CME Information

Program Overview

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), an incurable disease, is characterized by medial hypertrophy, intimal fibrosis, and in situ thrombi in small muscular pulmonary arteries. PAH was considered a rapidly fatal illness with a median survival of 2.8 years in the 1980s when no evidence-based therapies were available. Since then the treatment of this disease has made tremendous advances, and in the last 10 years the discovery of new medications have positively influenced the prognosis and survival of patients with PAH.

This self-study activity is based on 3 articles that review the management of pulmonary hypertension in women.

This activity is jointly sponsored by the University of Michigan Medical School and the Pulmonary Hypertension Association.

Target Audience

This self-study activity is appropriate for cardiologists, pulmonologists, rheumatologists, and other physicians who treat patients with PH.

Learning Objectives

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

1. Describe the contraceptive options available to the patient with PAH

2. Understand the physiologic changes and challenges associated with pregnancy in PAH patients

3. Discuss the influence of sex hormones in pathogenesis of PAH

Self-Assessment Examination

See pages 178 and 179 for self-assessment questions, answer key, and evaluation form.

Faculty

Co-chairs
Deborah Jo Levine, MD
Associate Professor
Director, Pulmonary Hypertension Center
University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas

Kelly Chin, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Director, Pulmonary Hypertension Program
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, Texas

Contributing Authors
Eric D. Austin, MD, MSCI
Department of Pediatrics
Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonary Medicine
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Nashville, Tennessee

Patricia Santiago-Munoz, MD
Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, Texas

Dianne L. Zwicke, MD, FACC, FCCP, FACP
Medical Director
Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic at Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Milwaukee Clinical Campus
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Accreditation Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of the University of Michigan Medical School and the Pulmonary Hypertension Association. The University of Michigan is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education to physicians.

Credit Designation

The University of Michigan Medical School designates this enduring material for a maximum of 2.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits.™ Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Instructions for Earning Credit

This activity is a self-study program; a self-assessment examination is included on page 178 to help physicians review important points. A form is also included on page 179 for physicians to evaluate the CME activity. Completion of this activity involves reading the journal and completing the self-assessment examination and evaluation form, which may take up to 2 hours. Credits for this self-study program are available from November 20, 2011 through November 19, 2012. There is no fee for this program. Please note that this self-study program may also be viewed online at http://www.cme.med.umich.edu.

University of Michigan Privacy Statement

http://www.cme.med.umich.edu/privacy.asp

Oversight and Accreditation

Tana O'Lone, Associate Administrator, Department of Medical Education, University of Michigan Medical School

Disclosures

The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education and the Association of American Colleges have standards and guidelines to ensure that individuals participating in CME activities are aware of relationships between authors and commercial companies that could potentially affect the information presented. To be disclosed to participants are all personal financial relationships with a commercial interest whose products are relevant to the content of this CME activity. The University of Michigan Medical School follows these national policies to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all its CME activities. Each author was asked to complete a disclosure information form for this activity. Disclosures are reported below:

1. Dr Levine reports no potential conflicts.

2. Dr Chin reports no potential conflicts.

3. Dr Austin reports no potential conflicts.

4. Dr Santiago-Munoz reports no potential conflicts.

5. Dr Zwicke reports an advisory relationship with Gilead and Pfizer.