The ACC Council on Cardiovascular Care for Older Adults (CCCOA)advises the College in matters related to cardiovascular caregiving in relation to aging and treatment of older adults.
The ACC Council on Cardiovascular Care for Older Adults (CCCOA) was established in October 2009 to serve as an expert advisory resource for the College’s leadership and programs as they relate to the science and practice of cardiovascular medicine as it applies to the geriatric population.
Mission of the CCCOA
The Council shall consider all matters related to cardiovascular caregiving in relation to aging and treatment of older adults. Such matters include: clinical practice strategies and guidelines with respect to primary and secondary prevention, management across the full spectrum of cardiovascular diseases (including diagnostics, PCI, surgical interventions, device therapy, and medical therapy), government and third-party payer relationships, research and funding, training and continuing medical education, ACC publications, better synergy between cardiologists and the care team (i.e., primary care physicians, hospitalists, allied caregivers), and to provide the Board of Trustees with regular opinions concerning developments in the field. The Council shall advise the leadership of the College on aspects of aging in relation to cardiovascular health, disease, and treatment.
Council Members 2010
Daniel E. Forman, M.D., F.A.C.C., Chair
Jonathan Afilalo, M.D., M.Sc.
Karen P. Alexander, M.D., F.A.C.C.
Joseph C. Cleveland, M.D., F.A.C.C.
Magali P. Disdier, Pharm.D., Ph.D, B.C.P.S.
Charles R. McKay, M.D., F.A.C.C.
Michael W. Rich, M.D., F.A.C.C.
Nanette Kass Wenger, M.D., M.A.C.C.
Susan J. Zieman, M.D., F.A.C.C.
Essentials of Cardiovascular Care in Older Adults
The Essentials of Cardiovascular Care in Older Adults (ECCOA) curriculum is available to ACC Fellows-in-Training on CardioSource.org as part of the ACC In-Service (ACCIS). ECCOA is a case-based learning curriculum, funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation, spanning topics including pharmacology, physiology, syncope, heart failure and prevention. The curriculum was developed in response to national mandates to improve the understanding and care of older adults put forth in ACGME post-graduate training guidelines and Cardiology Fellowship Guidelines. This online education program also uses pre- and post-tests to enable trainees and program directors to track progress. Drs. Karen Alexander, Susan Zieman, Andrew Miller, and Michael Rich were ECCOA’s principal organizers, and the program will continue to evolve in new directions under the auspices of CCCOA with objectives to provide the entire ACC membership and allied caregivers access to this content. Please contact Amy Dearborn at adearborn@acc.org with questions about ECCOA and its educational objectives.
Recent Activities
In November 2009, the CCCOA held its first Council meeting. The Council members provided an overview of the Council’s genesis, and ACC leadership was present and articulated a strong bond within the ACC community to the goals and mission of the CCCOA.
At ACC.10, the CCCOA hosted a symposium, “Evidence-Based versus Patient-Centered Care: How to Integrate These Two Objectives in Relation to Aortic Stenosis and Ventricular Arrythmias in Very Old Adults.” Following Jonathan Afilalo, M.D.’s presentation of the case, Jeffrey Borer, M.D., F.A.C.C. and Jane Linderbaum, M.S., F.N.P. discussed the pros and cons of evidence-based and patient-centered care in treating severe aortic stenosis in an octogenarian. A second case, discussing the use of ICD/CRT in an octogenarian, was presented by Susan Cheng, M.D., and Anne Curtis, M.D., F.A.C.C. and Rachel Lampert, M.D., F.A.C.C. discussed the pros and cons of each. The presentations were followed by thoughtful questions from the audience. The CCCOA plans to host similar presentations in the future, which will be listed on this website.
Several members of the CCCOA are working on two collaborative white papers. One is entitled “Cardiovascular Care for Older Adults: Time for a New Paradigm”; another is with members of the Interventional Scientific Council and the Surgeons’ Scientific Council, entitled “Interventional Management of CAD in Older Adults.” This paper has an expected publication date of late 2010.
Contact Us
Please contact Amy Dearborn at adearborn@acc.org or 202-375-6257 with any questions, comments, or interest in getting involved.