MER Primary Care Conferences Cardiology & Pulmonology for Primary Care Jul 17-19, 2026

MER Cardiology & Pulmonology for Primary Care 2026

The MER Cardiology & Pulmonology for Primary Care 2026 program provides a practical, evidence-based review of common cardiovascular and respiratory conditions encountered in primary care.

Organized by Medical Education Resources (MER), the original conference was held from July 17–19, 2026, at Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite in California.

The curriculum integrates contemporary cardiology and pulmonology with clinically relevant topics including coronary artery disease, ECG interpretation, acute chest pain, cardiovascular prevention, heart failure, hypertension, asthma, COPD, respiratory infections, pulmonary nodules, lung cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and associated cardiovascular complications.

Course Details

The topic overview refers to the original meeting, using the official MER agenda dated June 8, 2026 as a reference. Credit figures below describe the original live event, not this store product. Purchase does not include CME points, a certificate, conference registration or a publisher account. The agenda does not establish the completeness or format of the delivered files.

• Provider: Medical Education Resources (MER)
• Official Course: Cardiology & Pulmonology for Primary Care
• Year: 2026
• Original Conference Dates: July 17–19, 2026
• Original Venue: Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite
• Location: Yosemite, California, USA
• Original MER Listing: 12 Credit Hours
• Original ANCC Listing: 5.50 Pharmacotherapeutic Contact Hours
• Primary Areas: Cardiology, Pulmonology & Primary Care
• Format: Clinical Medical Education

Who Should Attend?

This program is targeted to office-based primary care providers and other healthcare professionals seeking practical updates in cardiovascular and respiratory medicine.

Best For

• Primary Care Physicians
• Internal Medicine Physicians
• Family Medicine Physicians
• Cardiologists
• Pulmonologists
• Endocrinologists
• Nurse Practitioners
• Physician Assistants
• Healthcare professionals managing cardiovascular and pulmonary disease

Cardiology

Suspected Coronary Artery Disease

Review a structured approach to the evaluation of patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD).

Topics include:

• Cardiovascular risk assessment
• Chest pain evaluation
• Clinical probability
• Appropriate diagnostic testing
• Test selection
• ECG
• Stress testing
• Cardiac imaging
• Referral considerations

The course emphasizes choosing the appropriate cardiovascular evaluation based on symptoms and individual patient risk.

ECG / EKG Interpretation

Review best practices for reading and interpreting electrocardiograms.

Topics include:

• Systematic ECG interpretation
• Heart rate
• Rhythm
• Cardiac axis
• Intervals
• Conduction abnormalities
• Ischemic changes
• Arrhythmias
• Common ECG patterns

This section helps clinicians strengthen practical ECG interpretation skills for everyday primary care.

Acute Chest Pain

Develop a practical approach to patients presenting with acute chest pain.

Topics include:

• Differential diagnosis
• Acute coronary syndrome
• Risk stratification
• Initial diagnostic testing
• ECG interpretation
• Biomarkers
• Drug therapy
• Identification of high-risk patients
• Appropriate referral and emergency management

Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

Review evidence-based strategies for preventing coronary artery disease.

Topics include:

• Lifestyle modification
• Exercise
• Nutrition
• Smoking cessation
• Lipid management
• Cholesterol guidelines
• Statin therapy
• Cardiovascular risk assessment
• Primary prevention

Heart Failure

Review contemporary treatment strategies for heart failure.

Topics include:

• Heart failure diagnosis
• HFrEF
• HFpEF
• Guideline-directed medical therapy
• Volume management
• Patient monitoring
• Cardiovascular risk reduction
• Multidisciplinary management

Hypertension

Review current concepts in the diagnosis and management of hypertension.

Topics include:

• Accurate blood pressure measurement
• Hypertension diagnosis
• Cardiovascular risk
• Lifestyle modification
• Treatment thresholds
• Blood pressure goals
• Pharmacologic therapy
• Combination treatment
• Resistant hypertension

Cardiovascular Disease & Type 2 Diabetes

Review cardiovascular complications associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Topics include:

• Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
• Heart failure
• Cardiovascular risk assessment
• Diabetic cardiovascular complications
• Risk-factor modification
• Contemporary pharmacologic strategies
• Cardiorenal risk reduction

Obesity & Cardiovascular Disease

Review the relationship between obesity and cardiovascular disease.

Topics include:

• Cardiovascular risk
• Hypertension
• Dyslipidemia
• Insulin resistance
• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart failure
• Lifestyle intervention
• Weight-management considerations

Pulmonology

Asthma

Review current approaches to the diagnosis and management of asthma.

Topics include:

• Clinical presentation
• Pulmonary function testing
• Asthma severity
• Asthma control
• Inhaled therapies
• Controller medications
• Acute exacerbations
• Patient education
• Monitoring

Respiratory Tract Infections

Develop treatment strategies based on current evidence for commonly encountered respiratory infections.

Topics include:

• Upper respiratory infections
• Bronchitis
• Pneumonia
• Appropriate antimicrobial use
• Supportive treatment
• Risk assessment
• Diagnostic testing
• Outpatient versus inpatient management

COPD

Review contemporary management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Topics include:

• COPD diagnosis
• Spirometry
• Disease severity
• Smoking cessation
• Bronchodilator therapy
• Inhaled medications
• Exacerbation prevention
• Pulmonary rehabilitation
• Vaccination
• Long-term management

Pulmonary Nodules

Review current strategies for evaluating patients with pulmonary nodules.

Topics include:

• Incidental pulmonary nodules
• Risk assessment
• Imaging characteristics
• Nodule size
• Surveillance
• Follow-up imaging
• Identification of high-risk lesions
• Referral considerations

Lung Cancer

Review current approaches to lung cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment planning.

Topics include:

• Lung cancer risk factors
• Screening eligibility
• Low-dose CT screening
• Pulmonary nodules
• Diagnostic evaluation
• Referral
• Treatment considerations
• Multidisciplinary care

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this program, participants should be better able to:

• Describe the work-up, risk assessment, and test selection for patients with suspected coronary artery disease.
• Apply best practices for reading and interpreting ECGs.
• Describe current diagnostic approaches and pharmacologic treatment of patients presenting with acute chest pain.
• Implement lifestyle changes and lipid and cholesterol recommendations for prevention of coronary artery disease.
• Diagnose and manage patients with asthma.
• Develop evidence-based treatment strategies for common respiratory infections.
• Describe current therapeutic approaches to COPD.
• Discuss diagnostic and screening strategies for pulmonary nodules and lung cancer.
• Implement contemporary evidence-based treatment strategies for heart failure.
• Explain current concepts in the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension.
• Identify and manage cardiovascular complications associated with type 2 diabetes.
• Discuss cardiovascular complications associated with obesity.
• Integrate cardiovascular and pulmonary assessment into primary care decision-making.