From the NLA President: Full Speed Ahead

Greetings, National Lipid Association members! I hope this holiday season has been a joyous one. As we look back on 2014, we can reflect on the many accomplishments the NLA has put forth. And, as we look toward the New Year, we are encouraged for what’s to come — both for the NLA as a whole and for the field of clinical lipidology.

Most recently, I had the opportunity to attend the American Heart Association’s Annual Scientific Sessions in Chicago in November, where the results of the IMPROVE-IT Trial were presented. I was very excited to hear the results, and as I hoped, the outcome reaffirms the NLA’s Part 1 Recommendations for the Patient-Centered Management of Dyslipidemia. The study also refocuses the emphasis back to the importance of reducing all atherogenic lipoprotein particles, and supports our position that lower is better.

It also reaffirms the importance of lower cholesterol goals and targets consistent with the 2012 Cholesterol Treatment Trialist’s (CTT) meta-analysis of all statin clinical trials.

As a result of requests by many NLA members, the NLA leadership has recently posted a slide set comparing the ACC/AHA Guidelines with the NLA Recommendations. The new slide presentation — created in large part by Carl Orringer, MD, FNLA, and reviewed by an NLA Recommendations Review Panel — compares and contrasts the perspectives provided by the ACC/AHA Guidelines and the NLA Recommendations. You can find the slide set by visiting, lipid.org/recommendations.

In addition, you will want to make sure to attend the NLA Spring Clinical Lipid Update (CLU) — sponsored by the Pacific Lipid Association and Southwest Lipid Association — Feb. 27– March 1, 2015, in Denver. One of the sessions will focus on the controversies in clinical lipid management, with presentations on the ACC/AHA Guidelines and the NLA Recommendations. Janet S. Wright, MD, will be presenting the Keynote Address “Working Together to Prevent One Million Heart Attacks and Strokes.” She will be speaking about the Million Hearts initiative and how we can all work together to prevent an additional one million heart attacks and strokes. The full program, including those talks centered on the NLA Recommendations and the ACC/AHA guidelines, can be viewed online at lipid.org/springclu.

The Midwest Lipid Association will be hosting the 2015 Annual Scientific Sessions June 11–14, 2015, in Chicago. This is a great opportunity to submit your abstracts to be included in the poster hall. All accepted abstracts will be published in the Annual Scientific Sessions edition of the Journal of Clinical Lipidology (JCL) and up to five abstracts will be selected to be presented during the oral abstract presentation session during the annual meeting.

I especially urge all Young Investigators (in training students, residents, and fellows or members in practice for less than five years) to submit an abstract. As lead author of an accepted abstract, Young Investigators also will have the chance to compete for the NLA’s enhanced Young Investigator Award. Cash prizes of $1,000 and $500 along with additional travel grants will be awarded to the top three finalists. The award winners will receive recognition at a special ceremony during the Annual Scientific Sessions. In addition, the first place winner will be selected to present his or her abstract during the live abstract session and have the poster published in the LipidSpin following the meeting. Also, all Young Investigator lead authors with accepted abstracts will receive complimentary registration to the Scientific Sessions. In addition, 4th and 5th place awardees will receive travel grants to get to and from the meeting. Make sure to inform any resident, fellow, or in-practice member of this great opportunity to get their science published in the JCL. Also, let’s get to see and acknowledge those NLA members who are providing effective mentorship of Young Investigators and supporting the development of future lipidologists. The submission deadline for all abstracts is Feb. 23, 2015. For more information, or to submit your abstract, visit lipid.org/abstracts.

We hope to see you at our upcoming meetings and appreciate your continued support of the NLA and the field of clinical lipidology.

Happy New Year!