Heart Failure, Beta Blockers, and Adrenergic Receptor Polymorphism
Einstein-Montefiore Department of Medicine Grand Rounds
Thursday, March 5, 2009
8:00 AM
First Floor Lecture Hall, Forchheimer/Einstein
12:15 PM
Cherkasky Auditorium/Montefiore Medical Center
Speaker
Ronald Zolty, MD
Director, Heart Failure Program
Jack D. Weiler Hospital
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Department of Medicine (Cardiology)
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Dr. Ronald Zolty is currently Director of the Heart Failure Program at the Weiler Division of Montefiore. His research focuses on pharmacogenetics studies involving beta-blockade therapy in heart failure. It has been known for decades that signaling through the beta 1-adrenergic receptor on the surface of cardiac myocytes augments cardiac contractility acutely. Paradoxically, however, pharmacological blockade of this receptor was found to improve survival in heart failure patients, although the mechanisms are poorly understood. Also, polymorphisms of the gene coding for beta1-adrenergic receptor were shown to influence the responsiveness of individual heart failure patients to beta-blocker drugs. Heart failure patients with the receptor 389G beta1-adrenergic receptor loss of function mutation lose any survival advantage that would be conferred by beta-blockers. Dr. Zolty’s research deepens and extends this era of research to shed light on the basis of this effect and showed that patients with the Receptor 389G loss of function mutation exhibited little improvement in cardiac function from beta-blockers. This research may potentially benefit many patients with heart failure and also exemplifies the power of human genetics to bring about an era of personalized medicine.
Dr. Zolty received the M.D. degree from the University of Geneva Medical School, Switzerland and also earned the Ph.D. degree in Clinical Science from the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
Objectives
After attending this activity, participants will be able to:
Understand the importance of adreneregic system in heart failure
Understand the importance of beta-blockade therapy in heart failure
Understand the polymorphism role in response to beta-blockade Rx in heart failure
Accreditation
Albert Einstein College of Medicine designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1 credit towards the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those credits that he/she actually spent in the educational activity.
Albert Einstein College of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.