WELCOME TO THE XVIII EUROPEAN MEETING OF THE FRENCH SOCIETY OF CARDIOLOGY

This year the French Society of Cardiology will hold the 18th edition of its “Journées Européennes” (European Days), created in 1991 by Professor Mireille Brochier.

These European Days comprise French-speaking cardiology’s largest event, with an audience of more than 8 500 persons during the 2007 edition; as their name suggests, the European Days have a decidedly European and international orientation.

This considerable success is based above all else on the very high quality of the scientific content, which joins both updates and high level training, scientific presentations, workshops and video-transmissions, which are always held in very high esteem. Through this eclectic program in which every one should be able to find the answer to his or her questions, audience members coming from different back- grounds recognize each other in a conference which, over four days, will take them on a journey that will get them perfectly in step with the most recent advances in our discipline.

This is why the conference has become more and more attractive to all French cardiologists, irrespec- tive of their subspecialty or their system of practice, and also to foreign cardiologists who are represen- ted in greater numbers. Physicians from other disciplines, emergency care physicians, diabetes specialists, neurologists, and geriatricians are also attending the conference in larger numbers, which reminds us that cardiovascular disease widely exceeds the cardiac sphere alone. A sign of the times, the 2008 edition will be open to an audience of general practitioners, for whom a specific program has been organized in order to educate them as best as possible regarding the developments in cardiology.

We are of course particularly proud and happy to count on the amicable support of various friendly scientific societies that are both national (GRRC, INSERM, ALFEDIAM, SFAR, CNCF and CNCHG, the French Societies of Vascular and Neurovascular Medicine, of Chest and Vascular Surgery, of Pulmonology, the Society of Oral Implantology, Smoking cessation, Military medicine) and international (German, Belgian, Polish and Swiss Societies of Cardiology, the European Society of Cardiology, the European Heart Rhythm Association, the European Association for CardioVascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, the International Society of Heart Research, the International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk – Canada, and the American College of Cardiology).

Beyond the physicians, the conference will be directed to paramedics, for whom the European Days are a meeting place and area for debates. In addition to their active participation in the sessions that are specially set aside for them, paramedics are attending more conventional “medical” sessions in greater numbers, which offer them exciting updates and allow them to participate in the debates that go hand-in-hand with the development of our knowledge.

The French Society of Cardiology wants to play an increasingly important role in the clinical research policy for our discipline. This conference will witness the presentation of several research works based on the registries set up by the Society. Furthermore, continuing the efforts undertaken during previous years and shared with the French Federation of Cardiology, the French Society of Cardiology will provide financial support for research, through numerous Prizes and Grants.

Lastly, let us recall that our conference would not be possible without the active support of the pharmaceutical and medical devices industry, players necessary to the progress of our discipline. We would like to them warmly for their support. We would also like to thank the “Europa Organisation” Company and the scientific secretariat of the French Society of Cardiology, which made an untiring effort to ensure the success of these European Days.

Nicolas Danchin President of the French Society of Cardiology

Jacques Puel Vice-President of the French Society of Cardiology

Alain-Albert Hagège President of the Congress Organising Committee