Closing Knowledge Gaps in Transthyretin Cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM‪)‬ American Heart Association

Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) is a type of systemic amyloidosis in which misfolded transthyretin protein is deposited in the myocardium. Early diagnosis of amyloidosis is necessary to prevent ATTR-CM and its dire consequences. It is increasingly recognized that early signs of amyloidosis may involve protein deposits in other parts of the body causing orthopedic, gastrointestinal, and neurologic pathologies among others. It is critical that clinicians from diverse specialties are knowledgeable regarding the early clues of amyloidosis to prevent the progression to ATTR-CM. This podcast will offer guidance on early identification of non-cardiac manifestations of amyloidosis from the perspective of the Gastrointestinal and Neurology clinical communities. 

Learn more in this podcast on the correct diagnosis of ATTR and how to devise a treatment plan for your patients.  Experts will also discuss engaging in evaluative strategies for early detection through genetic testing by identifying genetic variants that are pertinent to the population we serve here in the United States especially that leads to hereditary ATTR.

This podcast discusses areas of uncertainty and future directions in the screening, diagnosis, prognostic assessment, and management of ATTR Cardiac Amyloidosis. We will also discuss the effect of social determinants of health on access to effective diagnosis and treatment of ATTR Cardiac Amyloidosis and determine ways this can be improved. The podcast will also discuss gaps in knowledge about effective tools to follow disease progression in ATTR Cardiac Amyloidosis.

In this podcast, experts will discuss the latest pharmacologic recommendations and their evolution in the treatment of cardiac amyloidosis.  They will delineate the different potential therapeutic targets for the pharmacotherapy of cardiac amyloidosis including TTR silencing, stabilization, and disruption.

Health Care Practitioners (HCPs) have a pivotal role in ensuring the right patients get the right treatment. Patients living with ATTR-CM have new treatment options that have recently become available.  In order to accurately diagnose and treat symptoms unique to the ATTR-CM patient, HCPs need to be aware of the application of guideline-based systematic, multimodal imaging and clinical diagnostics related to ATTR-CM. This podcast will highlight the latest terminology, treatments and guidelines for this no longer rare disease.

Currently, important delays have been reported in diagnosing amyloid heart disease, perhaps not unexpectedly given the wide spectrum of possible clinical presentations. Beyond evaluating the typical clinical indicators to attain the correct diagnosis, healthcare practitioners need to be aware of diagnostic testing approaches which include screening for serum and urine free monoclonal light chains, echocardiography, bone scintigraphy, cardiac MRI and genetic sequencing. This podcast will focus on multimodality cardiac imaging approaches and the application of diagnostic findings which contribute to an accurate diagnosis of ATTR-CM, specifically in differentiating ATTR-CA from AL-CA, and how to determine treatment options.