MER Primary Care Conferences Cardiology & Pulmonology for Primary Care 2026

Essential Cardiology & Pulmonary Medicine Updates for Primary Care Clinicians

The MER Primary Care Conferences Cardiology & Pulmonology for Primary Care 2026 course provides a practical, evidence-based review of common cardiovascular and respiratory disorders encountered in primary care practice. Developed by Medical Education Resources (MER), this conference is designed to help clinicians strengthen diagnostic skills, improve treatment decisions, and apply current clinical guidelines for managing patients with cardiac and pulmonary diseases.

Through expert-led lectures and case-based learning, participants gain practical strategies for evaluating chest pain, coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, heart failure, hypertension, asthma, COPD, lung nodules, lung cancer, and respiratory infections.

Course Details

• Course: Cardiology & Pulmonology for Primary Care 2026
• Provider: Medical Education Resources (MER)
• Course Dates: March 20–22, 2026
• Location: Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, Disneyland Resort, California
• Faculty: Stella Ogake, MD & Eugene E. Wolfel, MD
• Format: Conference Recordings
• Target Audience: Primary Care Providers, Cardiologists, Pulmonologists

Course Overview

Cardiovascular and respiratory disorders remain among the most common conditions managed in outpatient practice. This conference provides primary care clinicians with concise, clinically relevant updates that can be immediately incorporated into patient care.

The curriculum combines cardiology and pulmonary medicine topics, emphasizing practical diagnostic approaches, guideline-directed therapy, risk assessment, and patient-centered management strategies. Sessions focus on conditions commonly encountered in primary care settings, helping clinicians improve outcomes through early detection and evidence-based treatment.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Evaluate patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD).
• Select appropriate diagnostic testing for chest pain evaluation.
• Apply current evidence-based management strategies for acute chest pain.
• Diagnose and manage atrial fibrillation and other cardiac arrhythmias.
• Implement contemporary heart failure treatment recommendations.
• Apply current hypertension management guidelines.
• Utilize lipid-lowering strategies for cardiovascular risk reduction.
• Diagnose and manage asthma using evidence-based treatment approaches.
• Develop effective management plans for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Evaluate lung nodules and implement appropriate screening strategies.
• Discuss current approaches to lung cancer detection and management.
• Manage common respiratory infections using evidence-based medicine.
• Apply case-based clinical reasoning to complex cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions.

Key Topics Covered

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

Participants review:

• CAD risk assessment
• Diagnostic evaluation
• Stress testing selection
• Imaging strategies
• Prevention and management

Faculty provide practical guidance for identifying and managing patients at risk for coronary disease.

Acute Chest Pain Evaluation

Sessions focus on:

• Differential diagnosis
• Risk stratification
• Diagnostic algorithms
• Emergency referral decisions
• Evidence-based treatment approaches

Clinicians learn to distinguish serious cardiac conditions from non-cardiac causes of chest pain.

Arrhythmias & Atrial Fibrillation

Topics include:

• Recognition of arrhythmias
• Atrial fibrillation management
• Anticoagulation considerations
• Rate and rhythm control
• Long-term monitoring

The course highlights guideline-directed management strategies applicable to primary care.

Heart Failure

Participants learn:

• Heart failure diagnosis
• Guideline-directed medical therapy
• HFrEF management
• HFpEF updates
• Long-term outpatient care

Recent advances in heart failure treatment are reviewed in detail.

Hypertension Management

Coverage includes:

• Current hypertension guidelines
• Blood pressure targets
• Pharmacologic treatment
• Lifestyle interventions
• Cardiovascular risk reduction

Practical recommendations help clinicians optimize blood pressure control.

Lipid Management & Cardiovascular Prevention

Sessions discuss:

• Cholesterol management
• Lipid-lowering therapies
• Primary prevention
• Secondary prevention
• Lifestyle modification strategies

Participants gain updated knowledge regarding cardiovascular prevention.

Asthma Management

Topics include:

• Asthma diagnosis
• Severity classification
• Controller therapies
• Acute exacerbation management
• Long-term monitoring

The course emphasizes evidence-based outpatient asthma care.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Participants review:

• COPD diagnosis
• Pharmacologic therapy
• Inhaler selection
• Exacerbation prevention
• Disease monitoring

Current GOLD recommendations and treatment strategies are discussed.

Lung Nodules & Lung Cancer

Faculty cover:

• Lung nodule evaluation
• Screening recommendations
• Risk stratification
• Referral pathways
• Early cancer detection

Participants learn practical approaches for managing abnormal pulmonary findings.

Respiratory Infections

Topics include:

• Common respiratory infections
• Diagnostic approaches
• Antibiotic stewardship
• Treatment guidelines
• Prevention strategies

The course provides updates relevant to daily primary care practice.

Educational Features

✔ Evidence-Based Clinical Updates

✔ Cardiology & Pulmonology Integration

✔ Case-Based Learning

✔ Practical Diagnostic Algorithms

✔ Guideline-Focused Management

✔ Expert Faculty Instruction

✔ Outpatient Practice Emphasis

✔ Immediate Clinical Application

Target Audience

This course is designed for:

• Primary Care Physicians
• Family Medicine Physicians
• Internal Medicine Physicians
• Cardiologists
• Pulmonologists
• Nurse Practitioners
• Physician Assistants
• Residents & Fellows
• Advanced Practice Providers
• Other Healthcare Professionals Interested in Primary Care Medicine

Why This Course Stands Out

✔ Combines cardiology and pulmonology in one comprehensive program

✔ Designed specifically for office-based clinicians

✔ Focuses on practical, real-world patient management

✔ Evidence-based and guideline-driven content

✔ Strong emphasis on case-based learning

✔ Covers high-prevalence conditions seen in primary care

✔ Expert faculty with extensive clinical experience

✔ Applicable immediately in outpatient practice

Clinical Value

The MER Primary Care Conferences Cardiology & Pulmonology for Primary Care 2026 course provides clinicians with an efficient and practical review of cardiovascular and respiratory medicine. Covering CAD, chest pain, arrhythmias, heart failure, hypertension, asthma, COPD, lung nodules, lung cancer, and respiratory infections, this program equips healthcare providers with evidence-based strategies to improve diagnosis, treatment, and patient outcomes in everyday clinical practice.

4. Topics

Here is the full and detailed list of topics covered during the conference:

Cardiology Topics:

• Work-up of Patients with Suspected CAD: Risk factor evaluation and risk assessment models. Test selection including ECG, echo, nuclear and newer imaging modalities (including discussion of appropriate use criteria–AUC). The usefulness of CT scanning. The role of bio markers and EBCT. Suspected CAD in special populations (women, diabetics, the elderly).

• Acute Coronary Syndromes: The Patient with Acute Chest Pain: Diagnosis and initial evaluation in the primary care setting, urgent care clinic and emergency department. Initial workup, treatment, and follow-up. Diagnosing and treating ST segment elevation and non-ST segment elevation MIs. The role of drug therapy–primary vs adjunctive to PCI. Follow up after acute coronary syndromome.

• Arrhythmias: Types and symptoms of arrhythmias. Approach to the patient: when to treat, when to refer, when to admit. Evaluation of the patient with palpitations. Atrial fibrilation: the use of anticoagulants indications, CVA risk scores, warfarin vs newer oral anticoagulants, controlling heart rate vs rhythm. Ventricular and other arrhythmias: when are they serious.

• Cardiology Cases: Challenging case presentations in cardiology.

• Hypertension: The 2017 AHA/ACC Hypertension Guidelines. The 2024 ESC Guidelines for hypertension. Approaches to treatment thresholds and goals. Choices for initial and combination therapy. Resistant hypertension. Treating special populations: diabetics, the elderly, patients with renal failure.

• Heart Failure: Etiologies and stages of heart failure. ACC/AHA Heart Failure Guidelines. Heart failure with reduced EF (HFrEF) and heart failure with preserved EF (HFpEF). Determining patients for referral using biomarkers, eg NT Pro BNP. Treatment options: ACE inhibitors, ARBs, ARNI, beta blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, SGLT2i. The role of devices in treatment and antiplatelet drugs. Issues related to the hospitalized patient with acute decompensated heart failure and readmissions.

• Primary & Secondary Prevention of CAD: Definitions. AHA/ACC and other lipid guidelines updates. HDL Cholesterol: The good cholesterol?. Metabolic syndrome and/or obesity. Who needs treatment and how much. The role of lifestyle changes, exercise and cardiac rehabilitation. Drug therapy updates. Risk calculation.

Pulmonology Topics:

• Asthma: The medical impact of asthma. Fundamental role of inflammation, with possible scarring and irreversible loss of lung function. Practical points of diagnosis. Goal setting management based on levels of severity. Risk factors for mortality and treatment in the acute setting. Management options for the difficult to control asthmatic patient.

• Controversies in the Treatment of Common Respiratory Infections: Acute and chronic bronchitis. Pneumonia (community versus hospital-acquired). Role of the Pneumonia Severity Index score in determining indication for hospitalization. Cost- effective use of antibiotics. Clinical significance of drug resistance. Guidelines for management.

• COPD: Definition. Pathophysiology. Early detection and intervention. Risk reduction. Management update including new modalities (including lung volume reduction surgery) and the role of inhaled corticosteroids and domiciliary oxygen.

• Lung Cancer Screening & Pulmonary Nodules: Appropriate use of the new lung cancer screening recommendations. Fleischner Society guidelines and American College of Chest Physician Lung Cancer guidelines. Approach to definitive evaluation and management strategies.