It would be a great pleasure to welcome you all to the 11th International Meeting “AICT 2010 - Athens Interventional Cardiovascular Therapeutics XΙ” in Athens, Greece.

The evolution of Interventional Cardiology during the last years has been fully covered in the AICT Μeetings. In the 10 consecutive meetings, prestigious cardiologists from all the continents have presented the developments in Interventional Cardiology. The success of this Μeeting is based on presentation of all the updates from experts, and on the performance of live cases in which the novelty in technology is applied in clinical practice. Another aspect of this Μeeting is the concentration on the pathophysiology accompanies the technological progression. The exploration of the pathophysiological pathways involved in the therapeutics applied by Interventional Cardiology remains in the center of our interest. Thus, the main targets of AICT meetings are the excellence in clinical practice and the expansion of our knowledge in basic science. The combination of clinical with academic view is the key for progression.

In the 11th International Meeting all the newest techniques and the most recently established indications for Interventional Cardiovascular Therapeutics will be presented. Several core topics will be highlighted: Drug eluting stents, new stent designs, detection and treatment of the vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque, percutaneous treatment of valvular disease, novel catheter based diagnostic and therapeutic techniques, non coronary percutaneous interventions, percutaneous treatment of heart failure, interventional electrophysiology etc. During these two days, we will have the opportunity to attend educational sessions with the participation of world experts who are pioneers in the field of Interventional Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research. The program of the Meeting includes state-of-the-art lectures and debates on controversial topics from deeply committed researchers and clinicians.

Live case demonstrations from leading institutions will be transmitted in order to enhance the flow of information. We anticipate that this meeting will promote our knowledge on Cardiovascular Diseases and will be a stimulus for further research. As the dynamic field of Interventional Cardiology continues to grow, we anticipate to provide a comprehensive and unique learning experience for all participants.

We look forward to your participation in this exciting Meeting in the historical city of Athens and to providing you with the famous Greek hospitality.

Sincerely,

Christodoulos I. Stefanadis, MD
Professor of Cardiology, University of Athens
Director of the 1st Department of Cardiology,
Athens Medical School
Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece