Dear Friend and Colleague,

On behalf of the Organizing Committee, it is my great pleasure to invite you to participate in the 8th World Congress on Heart Failure - Mechanisms and Management, to be held at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, USA, from July 13-16, 2002.

The Congress will follow the form of the very successful 7th World Congress on Heart Failure in Vancouver, BC, Canada, at which more than 600 papers were presented to approximately 850 participants from 64 countries around the world. The Congress is designed to provide an innovative and comprehensive overview of the latest research developments in heart failure.

Plans for this meeting are progressing well. Many distinguished cardiologists and scientists have agreed to join the faculty participating in this Congress. Papers will be presented in the form of plenary sessions, symposia and posters, and will include superb scientific material originating from numerous laboratories around the globe, assuring that the meeting will be a major scientific event.

Program areas will range from clinical pathophysiology, evaluation and stratification techniques and molecular and cellular biology, including neurohumoral, immunological and genetic studies. We will discuss new and innovative diagnostic methods, prevention and treatment of heart failure, and prognostic algorithms. Integrated into the program will be a full discussion on cardiomyopathies, valvular and congenital heart disease, coronary artery disease, hypertension and arrhythmias. Special emphasis will be given to surgical intervention in heart failure, including the current status of new procedures, assist devices and the role, timing and selection process of heart transplantation.

We hope that you will participate in this Congress and submit for presentation your most recent scientific work in the rapidly evolving field of heart failure.

Your interaction with your colleagues from many different countries will stimulate a creative exchange of ideas and will be personally rewarding. We look forward to your active participation in the 8th World Congress on Heart Failure and to welcoming you to the beautiful city of Washington, DC, in July, 2002.

Yours sincerely,

Asher Kimchi, MD
Chairman