CME Information

Target Audience

This activity is designed for physicians with an interest in stroke, including neurologists, vascular surgeons, cardiologists, primary care physicians, and allied health care professionals.

Activity Purpose

This program intends to interpret findings from the recently published guidelines and clinical trials evaluating secondary prevention and management of atherothrombotic events in patients with stroke. Faculty will provide commentary and discuss implications for clinical practice as well as treatment strategies for patients with stroke who show cardiovascular cross-risks and/or complications.

Goal

Statement of Need
Stroke is a leading cause of death and long-term disability. Mortality risks are greatest during the first 30 days following a stroke; however, the risk persists for several years. Patients who have survived stroke are twice as likely to die of cardiovascular events, such as myocardial infarction, as they are of stroke events after the initial stroke.

Stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) share a common underlying pathology with coronary artery disease and peripheral vascular disease: atherothrombosis. Furthermore, these disorders share a common underlying risk factor profile, including hypertension, diabetes, and history of smoking.

Multiple diagnostic tests, procedures, and therapies are available to treat atherothrombotic disease and risk factors. A review of recent and forthcoming treatment guidelines, clinical trial findings, and literature relevant to atherothrombotic disease is needed to further educate clinicians who manage patients with stroke and TIA.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:

1. explain the high risk of atherothrombotic events associated with both stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA),
2. discuss therapeutic strategies to decrease cardiac and peripheral vascular risks and improve outcomes in patients with stroke, and
3. examine evidence from clinical trials that support the use of cardiovascular agents in certain patient populations.

Accreditation Statements

For Physicians

DIME is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

DIME designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Release Date: August 10, 2007; Valid for credit through August 10, 2008

Term of Offering

This activity has a release date of August 10, 2007, and is valid for 1 year. Requests for credit must be received no later than August 10, 2008. Upon successful completion of the course test, participants will receive further instruction regarding instantaneous online receipt of credit. For inquires regarding technical issues with CME or registration, email eMedicine at CME Support. Please direct CME content-related questions to:

Vanessa Krienitz
Associate Program Manager
Discovery Institute of Medical Education
35 W Wacker Dr, Suite 1200
Chicago, IL 60601-1363
312.553.8002
Vanessa.Krienitz@DIMedEd.org
www.DIMedEd.org

Estimated Completion Time

1 hour

Instructions for Participation and Credit

There are no fees for participating in or receiving credit for this online educational activity. For information on applicability and acceptance of continuing education credit for this activity, please consult your professional licensing board.

This activity is designed to be completed within the time designated on the title page; physicians should claim only those credits that reflect the time actually spent in the activity. To successfully earn credit, participants must complete the activity online during the valid credit period that is noted on the title page.

Follow these steps to earn CME credit*:

1. Read the target audience, learning objectives, and author disclosures.
2. Study the educational content online or printed out.
3. Online, choose the best answer to each test question. To receive a certificate, you must receive a passing score as designated at the top of the test. In addition, you must complete the Activity Evaluation to provide feedback for future programming.

You may now view or print the certificate from your CME Tracker. You may print the certificate but you cannot alter it. Credits will be tallied in your CME Tracker and archived for 5 years; at any point within this time period you can print out the tally as well as the certificates by accessing "Edit Your Profile" at the top of your Medscape homepage.

*The credit that you receive is based on your user profile.

Hardware/Software Requirements

Medscape requires version 4.x browsers or higher from Microsoft or Netscape. Certain educational activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation or printable versions of their content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Macromedia Flash, Apple Quicktime, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Powerpoint, Windows Media Player, and Real Networks Real One Player.