Clinical Update on Pulmonary Hypertension

Needs Statement

Despite exposure to diverse educational modalities, internal medicine physicians often lack consistent access to structured feedback and opportunities to develop broader competencies. Learning methods, such as reflective practice, peer learning, and engagement with teaching programs are underutilized, and essential domains like communication, leadership, emotional intelligence, and professional identity formation are frequently underemphasized in traditional training. Additionally, there is a growing need to support clinicians in integrating both clinical and non-clinical competencies, including the safe and effective use of chronic opioid therapy for chronic pain management. This series aims to provide a platform for comprehensive, interdisciplinary educational framework that supports lifelong learning and fosters a culture of continuous improvement, shared expertise, and professional growth across the continuum of medical education. To ensure the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based care in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, faculty and trainees within the Department of Medicine require structured, ongoing educational opportunities that keep them current with emerging clinical guidelines, expert recommendations, and best practices in internal medicine. In this series, each subspecialty section contributes by designating experts to present clinical updates (e.g., management of atrial fibrillation from the cardiology section or management of chronic kidney disease from the nephrology section). The goal is for attendees to be able to apply these insights directly to their daily practice and patient care, as applicable.

Educational Objectives

At the conclusion of the activity, the participants should be able to:

• Describe how the pulmonary circulation differs from the systemic circulation.
• Review the basic pathophysiology of pulmonary hypertension.
• Identify the symptoms and clinical presentation of pulmonary hypertension.
• Recognize diagnostic clues from test results that would increase the clinical suspicion for the disease.
• Outline the main treatment paradigms for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, including a novel drug therapy that was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment.
• Describe the basic management approach for patients with pulmonary hypertension secondary to interstitial lung disease and the pulmonary vasodilator of choice for these patients.
• Explain the basic work-up and treatment paradigms for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Target Audience

Activity Evaluation

Evaluation by questionnaire will address program content, presentation, and possible bias.

Educational Methods

• Lectures

Accreditation/Credit Designation

Baylor College of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Baylor College of Medicine designates this enduring material activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of the participation in the activity.

Disclosure Policy

Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education (CME) for physicians. BCM is committed to sponsoring CE activities that are scientifically based, accurate, current, and objectively presented.

In accordance with the ACCME Standards for Commercial Support, BCM has implemented a mechanism requiring everyone in a position to control the content of an educational activity (i.e., directors, planning committee members, faculty) to disclose any relevant financial relationships with commercial interests (drug/device companies) and manage/resolve any conflicts of interest prior to the activity. Individuals must disclose to participants the existence or non-existence of financial relationships at the time of the activity or within 24 months prior.

In addition, BCM has requested activity faculty/presenters to disclose to participants any unlabeled use or investigational use of pharmaceutical/device products; to use scientific or generic names (not trade names) in referring to products; and, if necessary to use a trade name, to use the names of similar products or those within a class. Faculty/presenters have also been requested to adhere to the ACCME's validation of clinical content statements.

BCM does not view the existence of financial relationships with commercial interests as implying bias or decreasing the value of a presentation. It is up to participants to determine whether the relationships influence the activity faculty with regard to exposition or conclusions. If at any time during this activity you feel that there has been commercial/promotional bias, notify the Activity Director or Activity Coordinator. Please answer the questions about balance and objectivity in the activity evaluation candidly.

All of the relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated.