UW Medicine 25th Annual Clinical Cardiology Pearls for Primary Care 2026

1. Overview
The UW Medicine 25th Annual Clinical Cardiology Pearls for Primary Care provides essential cardiovascular updates tailored for primary care providers. This program focuses on evidence-based strategies for evaluating and managing common cardiac conditions, including heart failure, arrhythmias, hypertension, and cholesterol, aiming to improve cardiovascular patient outcomes in primary practice.
Course Date: Friday, April 24, 2026, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM PT, Zoom
This course is designed specifically for primary care providers and focuses on delivering practical and current insights into frequently encountered cardiovascular conditions. Expert faculty from the University of Washington School of Medicine will lead participants through interactive, case-based lectures to foster engagement. The program will review the latest guidelines on hypertension, cholesterol management, heart disease prevention, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure. Key topics relevant to everyday practice, such as diagnosing and managing coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, valvular disorders, and supraventricular arrhythmias (including atrial fibrillation) will be addressed. The course will also cover practical considerations for using new anticoagulants and discuss the appropriate use of cardiovascular imaging during sessions on valvular disease, primary prevention, and chest pain evaluation with stress testing and coronary CT imaging. The day concludes with a comprehensive multiple-choice question review session led by the course chairs.
2. Learning Objectives

Assess treatment strategies and manage high blood pressure based on updated clinical practice guidelines from 2025 (ACC/AHA)
Apply cholesterol guidelines and the latest clinical trial data of novel cholesterol treatments to the management of patients with cardiac risk factors and atherosclerotic vascular disease
Classify patients with chest pain and order the appropriate stress and imaging tests for your patients based on current guidelines
Provide patients with evidence-based prescriptions for diet and exercise to lower risk of cardiovascular disease
Evaluate and manage patients with valvular heart disease; identify which heart murmur patients should be referred for an echocardiogram and when patients should be referred for valve repair or replacement
Support and treat patients with palpitations, and understand the appropriate use of heart rhythm monitors and when to refer patients to cardiology
Interpret and treat atrial fibrillation and learn how to use direct oral anticoagulants to reduce stroke risk from atrial fibrillation, and when to refer to a specialist to consider rhythm control with antiarrhythmics or catheter ablation or left atrial appendage occlusion.
Treat heart failure patients with the 4 pillars of guideline-directed medical therapy including novel treatments like angiotensin receptor-neprolysin inhibitors and SGLT2 inhibitors.
Utilize novel diabetes drugs that have proven benefit in reducing cardiovascular events

3. Target Audience

Best for primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants who want updates on cardiovascular disease management.

4. Topics

Atrial Fibrillation Essentials

Contemporary Cholesterol Management

Evaluation of Chest Pain

Evaluation of Heart Murmurs

Heart Failure for Primary Care

Heart Palpitations

Hypertension Guidelines Update

Prevention Pearls

Review