Midwest Cardiovascular Forum 2026
The Midwest Cardiovascular Forum is a 1-day conference exploring the latest in cardiology. Sessions include topics for seasoned cardiologists, fellows-in-training, and cardiovascular team members.
The annual Midwest Cardiovascular Forum has long been a key activity of the Chapter. The 2026 conference will be its 31st event. The Chapter joined forces with Mayo Clinic in 2010 to co-sponsor the conference. Since 2010, conference partnership has grown to include the University of Minnesota Medical School and the Minneapolis Heart Institute. Neighboring state chapters from Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota now hold their annual meetings in conjunction with the Forum. The Forum promotes FIT involvement through a judged poster competition with 40+ posters submitted each year. The state winner of the Forum FIT Cardiovascular Jeopardy contest moves on to the national ACC contest. A Women in Cardiology (WIC) program has been a featured event for the past several years. CV team members (nurse practitioners & physician assistants) have been involved in all chapter activities including Forum planning and course direction.
Target Audience
Nurses
Nurse Practitioner
Pharmacists
Physicians
Physician Associate
Learning Objectives
Keynote: The Role of Imaging to Augment Primary Prevention • After this session, participants should be able to discuss how cardiac imaging contributes to early detection, risk assessment, and disease monitoring. Session 1: Critical Care Cardiology At the conclusion of this session, participants should be able to: 1. Diagnose and stage cardiogenic shock to guide early hemodynamic assessment and initial management. 2. Compare available mechanical circulatory support devices by hemodynamic effect, patient selection, and complication profile. 3. Identify patients with refractory shock who may benefit from VA-ECMO, including candidacy, timing of escalation, and management. Session 2: Pulmonary Embolism At the conclusion of this session, participants should be able to: 1. Apply the 2026 Acute Pulmonary Embolism Guideline to risk-stratify patients with acute PE and select evidence-based treatment strategies, including anticoagulation, advanced therapies, and appropriate level of care. 2. Evaluate indications for invasive treatment of acute pulmonary embolism and select appropriate catheter-based or surgical interventions based on patient risk stratification, hemodynamic status, and available evidence. 3. Diagnose chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and develop an evidence-based management plan incorporating pulmonary endarterectomy, balloon pulmonary angioplasty, and medical therapy. Technology Keynote • AI In Cardiology: Separating Facts From Fads and Science From Science Fiction o After this presentation, participants should be prepared to utilize emerging AI tools responsibly to improve their ability to provide the best care for patients. Session 3: CKM Connection At the conclusion of this session, participants should be able to: 1. Describe the evolution of cardiovascular care within the cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) framework. 2. Apply evidence-based strategies for the use of SGLT2 inhibitors and nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (ns-MRAs) to reduce cardiovascular and kidney complications in patients with cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome. 3. Integrate evidence-based GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy into the management of patients with diabetes and cardiovascular disease to improve cardiovascular outcomes and address associated metabolic risk factors. Session 4: Great Debates & Potpurri At the conclusion of this session, participants should be able to: 1. Compare surgical and transcatheter approaches to aortic valve replacement in low-risk patients with aortic stenosis. 2. Discuss the potential benefits and limitations of coronary artery calcium scoring in broad patient populations. 3. Describe the role of multimodality imaging in the evaluation of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. FIT Jeopardy • In this session, both competitors and attendees will answer Cardiovascular quiz questions, in the style of the game Jeopardy! Questions will range from recalling Cardiovascular facts, case-based analysis, and identifying disease in imaging slides and videos.
Course summary
- 5.25 AAPA Category 1 CME
Physician Associates
AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare has been authorized by the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 5.25 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation. - 5.25 MOC_ABIM Medical Knowledge
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 5.25 MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.- 5.25 MOC_ABIM Patient Safety
- 5.25 MOC_ABIM Practice Assessment
- 5.25 MOC_ABIM Patient Safety
- 5.25 ACPE Pharmacist
Pharmacists
AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare designates this continuing education activity for 5.25 contact hours. - 5.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
Physicians
AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare designates this Live Activity for a maximum of 5.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. - 5.25 ANCC Contact Hours
Nurses
Credit being awarded: 5.25 ANCC contact hours - 5.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ Non-MD
Non-Physicians Seeking AMA Credit
AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare designates this Live Activity for a maximum of 5.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.
All of the relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated.
It is the policy of AKH Inc. to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, scientific rigor, and integrity in all of its continuing education activities. The author must disclose to the participants any significant relationships with ineligible companies whose products or devices may be mentioned in the activity or with the commercial supporter of this continuing education activity. Identified conflicts of interest are mitigated by AKH prior to accreditation of the activity. AKH planners and reviewers have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Disclosure of Unlabeled Use and Investigational Product
This educational activity may include discussion of uses of agents that are investigational and/or unapproved by the FDA. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.
Disclaimer
This course is designed solely to provide the healthcare professional with information to assist in his/her practice and professional development and is not to be considered a diagnostic tool to replace professional advice or treatment. The course serves as a general guide to the healthcare professional, and therefore, cannot be considered as giving legal, nursing, medical, or other professional advice in specific cases. AKH Inc. specifically disclaim responsibility for any adverse consequences resulting directly or indirectly from information in the course, for undetected error, or through participants misunderstanding of the content. If you would like to opt out from future communications from AKH please send an email to [email protected] with your information with "Opt Out" in the subject line.
Jerry Ash
Catherine Benziger, MD MPH
STEFAN BERTOG, Interventional Cardiologist
Alex Campbell
Peter Eckman, MD
Andrea Elliott, MD
Dali Feng
Stanislav Henkin, MD, MPH, RPVI, FACC, FAHA, FASE, FSVM
Charles Herzog, Charles A. Herzog, M.D., FACC, FAHA
Dinesh Kalra, MD
Clinton Kolseth, MD
Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, Roderick H. Cushman Professor of Cardiovascular Sciences Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine; Co-Director, Artificial Intelligence in Cardiology.Editor-In-Chief, Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Digital Health Consultant, Department of CVD, Mayo Clinic
Evan Manning, MD MPP
Sasha Prisco, MD, PhD
Retu Saxena, MD
GAUTAM SHROFF, MBBS, FACC
matthew whitbeck, M.D.
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare and MN ACC. AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 5.25 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.
Available Credit
- 5.25 AAPA Category 1 CME
Physician Associates
AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare has been authorized by the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 5.25 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation. - 5.25 MOC_ABIM Medical Knowledge
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 5.25 MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.- 5.25 MOC_ABIM Patient Safety
- 5.25 MOC_ABIM Practice Assessment
- 5.25 MOC_ABIM Patient Safety
- 5.25 ACPE Pharmacist
Pharmacists
AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare designates this continuing education activity for 5.25 contact hours. - 5.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
Physicians
AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare designates this Live Activity for a maximum of 5.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. - 5.25 ANCC Contact Hours
Nurses
Credit being awarded: 5.25 ANCC contact hours - 5.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ Non-MD
Non-Physicians Seeking AMA Credit
AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare designates this Live Activity for a maximum of 5.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.
Price
Criteria for Success
To obtain credit, you must participate in the entire activity. Partial credit is not awarded. Complete the post test and evaluation. You must receive a 70% or more on the post test to pass. The Certificate of Completion is immediately available for download after submitting your evaluation. It will remain in your profile transcript for future retrieval if needed. It can be found under My Account > My Activities > Completed Activities.
If you have any questions, contact [email protected].

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