in preventable and premature deaths from cardiovascular disease and stroke is the increase in the risk factors of obesity and diabetes, untreated high blood pressure, smoking and lack of physical activity," especially in developing countries. Gardner called on all health care professionals to continue their work to build a healthier world by raising money to support research and providing resources to drive prevention and health promotion efforts. He concluded by promoting preventative medicine and healthy lifestyles, not only in North America and Europe but also throughout the world.

Dr Philippe Menasché gave the Paul Dudley White Lecture, entitled "Human Cardiac Cell Therapy—Lessons Learned and Future Prospects." Dr Menasche reviewed studies of stem cell therapies, including intracoronary infusion of bone marrow-derived mononuclear cell and mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction (MI) . . . [Full Text of this Article]