The world’s leading atherosclerosis specialists gathered in Madrid from 31 May to 3 June for the 82nd Congress of the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS), where they discussed the latest treatments for and research on the prevention and treatment of this disease. It is the first time that this event has been staged in the Spanish capital.
More than 1000 scientific papers were presented over the four intensive days of this prestigious congress hosted by the European Atherosclerosis Society, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and whose Honorary Committee is chaired by Her Majesty Queen Sofia. It was to mark this 50th anniversary that the Society arranged a celebration on the evening-night of 2 June in the Palacio de Cibeles (Galería de Cristal), which was made available by Madrid City Council.
For over half a century the EAS has been conducting research into the prevention and cure of atherosclerosis, a disease with an increasing incidence in contemporary society. According to the president of the EAS, Professor Albérico L. Catapano of Milan University: “The EAS has become a leading player in atherosclerosis research and in training in this area of medicine in Europe.”
Over the last half century the EAS has been in the vanguard of basic research into the mechanisms that underly the disease and of clinical initiatives focused on the discovery of new treatments and optimisation of the treatment of dyslipidemia. In 2014 recent findings in genetics and pharmacology hastened the development of new therapies for atherosclerosis, marking a milestone in research into and clinical practice for this disease.
All these topics were debated in Madrid at this prestigious congress, where some 2,000 researchers and experts from 76 countries gathered to exchange experiences and know-how. This event, which takes place annually in a different European city, helps the European Atherosclerosis Society to fulfil its aim of advancing and exchanging knowledge concerning the causes, natural history, treatment and prevention of the disease.
Key topics in the plenary sessions aimed at disseminating knowledge of how to reduce cardiovascular diseases included a potential vaccine against atherosclerosis; reducing residual risk once a standard treatment has been established; the role of immunity in vascular diseases; dyslipidemia in diabetes and new drugs to increase hypocholesterolemic potency (PCSK9 protein inhibitors).
The Congress also hosted the award of the Anitschkow Prize, the Society’s most prestigious award, to Professor John Kastelein of the University of Amsterdam for his outstanding track record in the field of dyslipidemia research. A total of 15 prizes and acknowledgements were also conferred for the best works presented while the Society’s annual research awards went to Doctor Ana Catarina Alves of Portugal for her work on the molecular diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolaemia, and to Doctor James Soh of the US for his work on the use of Micro-RNA in the control of hyperlipidaemia.
