Back Matter (PDF) - Circulation Research

the number one debilitating disease. For more
information about Food Festival activities in your
area, contact your local AHA.
Active Partnership Program
Since its release a year ago, the AHA's updated
Active Partnership program has been distributed
to more than 2,500 health professionals across the
United States. The program is a multimedia education
package designed for use in the rehabilitation
of patients who have had acute cardiac events.
It was developed to educate patients and enhance
and facilitate the health professional's role in
teaching. Although it is a self-help program, the
guidance of a health professional is necessary to
provide support and motivation to patients.
The Active Partnership program can be used
with patients in the acute, subacute, and chronic
phases of cardiovascular diseases. It comprises a
training manual for health professionals and six
short videocassettes with a patient workbook.
These elements provide insight into the mechanisms
of coronary heart disease and the importance
of risk factor management, focusing on
smoking, diet, exercise, and stress management.
An audiocassette on stress management and relaxation
techniques is included.
Flexibility is a key benefit of the package. The
videos can be shown on closed-circuit television or
to groups in a health care or rehabilitation setting.
Some centers allow patients to view the tapes at
home. Although the materials are designed primarily
for nurses to use with patients, they can also
be used by physicians, dietitians, physical and
occupational therapists, psychologists, educators,
and other members of the rehabilitation team.
The program directs patients to ask their physicians
about lifting, driving, sexual activity, and
return to work. The physician or other health
professional is asked to complete an exercise prescription
for the patient, list medications and their
dosages and side effects, and cosign a no-smoking
contract with the patient.
For more information about Active Partnership,
contact your local American Heart Association or
write Active Partnership, American Heart Association,
7272 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX 75231-
4596.
Report Available From AHCPR
A new health technology assessment report,
prepared by the Agency for Health Care Policy
NEWS
A1350
and Research's Office of Health Technology Assessment,
is now available.
Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs includes a discussion
of the rationale and background of such
programs as well as a review of the literature in the
areas of heart transplantation, percutaneous transluminal
coronary angioplasty, and cardiac valve
surgery. The report ends with a discussion and
summary. To obtain a free copy of the report
(DHHS publication no. AHCPR 92-0015), write
the AHCPR Publications Clearinghouse, PO Box
8547, Silver Spring, MD 20907. Telephone 800-
358-9295.
Name of Subspecialty
Board Changes
In September 1991 the American Board of
Medical Specialties approved the request of the
American Board of Internal Medicine to change
the name of its Subspecialty Board on Endocrinology
and Metabolism to the Subspecialty Board on
Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism.
The rationale for the change is twofold: to
recognize the increasing complexity of the care of
patients with diabetes mellitus and its complications
and to acknowledge that the care of patients
with diabetes is integral to the training and expertise
of the certified endocrinologist. Approximately
25% of the current certifying examination
is devoted to questions about diabetes mellitus and
its complications.
Beginning with the 1991 certifying examination,
all successful candidates for certification and recertification
in the subspecialty will receive certificates
bearing the new name of the subspecialty
board. However, it is understood that certification
in endocrinology and metabolism before 1991 also
confers recognition of special expertise in diabetes
mellitus.
AHCPR Grants Available
The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research
encourages the submission of applications to conduct
applied research on effective dissemination of
health-related information and clinical practice
guidelines, technology assessments, general health
services research findings, and research findings
used in policy decisions and recommendations.
Public and private nonprofit institutions, state
and local government units, and individuals may
submit applications. For-profit institutions are not
eligible for AHCPR grants. Applications may be