Basics in Cardiology Pharmacy Certificate

   
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education with Commendation.

This activity is intended for pharmacists seeking to expand their knowledge and skills in managing drug therapy in patients with cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular Anatomy, Physiology, and Assessment for Pharmacists
ACPE: 0204-0000-25-711-H01-P
Activity Type: Application-based
2 contact hours

• Given a diagram of the heart, identify the major vessels, valves, and circulation pathway.
• Define the terms preload, afterload, ejection fraction (EF), stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), cardiac index (CI), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), and explain the relationships between each parameter.
• Describe the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, ischemia, and cardiac remodeling.
• Identify the clinical presentations of a patient with angina and/or ischemic heart disease.
• Explain the six steps for accurately measuring blood pressure according to current best practices.
• Describe methods for determining heart rate and assessing heart rhythm, volume status, and cardiac output.
• Analyze laboratory data to assess a patient’s risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, determine the severity of a patient’s cardiac condition, and/or to develop a therapeutic plan.
• Compare and contrast the signs and symptoms of atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and venous thromboembolism. 

Assessment of the Cardiovascular System
ACPE: 0204-0000-25-712-H01-P
Activity Type: Application-based
1.75 contact hours

• Compare cardiovascular risk assessment tools.
• Summarize clinical guideline recommendations for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.
• Recommend appropriate lifestyle interventions to prevent cardiovascular disease.
• Define social determinants of health and their relationship to cardiovascular disease.
• Select screening approaches and tools to identify social determinants of health and their impact on patients with cardiovascular disease.
• Explain the relevance of addressing and managing social determinants of health in patients with cardiovascular disease. 

Hypertension
ACPE: 0204-0000-25-713-H01-P
Activity Type: Application-based
2.5 contact hours

• Explain the clinical rationale for treating hypertension and evidence supporting long-term antihypertensive drug therapy.
• Assign the correct blood pressure category as defined by current guidelines based on a patient’s blood pressure.
• Identify an appropriate patient-specific blood pressure goal according to current guidelines.
• Recommend lifestyle modifications to lower blood pressure according to current guidelines.
• Select antihypertensive drug therapy for patients with hypertension based on race, and compelling indications according to current guidelines.
• Summarize the rationale for the use of combination antihypertensive drug therapy.
• Compare drug therapy options for resistant hypertension.
• Define hypertensive urgency and hypertensive emergency, including the differences in diagnostic criteria.
• Calculate a mean arterial pressure.
• Recommend goals and management strategies for blood pressure lowering in the treatment of hypertensive urgency and hypertensive emergency.
• Design drug therapy plans for patients with hypertension, including the use of combination antihypertensive medications as appropriate.
• Develop monitoring plans for patients with hypertension.
• Compare drug therapy options for resistant hypertension.
• Recommend drug therapy regimens for patients with resistant hypertension. 

Dyslipidemia
ACPE: 0204-0000-25-714-H01-P
Activity Type: Application-based
2 contact hours

• Identify common lipid disorders.
• Recommend lifestyle and pharmacotherapy interventions for dyslipidemia.
• Differentiate treatment approaches for primary vs. secondary atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) prevention.
• Compare clinical guideline treatment goals and recommendations.
• Explain a safe and effective monitoring plan for dyslipidemia pharmacotherapy. 

Stable Ischemic Heart Disease
ACPE: 0204-0000-25-715-H01-P
Activity Type: Application-based
2.75 contact hours

• Explain the initial physical and laboratory assessments used to diagnose stable ischemic heart disease.
• Recommend appropriate lifestyle modifications to reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with stable ischemic heart disease.
• Recommend anti-anginal therapy in a patient with stable ischemic heart disease.
• Evaluate the role of antithrombotic pharmacotherapy for prevention of cardiovascular events in patients with stable ischemic heart disease.
• Develop a pharmacotherapy plan to optimize the management of blood pressure and lipids in patients with stable ischemic heart disease.  

Acute Coronary Syndrome
ACPE: 0204-0000-25-716-H01-P
Activity Type: Application-based
3.25 contact hours

• Explain the initial physical and laboratory assessments used to diagnose acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
• Differentiate among unstable angina, non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.
• Recommend appropriate initial pharmacotherapy options in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
• Compare options for antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapy during the initial phases of care for patients presenting with ACS.
• Evaluate antiplatelet pharmacotherapy options in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
• Select an appropriate treatment duration for dual antiplatelet therapy to minimize both ischemic and bleeding risk in patients presenting with ACS.
• Develop a pharmacotherapy plan to reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with ACS. 

Heart Failure
ACPE: 0204-0000-25-717-H01-P
Activity Type: Application-based
3.75 contact hours

• Identify appropriate screening and diagnostic studies necessary to manage patients with suspected heart failure.
• Evaluate patient symptoms and history to appropriately define and classify heart failure.
• Develop a guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) regimen to treat heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).
• Monitor a guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) regimen to prevent harm and improve heart failure outcomes.
• Identify medications that should be avoided in heart failure.
• Assign patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) to the appropriate hemodynamic subgroup based on clinical presentation and hemodynamic parameters.
• Develop a patient-specific drug therapy plan for a patient with acute decompensated heart failure.
• Apply strategies for reducing hospital readmission rates and improving outcomes in patients with heart failure. 

Venous Thromboembolism
ACPE: 0204-0000-25-718-H01-P
Activity Type: Application-based
1.5 contact hours

• Discuss patient risk factors and current diagnostic tools for venous thromboembolism (VTE).
• Design an appropriate antithrombotic treatment regimen for venous thromboembolism (VTE) patients.
• Compare and contrast anticoagulant treatment options for venous thromboembolism (VTE) patients in special populations including obesity, renal dysfunction, and cancer.
• Design an appropriate antithrombotic treatment regimen for venous thromboembolism (VTE) patients.
• Compare and contrast anticoagulant treatment options for venous thromboembolism (VTE) patients in special populations including obesity, renal dysfunction, and cancer. 

Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)
ACPE: 0204-0000-25-719-H01-P
Activity Type: Application-based
1 contact hour

• Assess a patient at risk of lower extremity peripheral arterial disease for signs and symptoms.
• Summarize the data necessary for diagnosing lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and determining the severity of disease.
• Design a treatment plan for a patient with lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) based on the presence or lack of symptoms.
• Evaluate the safety and efficacy of a treatment regimen for a patient with lower extremity PAD. 

Ischemic Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)
ACPE: 0204-0000-25-720-H01-P
Activity Type: Application-based
2.25 contact hours

• Compare and contrast ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA).
• Recommend a treatment plan for a patient with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA).
• Differentiate between treatment options for acute management and secondary prevention of ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA).
• Apply evidence from antiplatelet and lipid-lowering trials in stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) to support drug therapy recommendations. 

Atrial Fibrillation
ACPE: 0204-0000-25-721-H01-P
Activity Type: Application-based
2 contact hours

• Assess patients with atrial fibrillation to guide the development of evidence-based pharmacologic recommendations.
• Recommend evidence-based pharmacologic therapy for either rate or rhythm control in patients with atrial fibrillation.
• Develop monitoring plans for patients with atrial fibrillation receiving pharmacologic therapy, taking adverse drug reactions and interactions into consideration.
• Evaluate the risks and benefits of anticoagulation for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation, taking patient-specific factors into consideration.
• Recommend evidence-based pharmacologic therapy to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. 

Adult and Pediatric Advanced Cardiac Life Support
ACPE: 0204-0000-25-722-H01-P
Activity Type: Application-based
1.75 contact hours

• Assess patients with cardiac arrhythmias to guide the development of evidence-based pharmacologic recommendations.
• Analyze individual risk factors in patients with cardiac arrhythmias to assist in the differential diagnosis of cardiac arrest.
• Select appropriate pharmacologic therapy for cardiac arrhythmias based on patient-specific information and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)-guided therapies.
• Select appropriate pharmacologic therapy for cardiac arrhythmias based on patient-specific information and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)-guided therapies. 

Cardiovascular Disease in Special Populations
ACPE: 0204-0000-25-723-H01-P
Activity Type: Application-based
1.5 contact hours

• Explain how management of cardiovascular diseases in special populations (pediatrics) may differ from the general population.
• Discuss therapeutic considerations when managing cardiovascular diseases in special populations (pediatrics).
• Apply primary literature and clinical guidelines to the management of cardiovascular diseases in special populations (pediatrics).
• Select appropriate therapeutic options in the management of cardiovascular diseases in special populations (pediatrics).
• Explain how management of cardiovascular diseases in special populations (geriatrics) may differ from the general population.
• Discuss therapeutic considerations when managing cardiovascular diseases in special populations (geriatrics).
• Apply primary literature and clinical guidelines to the management of cardiovascular diseases in special populations (geriatrics).
• Select appropriate therapeutic options in the management of cardiovascular diseases in special populations (geriatrics).
• Explain how management of cardiovascular diseases in special populations (diabetes mellitus) may differ from the general population​.
• Discuss therapeutic considerations when managing cardiovascular diseases in special populations (diabetes mellitus)​.
• Apply primary literature and clinical guidelines to the management of cardiovascular diseases in special populations (diabetes mellitus)​.
• Select appropriate therapeutic options in the management of cardiovascular diseases in special populations (diabetes mellitus)​.
• Explain how management of cardiovascular diseases in special populations (chronic kidney disease) may differ from the general population.
• Discuss therapeutic considerations when managing cardiovascular diseases in special populations (chronic kidney disease).
• Apply primary literature and clinical guidelines to the management of cardiovascular diseases in special populations (chronic kidney disease).
• Select appropriate therapeutic options in the management of cardiovascular diseases in special populations (chronic kidney disease). 

Pharmacogenomics
ACPE: 0204-0000-25-724-H01-P
Activity Type: Application-based
2 contact hours

• Describe the approach for genetic testing of patients with suspected and confirmed inherited cardiovascular disease.
• Select clinical resources utilized to translate pharmacogenetic test results that can be used to guide drug therapy recommendations.
• Explain technical and social matters that may impact the usefulness of pharmacogenetic testing.
• Identify cardiovascular medications and gene-drug pairs with higher levels of evidence that support the use of pharmacogenetic testing.
• Interpret ABCG2, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, VKORC1, and SLCO1B1 genotypes to guide the selection and dosing of cardiovascular medications.

Roles for Pharmacists Practicing in Cardiology
ACPE: 0204-0000-25-725-H01-P
Activity Type: Application-based
1.25 contact hours

• Describe traditional and nontraditional education, training, and credentialing pathways for cardiology-focused clinical pharmacists.
• Identify typical clinical activities in the inpatient and outpatient practice environments that comprise clinical pharmacy services for cardiology-focused pharmacists.
• Evaluate key evidence regarding the benefit of cardiology-focused activities by clinical pharmacists.
• Identify key regulatory, quality, and public health initiatives which influence clinical pharmacy services provided by cardiology-focused pharmacists.

In accordance with our accreditor’s Standards of Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, ASHP requires that all individuals in control of content disclose all financial relationships with ineligible companies. An individual has a relevant financial relationship if they have had a financial relationship with ineligible company in any dollar amount in the past 24 months and the educational content that the individual controls is related to the business lines or products of the ineligible company.

An ineligible company is any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients. The presence or absence of relevant financial relationships will be disclosed to the activity audience. 

The following persons in control of this activity’s content have relevant financial relationships:

• Snehal Bhatt: Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., speaker’s bureau 

All other persons in control of content do not have any relevant financial relationships with an ineligible company. As defined by the Standards of Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education definition of ineligible company. All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated prior to the CE activity.

Each activity consists of audio, video, and/or PDFs and evaluations. Learners must review all content and complete the evaluations to receive continuing pharmacy education credit for each activity. 

Follow the prompts to claim, view, or print the statement of credit within 60 days after completing the activity. 

Important Note – ACPE 60 Day Deadline: 

Per ACPE requirements, CPE credit must be claimed within 60 days of being earned. To verify that you have completed the required steps and to ensure your credits have been reported to CPE Monitor, check your NABP profile account to validate that your credits were transferred successfully before the ACPE 60-day deadline. After the 60-day deadline, ASHP will no longer be able to award credit for this activity.

The ASHP PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATES℠ educational product line contains learning activities that are ACPE-accredited knowledge and application-based continuing education. This is not an ACPE Certificate Program. Upon successful completion of the activities, the learner will be able to download an ASHP Professional Certificate.