Welcome Address

It is our pleasure to welcome you to the Heart Failure 2006 Congress.
Heart failure is an increasing disease burden in the 21st century. Its management involves almost all the various disciplines in cardiology. The number of patients living with this disease is increasing due to the ageing of the population with a consequent increase in the extent of co-morbidity and frequency of hospitalization. Therefore, an understanding of the pathophysiology, attention to primary and secondary preventive measures and a search for novel therapeutic approaches are essential.

Fortunately, academic and clinical cardiologists and the pharmaceutical and device industry share a mutual interest in developing research goals designed to improve survival and reduce morbidity in this large and heterogeneous population. Attention has recently been focused on the challenge of acute heart failure and the need for rapid diagnosis and effective therapy, leading to the precise therapy of acute decompensation and the reduction of time spent in hospital and prevention of further episodes. This necessitates a multidisciplinary approach with broad cooperation between prehospital management teams, emergency room services and intensive care units. Adequate programmes for out-patient management following discharge are also increasingly recognised as effective measures.

Heart Failure 2006 has several major objectives. We have designed parallel educational, clinical and basic science tracks with invited international experts and submitted abstracts. The programme content also reflects our recognition of the major role played by nurses working in heart failure. We have provided the industry with the opportunity to present recent advances in technology and pharmacology. The feedback on the latest guidelines developed on chronic and acute heart failure will be highlighted. The results of recent randomised, clinical trials will be presented in hot-line sessions and provocative controversy offered at our Hyde Park session. Joint sessions with other ESC working groups will ensure a broad curriculum. We hope you will find the programme stimulating.

We warmly welcome you in the beautiful city of Helsinki. Helsinki and its surroundings are at their best in the early summer with the sun setting just before midnight. On behalf of the Heart Failure Association of the ESC, we wish you a pleasant stay at the Congress.

Yours sincerely,