Heart disease is the number one killer worldwide. It’s a disease experts from around the world are working to address. Those experts, including a cohort from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute, are converging in Chicago for the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions to share new research and collaborate on ways to improve heart care and help people live the healthiest life possible.

In addition to presenting new research, my colleagues from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute and I will be attending numerous breakout sessions to learn about new late-breaking clinical trials that set the stage for future research and patient care.

The AHA Scientific Sessions are a wonderful opportunity for us to collaborate with highly-respected clinicians, researchers and scientists from around the globe. I invite anyone attending the conference to stop by our Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute booth (#2031) in the Exhibit Hall and learn more about our research collaboration opportunities.

Many of our researchers and clinicians will also engage with conference attendees and social media observers using #AHA16 on Twitter. I invite you to follow them: @TJaredBunch, @VietHeartPA, @drjohndayMD, @DrBenjaminHorne, @vejnp, @k_graves and @ballantynebecca for news and updates throughout the conference. You can also follow news from the Scientific Sessions on the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute's Twitter account and Facebook page.

Here's a day-by-day breakdown of our presentations and research posters from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute:

Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016

• 1-1:40 p.m. (Room 338-339) Jared Bunch, MD, on "Considering Electrophysiology as a Specialty"
• 2-3:10 p.m. (Room 338-339) Jared Bunch, MD, on "My Story: A Panel Discussion on the Different Types of EP Career Options"

Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016

• 2-3:15 p.m. (Poster 4074) Benjamin Horne, PhD, on "Incident Heart Failure Risk After Acute Myocardial Infarction is Stratified by IMACE Risk Score"
• 2:30-2:35 p.m. (Clinical Science Theater) Victoria Jacobs, PhD, on "Symptoms Consistent with Vagus Nerve Injury Post Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation"
• 2:50-2:55 p.m. (Clinical Science Theater) Jared Bunch, MD, on :5-year Impact of Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with a Prior History of Stroke"
• 3:30-3:50 p.m. (Room 342) Brent Muhlestein, MD, on "ABIM Learning Session: Cardiovascular Disease, 2016 Update"
• 3:45-5 p.m. (Poster 4283) Brent Muhlestein, MD, on "Safety and Efficacy of Peri-Procedural Heparin Plus Short Term Infusion of Tirofiban v. Bivalirudin in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
• 4:30-4:35 p.m. (Population Science Theater) Viet Le, PA-C, on "Cardiac Rehab Not Clearly Associated with Reduction in MACE Events in First 30-days Post Hospital Discharge"
• 5-5:05 p.m. (Population Science Theater) Viet Le, PA-C, on "The Association of Depressive Symptoms Prior to Cardiovascular Surgery to Death and Mitigating Effects of Cardiac Rehab Attendance" 

Monday, Nov. 14, 2016

• 9-11 a.m. (Room 342) Brent Muhlestein, MD, on "ABIM Learning Session: Cardiovascular Disease, 2016 Update"
• 11:40-11:45 (Room 255-257) John Day, MD, on "Atrial Fibrillation, Ablation and Cognition: Protecting the Brain"
• 10:45-Noon (Poster 2087) Benjamin Horne, PhD, on "Objective Stratification of Six-Month Mortality Risk Among Patients Referred to Hospice"
• 10:45-Noon (Poster 047) Viet Le, PA-C, on Coronary Calcium Quantification in Patients with Normal Cardiac PET/CT Imaging Identifies Patients with Residual High Risk of MACE at One Year"
• 10:45-Noon (Poster 5048) Donald Lappé, MD, on "Effectiveness of Tracking and Reporting Patient Radiation Exposure"
• 10:45-Noon (Poster 3026) Heidi May, PhD, on "Addition of Depression Severity Indices to the Intermountain Risk Score for Predicting 3-year Risk of Chronic Disease"
• 11:15-11:30 p.m. (Booth 2355) Jared Bunch, MD, on "How to Leverage Social Media to Develop a Successful EP Practice: The Dos and Don'ts"
• 2:45-3 p.m. (Main Event 1) Elizabeth Joy, MD, from Intermountain Healthcare on "Practical Solutions for Integrating Physical Activity in the Evolving US Health Care Landscape"
• 5:30-5:45 p.m. (Room 211-213) John Day, MD, on "Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Atrial Fibrillation"

Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016

• 10:45-Noon (Poster 2045) Heidi May, PhD, on "Association of the Different Vitamin D Metabolites to Death, MI, Heart Failure, Stroke"
• 12:45-2 p.m. (Poster 1102) Benjamin Horne, PhD, on "Association Between Short Telomere Length and Major Cardiovascular Events is Influenced by Proximity of Telomere Measurement to Event"
• 1:30-2:45 p.m. (Poster 5151) Jared Bunch, MD, on "Atrial Fibrillation Associated with Higher Rates of Dementia in Patients Anticoagulated with Warfarin"
• 1:30-2:45 p.m. (Poster 5229) Steve Mason, PA, on "MRI and ICDs or Pacemakers After Magnasafe"
• 2-2:15 p.m. (Room 255-257) John Day, MD, on "Atrial Fibrillation Causes Dementia: A Myth or Reality?"
• 4-4:15 p.m. (Room 260-262) John Day, MD, on "The Brain and the Heart"