September 01, 2002
Genesis Host 2002 Cardiovascular Risk Factor Summit
World-Renown Hypertension Experts To Visit Quad Cities
World-renowned cardiologists Norman Kaplan, M.D. and Elijah Saunders, M.D. will meet with Quad City area family physicians and heart specialists during the 2002 Cardiovascular Risk Factor Summit, at the Genesis Heart Institute on Tuesday, September 10. Presentations by Drs. Kaplan and Saunders will focus on hypertension (chronic high blood pressure), a condition considered to be a major risk factor for both heart disease and stroke.
Heart disease is the number one killer of Americans and stroke is the third leading cause of death in this country. The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that one in four American adults have high blood pressure. In a national study from 1999, hypertension was the primary cause of death for 42,997 U.S. citizens, and was the main contributing factor in 227,000 deaths. Hypertension is a silent and deadly disease that, if found early and treated, can be overcome.
Dr. Kaplan is a professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, where he has taught and conducted research for more than 30 years. He has authored over 400 published papers and his 1998 textbook, Clinical Hypertension, has been revised and reissued seven times and translated into eight languages. Dr. Kaplan was elected Master of the American College of Physicians in 1997 and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council for High Blood Pressure Research. He has been a member of numerous national boards and has held some of the highest appointments in various U.S. committees on high blood pressure.
Dr. Saunders is one of the most respected authorities on hypertension in African Americans. The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that high blood pressure is more common among populations of African decent in the U.S. Dr. Saunders has spent years devoting his time and studies to improve community programs and treatment of hypertension among African Americans across the country. In 1985, his highly acclaimed book, Hypertension in Blacks: Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, and Treatment (co-authored with Drs. Neil Shulman and Dallas Hall), set the standard for literature on the treatment of high blood pressure in African Americans. Dr. Saunders received the American Heart Association (AHA) Award of Merit and the Louis B. Russell Award, the highest award for contribution to cardiovascular minority health. He helped to establish the International Society of Hypertension in Blacks and is a founding member of the Association of Black Cardiologists.
Also presenting at the summit will be Patrick P. Rheingans, M.D., a Board-Certified Radiologist with Radiology Group, P.C., S.C. of Davenport and John Maclndoe, II, M.D., Director of the Department of Endocrinology for HealthPartners Medical Group, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
"We are excited that area physicians have the opportunity to gain better insight into the treatment and prevention of high blood pressure from such distinguished researchers," says Frank Claudy, M.D., Genesis Heart Institute Board Member and summit organizer. "This debilitating and deadly disease affects us all in some way. It is important for health professionals to share their experience and knowledge so that members of our community can receive the most effective treatment and prevention for hypertension."
The 2002 Cardiovascular Risk Factor Summit is Tuesday, September 10, at 5:30 p.m. at the Philip D. and Henrietta B. Adler Health Education Center, lower level of the Genesis Heart Institute, 1236 E. Rusholme Street, Davenport. This educational presentation is open to physicians and their guests, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and nursing staff. For further information contact Jody Johnston, CME Coordinator for Genesis Medical Center, 563-421-1284.
Genesis Heart Institute serves as a link between heart specialists and physicians, providing patients new advances in detection treatment and management of heart disease. For more information about the Genesis Heart Institute log on to our website, www.genesisheart.com.
