Pharmacists are challenged with providing appropriate pharmacotherapy for patients who are experiencing ischemic heart disease or other cardiovascular diseases that require complex antithrombotic regimens during acute illness. Pharmacists are also commonly tasked with managing various presentations of heart failure and shock in critically ill patients. Finally, pharmacists are routinely tasked with leading advanced cardiac life support efforts, including post resuscitation management. All these efforts require the application of evidence from both randomized, placebo controlled trials and nonrandomized studies. Cardiology Critical Care, the fourth book in ACCP’s new Critical Care Self-Assessment Program (CCSAP), presents key reviews of matters related to optimal drug selection in patients who experience ischemic events, advanced heart failure, and rhythm disturbances.

Cardiology Critical Care has three modules with a total of 15.5 available continuing pharmacy education (CPE) credits. The book was developed under the leadership of Faculty Panel Chair Jo Ellen Rodgers, Pharm.D., FCCP, FHFSA, FAHA, BCPS-AQ Cardiology.

The first module addresses appropriate selection of antithrombotic therapies and direct oral anticoagulants in critically ill patients. The second module reviews volume management in acute decompensated heart failure, as well as management of advanced heart failure and various types of circulatory shock. The third module addresses the role of pharmacists in advanced cardiac life support, as well as methods for applying results of nonrandomized studies to the management of patients with cardiovascular disease.

Each CCSAP release includes two full-color online formats: (1) interactive PDFs you can save to your desktop or print; and (2) an e-media version you can view on an e-reader, tablet, iOS, or Android smart phone.

All CCSAP chapters are fully referenced, with clickable hyperlinks to literature compilers such as PubMed. Other links provide ready access to clinical practice guidelines, official recommendations, and patient assessment tools. Graphic features focus on pivotal studies, patient care scenarios, and take-home points that can be readily integrated into clinical practice.

• Release date: January 17, 2017
• BCCCP credit expiration date: May 15, 2017
• ACPE credit expiration date: January 14, 2020