INTRODUCTION
eMedicine is delighted to offer this free CME activity based on presentations given at the American College of Cardiology meeting in Orlando, Florida, on March 8, 2005. Persons who attended the symposium are NOT eligible for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for completing this enduring material. Please note that the course is accredited only for physicians (MD, DO, or equivalent). All other participants receive a certificate of completion. The Discovery Institute of Medical Education designates this educational activity for a maximum of 2.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits.

Already a major health issue in the United States, the impact of obesity has also become an issue worthy of worldwide concern. Obesity plays a central role in a constellation of morbidities, including CVD, diabetes, and related metabolic and vascular disorders (eg, dyslipidemia, hypertension). A recent study implicates the endocannabinoid (EC) system as a significant contributor to metabolic homeostasis. EC receptors have been detected centrally, peripherally, and in endocrine and related tissues. Overstimulation of the EC system can result in excess visceral fat and the ensuing morbidities of CVD, diabetes, and metabolic disorders, which are thought to be mitigated by EC blockade. EC blockade is also believed to play a significant role in smoking cessation. This course explains the EC system and discusses the potential for multirisk management through regulation of the system.

Participants in this online CME activity will learn of a novel therapy to manage CVD risk factors specifically related to excess visceral fat and smoking by modulating the EC system via the administration of cannabinoid CB1 blockade.

This activity is composed of the following audio/slide presentations: Welcome and Program Introduction (Christopher P. Cannon, MD) The Rampancy of Cardiovascular Disease: Can It Be Blocked? (Christie M. Ballantyne, MD) The Endocannabinoid System: The Physiologic Mechanisms Behind Metabolism and Motivation (Jean-Pierre Després, PhD) Cardiovascular Disease Under the Influence of Excess Visceral Fat (Jean-Pierre Després, PhD) Cardiac Health and Nicotine Dependence: Achieving Smoking Cessation Through CB1 Receptor Blockade (Robert M. Anthenelli, MD) Prospectus on Endocannabinoid Therapy: The Significance of the RIO Clinical Trial Program (Luc Van Gaal, MD, PhD) Panel Discussion and Program Summary/Conclusions (moderator and faculty)