AortiCare is an innovative educational programme co-organised by ESC and ACNAP, designed to support general cardiologists, interventionalists and nurses in the timely diagnosis, referral, and management of patients with aortic stenosis, a condition affecting over 12% of Europeans over 75.
AortiCare addresses key challenges healthcare professionals face in the care of patients with aortic stenosis. By providing you with cutting-edge knowledge and resources, AortiCare aims to improve the care pathway and patient outcomes.
How will AortiCare enhance clinical practice?
- Increase knowledge and confidence in diagnosing and referring patients with aortic stenosis.
- Provide insight into the vital role of Valve Clinic Coordinators (VCCs) and how nurses can progress their careers to attain these key positions.
- Advocate the value of a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to aortic stenosis care that brings faster, more efficient, and patient-centered solutions.
AortiCare Resources
Webinars
Live CME-accredited webinars, open to everyone, where participants can interact with the faculty. Following the live event, all webinars will be available on demand with English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish subtitles.
- 4 November: Spotlight on aortic stenosis: raising awareness to enhance detection and diagnosis
- 12 November: Unlocking the future of aortic care: clinical insights from trials and registries
- 2 December: Addressing undertreatment in aortic valve disease: bridging the gap for women and the elderly
- 4 February 2025: Optimising TAVI outcomes: the ideal valvular heart team structure and role of the valve coordinator
Fast facts
AortiCare is also about awareness raising, so here are some fast facts – please share in your institution.
- Aortic Stenosis is a growing concern – especially in those over 75 years of age
- Delayed treatment and complex co-morbidities significantly increase mortality
- Low detection rates, lack of symptom awareness, and long referral processes can delay diagnosis and treatment for months.
- Early intervention, particularly through valve replacement, is critical to improving patient survival.
- VCCs in specialised heart valve teams streamline the patient care pathway to improve efficiency and patient outcomes.
- VCCs support a standardised care approach that ensures every patient receives timely and effective treatment.
- Timely identification, efficient referral processes, and seamless coordination between healthcare providers is the key to improving patient care and outcomes.
eLearning Course - Coming soon!
This eLearning journey will demonstrate how to diagnose aortic stenosis to build confidence among primary care physicians, nurses and allied professionals. Learn at your own pace and earn CME credits with our eLearning course designed to fit your schedule.
The course covers:
- Pathology, epidemiology and aetiology of aortic stenosis
- Symptoms
- Suitable diagnostic approaches
- Referral pathways and scope of roles
- Follow-up care post-intervention
Toolkit - Coming soon!
Additional resources will soon be available, bundled in a toolkit, to support general cardiologists in the clinic and raise awareness amongst nurses and allied professionals (NAPs):
- Videos
- Podcasts
- Articles
What we want to achieve through AortiCare
- Improve the identification of aortic stenosis through awareness-raising, empowerment, and education of healthcare professionals.
- Reduce delays in referral by addressing gaps between pre-hospital care and specialist treatment.
- Raise awareness of the crucial role played by Valve Clinic Coordinators (VCCs) in enhancing patient pathways and improving outcomes.
- Promote peer-to-peer learning among healthcare professionals to share best practices and encourage the adoption of roles like the VCC.
Watch Susanna Price outline what you can get out of AortiCare
Thank you to our volunteers for their expertise
Organising Committee
- Susanna Price, United Kingdom and Nothern Ireland
- Maggie Simpson, United Kingdom and Nothern Ireland
- Fabien Praz, Switzerland
- Valentino Oriolo, United Kingdom and Nothern Ireland
Task Force Members
- Victoria Delgado, Spain
- Stefano Nistri, Italy
- Sandra Lauck, Canada
- Bettina Hoejberg Kirk, Denmark
- Helene Eltchaninoff, France
- Gil Meltzer, Israel
- Françoise Steinbach, France
- Mary Kouremeti, Greece
- Nicolas Buttinger, United Kingdom and Nothern Ireland
- Iñigo Anduaga Elorza, Spain