The theme of the 2022-2024 EAPCI Presidency is EAPCI 4.0 – Equitable Access to Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions 4 Patients and Professionals. Collaboration and cooperation with national societies and Interventional Working Groups are key to advancing education and practice in interventional cardiology in all EAPCI member countries. Joint sessions at national meetings help foster the interaction and communication between the EAPCI and its members. Here we focus on some of the recent joint sessions.
The Joint Pan-African Society of Cardiology (PASCAR) and Tunisian Society of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery (STCCCV) Congress took place in Djerba, Tunisia, in September 2023. During the EAPCI Joint Session “Overcoming Barriers in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) Practice”, Professor Mamas Mamas presented the EAPCI statement “Overcoming professional barriers encountered by women in interventional cardiology”, and Dr Krzysztof presented the EAPCI consensus document “How to approach calcified lesions”. These were followed by presentations from local colleagues and a lively discussion with the audience.
At the Italian Society of Interventional Cardiology (GISE)’s national conference in Milan, Italy, in October 2023, the GISE Young Committee and the EAPCI Young Committee held a joint session on controversies in interventional cardiology. The session was a case-based discussion with presentations from GISE Young Committee members on transcatheter aortic valve implantation in low-risk patients, treatment of complex and high-risk intervention in indicated patients, and treatment of patients with severe mitral insufficiency without a COAPT-like profile. Each presentation was followed by a comment and review of the literature from an EAPCI Young Committee member. The session allowed challenging cases to be shared, with peer-to-peer interaction and networking amongst young interventional cardiologists.
The Panhellenic Congress of Cardiology in Thessaloniki, Greece, in October 2023, was a further opportunity for interaction between the EAPCI Young Committee and the National Young Committee. The session “Treating stable coronary artery disease (CAD): where we stand, what to expect” was chaired by Ioannis Kanakakis and Giorgos Tzanis. Antonio Greco represented the EAPCI Young Committee, presenting “PCI versus optimal medical therapy: evidence for stable CAD”.
At the Bulgarian Society of Interventional Cardiology’s Congress of Interventional Cardiology held in Sofia, Bulgaria, in November 2023, three important topics were discussed at the EAPCI joint session. The Chair of the EAPCI International Affairs Committee, Eric Van Belle, discussed the EAPCI certification examination process and the potential for mutual recognition of training across EAPCI member countries. The President Elect, Alaide Chieffo, presented on cardiogenic shock and applying guideline recommendations in different geographies. Finally, EAPCI grants for young interventional cardiologists and the process for applying to be a host centre were discussed.
The final joint session of 2023 took place at the annual meeting of the Portuguese Association of Cardiovascular Intervention (APIC) in Peniche, Portugal, in November 2023. “Landmarks in our Practice – Past, Present and Future” was an opportunity not only for learning and networking amongst young interventional cardiologists but also for interaction with more experienced interventional cardiologists. Anna Franzone from the EAPCI Young Committee presented “These recent papers will change my practice”, and Robert Byrne, the EAPCI Secretary, presented “These classic papers still change my practice”. The presentations invoked much discussion amongst the audience, with significant learning and sharing of experiences.
EAPCI joint sessions are beneficial to both national societies and the EAPCI, fostering communication and networking on a national level. If your society is interested in learning more about EAPCI joint sessions, please contact the EAPCI Association Manager, Violeta Pérez-García.
