Invasive Diagnostic Assessment of CAD

The Online Coronary Track of the EAPCI Educational Pathway is a state-of-the-art platform that covers the entire EAPCI Core Curriculum for Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions.

It brings together fundamental principles and the latest evidence in coronary artery disease (CAD) management, with a clear focus on invasive assessment, percutaneous treatment strategies, and contemporary techniques. This approach connects guideline-based knowledge with real-world interventional practice.

The programme offers a flexible and high-quality learning environment. It is designed to support interventional cardiologists in their daily practice and guide them on their path towards EAPCI Certification and clinical excellence.

Learning objectives:

After completing this eLearning course, you will be able to: 

• Describe the principles, indications, and technical aspects of vascular access, coronary angiography, intravascular imaging, and invasive physiological and hemodynamic assessment.
• Interpret angiographic findings, intracoronary imaging, and physiological data to accurately assess coronary anatomy, lesion characteristics, and functional significance
• Apply appropriate techniques for vascular access, diagnostic angiography, and adjunctive tools (imaging and physiology) to optimize procedural planning and execution in patients undergoing coronary interventions. 
• Differentiate between diagnostic and therapeutic strategies based on lesion complexity, patient characteristics, and invasive assessment findings. 
• Integrate multimodality invasive data (angiography, imaging, physiology, and hemodynamics) to support clinical decision-making and improve patient outcomes. 
• Demonstrate awareness of procedural safety, including radiation protection, vascular complications, and appropriate use of closure devices. 

Target audience:

This course is specifically designed for interventional cardiologists who aim to advance their expertise in the field of percutaneous cardiovascular interventions.

• practicing Interventional Cardiologists: Specialists seeking to refine their knowledge of state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic techniques in coronary and structural interventions.
• early-Career Interventionalists: Those in the early stages of their interventional cardiology career, aiming to build a solid foundation for advanced procedural skills.
• EAPCI Members Preparing for Certification: Physicians preparing for the annual EAPCI Certification Exam, looking to align their knowledge with the latest guidelines and standards.

Prerequisites:

Participants should:

• Possess basic knowledge of cardiovascular anatomy and physiology
• Understand fundamental concepts of coronary artery disease (CAD) and its clinical presentation
• Have introductory knowledge of diagnostic coronary angiography and PCI principles
• Demonstrate basic interpretation skills of angiographic images and ECGs

Needs assessment:

Across the global cardiology community, there is a recognized variability in access to structured training resources covering the full spectrum of coronary disease management – from diagnostic evaluation to advanced percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

The EAPCI Educational Pathway Level 1 – Coronary Track directly addresses this gap by offering a comprehensive, standardized and modular online programme that fully reflects the current EAPCI Core Curriculum for Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions and even expands it thematically.

The course is designed to guide learners through the entire continuum of coronary care, integrating:

• foundational theory (pathophysiology, epidemiology, risk assessment)
• non-invasive and invasive diagnostics (CT, functional testing, angiography, imaging, physiology)
• technical and procedural PCI skills (devices, lesion subsets, complications, complex scenarios)
• patient-specific challenges and post-PCI management

The following topics are covered in this course:

• Coronary Artery Disease (Chronic) / Chronic Coronary Syndromes (CCS) - Diagnostic Methods
• Coronary Artery Disease (Chronic) / Chronic Coronary Syndromes (CCS) - Treatment

Free of charge (exclusively reserved for EAPCI members).