The first annual EACPR congress (May 2006, Athens) gathered over 800 participants, a broad variety of state of the art lectures, oral presentations and approximately 600 posters. In the association’s corner at the WCC the chairmen of the six EACPR sections presented aims and visions of the sections and gave some highlights from EuroPRevent 2006.
Harry Hemingway (UK) (Epidemiology & Public Health) reported significant genetic differences between European countries which influences the prevalence of angina pectoris. The winner of the Geoffry Rose award for young scientists (K. Silventoinen, S) showed an intriguing and independent relation between IQ and CHD in a large cohort of military recruits: a higher IQ resulted in a lower CHD prevalence later in life.
Rainer Hambrecht (D) (Basic Science) mentionned several studies in the field of endothelial function and the role of exercise training. Physical inactivity might well increase CVD risk in young healthy persons by inducing endothelial dysfunction.
Simona Giampaoli (It) (Prevention & Health Policy) introduced the carefully elected multisciplinary nucleus of her section and Luc Vanhees (B)(Exercise Physiology) related the debate on “exercise testing for all asymptomatic men >40 and women >50yrs” where the both debaters (Humphrie, Dubach) agreed that this can be well motivated as screening instrument, an outcome that may have consequences for health service.
Miguel Mendes (Pt) (Cardiac Rehabilitation) discussed a controversy about training above the anaerobic threshold: contraindicated for the cardiac patient but of clear relevance for those with peripheral artery disease. A study by Conraads (B) showed that a combination of resistance and endurance training was superior to endurance training alone in heart failure patients. Even the importance of psychocial riskfactors was demonstrated, as was the benefit of physical training in depressed CHD patients.
Finally Francois Carre (F) (Sports Cardiology, stand/in for A.Pellicia) mentionned new guidelines from his section, the latest two being “Screening of young competitive athletes” and "Recommendations for competitive sports for CVD patients”.