The application process is now CLOSED!

Dear Colleagues,

Heart failure is the end-stage of most forms of heart disease such as hypertension, coronary artery disease and acute myocardial infarction, congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathies and consequently a major cause of morbidity and mortality. This development needs to be appropriately addressed by novel training programmes for medical doctors to develop a professional profle, competent in all aspects of care for patients with acute and / or chronic heart failure.

The London Postgraduate Course in Heart Failure Management (PCHF) is a two-year programme consisting of 6 modules, each module with a 3.5-day duration. The course includes a total of 160 hours of classroom time and 140 hours of self-study, and its successful completion leads to a Certificae in Heart Failure Management. Unlike at congresses, the PCHF modules offer interactive sessions between speakers and participants, workshops, rapid fire sessions, live case seminars and ward visits. The course covers all relevant aspects of heart
failure such as diagnostic procedures, imaging, pharmacotherapy, devices and mechanical circulatory support systems. The course structure with its hands-on approach enables participants both to improve their clinical skills in diagnostic procedures and increase their therapeutic knowledge.

Considering the broad spectrum of the course, PCHF is clearly one of the most exciting educational experiences in cardiology available today, and it is made possible thanks to a strategic collaboration among academia, professional organisations and industry partners. After highly constructive and encouraging feedbacks from the PCHF courses in Zurich and the present London PCHF course we are delighted to announce a new edition in London in 2025/2026.

We look forward to receiving your application and meeting you in London.

With best regards,

Thomas F. Lüscher
MD, FRPC, FESC

Marco Metra
MD, FESC, FHFA

Paul Kalra
MD, MRCP, FRCP

Milton Packer
MD, FESC, FHFA, FACC

Shouvik Haldar
MD, FACC

Richard Grocott-Mason
MD, FRCP

Institutions

Royal Brompton and Harefeld Hospitals, London
British Society for Heart Failure
British Cardiovascular Society

Course Directors

Thomas F. Lüscher, MD, FRCP, FESC, London, United Kingdom
Marco Metra, MD, FESC, FHFA, Brescia, Italy
Richard Grocott-Mason, MD, FRCP, London, United Kingdom
Shouvik Haldar, MD, FACC, London, United Kingdom
Paul Kalra, MD, MRCP, FRCP, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
Milton Packer, MD, FESC, FHFA,FACC, Dallas, United States
 

Course Organisation

Christine Lohmann

Advisory Board

A renowned international advisory board will guarantee for a high-quality
education integrating the curriculum of the British Society for Heart Failure
and the ESC Heart Failure Association. It consists of the following members:

Jeroen J. Bax, MD, FESC, FACC, Leiden, Netherlands
Chiara Bucciarelli-Ducci, MD, PhD, FESC, London, United Kingdom
John A. Camm, MD, FRCP, FESC, FACC, London, United Kingdom
John Cleland, MD, FRCP, FESC, FACC, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Roy Gardner, MD, MRCP, FESC, FHFA, Clydebank, United Kingdom
Gerhard Hindricks, MD, FESC, Leipzig, Germany
Cecilia Linde, MD, PhD, FESC, Stockholm, Sweden
Theresa McDonagh, MD, FESC, FRCP, London, United Kingdom
John McMurray, MD, FRCP, FESC, FACC, FAHA, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Benjamin Meder, MD, FESC, Heidelberg, Germany
Wilfried Mullens, MD, PhD, Genk, Belgium
Bertram Pitt, MD, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
Susanna Price, MD, PhD, FESC, London, United Kingdom
Stephan Rosenkranz, MD, PhD, Cologne, Germany
Panos Vardas, MD, PhD, FESC, FACC, Athens, Greece
Dirk van Veldhuisen, MD, FESC, FACC, Groningen, Netherlands
Christoph Wanner, MD, Würzburg, Germany

Senior Consultant

Ruth Amstein, PhD, FESC, Zurich, Switzerland

Representatives of the major sponsors (without vote)

Main Topics 2025

Module 1 | 5-8 February 2025

How to Approach Heart Failure

Epidemiology of heart failure: incidence and prevalence, risk factors. How to assess HF: clinical signs and symptoms, use of biomarkers, ECG and exercise tests. Comorbidities. Theoretical and practical application of different imaging modalities: Echo, CMR, CT and nuclear techniques. Pathophysiology of HF: interpretation of haemodynamic parameters, pulmonary hypertension, pump dysfunction. Management of HF in congenital heart disease. Hands-on Echo sessions.

Module 2 | 25-28 June 2025

Different Forms of Heart Failure

HF encompasses HFrEF, HFmrEF and HFpEF according to the classifcation of the ESC guidelines. Focus on HFpEF, diagnostic procedures and treatments. Comorbidities linked to HFpEF, including dyspnoea, sleep disturbances, depression, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, iron defciency, atrial fbrillation, gender aspects.
Different forms of cardiomyopathies, diagnostic techniques and treatments, cardiac amyloidosis. Imaging sessions with patient cases in CMR, CT and Nuclear/PET.

Module 3 | 15-18 October 2025

Treatment and Follow-up of Heart Failure

This module focuses on HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and its pathophysiology. Role of the renin angiotensin system, the sympathetic nervous system and related treatment targets: ACE-inhibitors, AT2-antagonists, ARNIs, betablockers, If-channel blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, diuretics and digitalis. Pathophysiology of renal injury and the cardiorenal syndrome.
Arrhythmias in HF, including atrial fbrillation and ventricular tachycardias, guidelines and indications for cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT). How to read and interpret randomised controlled trials, device trials and registry-based trails in HF. The patient journey in HF.

Main Topics 2026

Module 4 tbd February 2026 (Brussels)

Catheter Ablation and Devices in Heart Failure

Catheter ablation of atrial fbrillation and ventricular tachycardias with live case transmissions or live in-a-box. Tips and tricks for catheter ablation with selected case reports and expert review lectures. Practical training for ICD and CRT implantation in a simulation lab, virtual reality cases from the EP lab, role of wearables and implantable monitors in HF and practical echo optimisation. How to build a successful career, how to become a leader and key rules for scientifc publishing.

Module 5 | 24-27 June 2026

Multidisciplinary Procedures in Valvular and Coronary Heart Diesease and Heart Failure

Emphasis is placed on valve disease in the context of HF: anatomy and imaging of the aortic, mitral and tricuspid valve. Decision making and patient selection for valve interventions. Role of the heart team. Assessment and management of aortic stenosis and functional mitral regurgitation. Live in-a-box demonstrations and ultrasound-guided valvular intervention.
Revascularisation strategies in ischemic cardiomyopathy, management of cardiogenic shock including indications for ECMO.
Cardio-oncology and cardiotoxic drugs in cancer treatment. Genetics in HF, myocarditis and takotsubo.

Module 6 | 14-17 October 2026

Acute and Advanced Heart Failure

Defnition and epidemiology of acute HF, triggers and mechanisms. Classifcation of acute HF. Prehospital and early management strategies, clinical evaluation and investigation, diagnostic tools and risk markers. Therapies of acute HF including oxygen, ventilatory support, inotropes and vasopressors. Defnition of advanced HF including dyspnoea, fluid retention, cardiac
dysfunction, impairment of functional capacity. Short-term and long-term mechanical circulatory support.
Heart transplantation: indications and timing, immunosuppressive drugs, complications after transplantation. Palliative care.

Course Dates

YEAR 2025
5-8 February , 25-28 June, 15-18 October
YEAR 2026
tbd February, 24-27 June, 14-17 October

Course Venues

Hallam Conference Centre, 44 Hallam Street, Marylebone, London, UK
Royal Brompton & Harefeld Hospitals

Course Language

The course will be held in English.

Exams

Each of the modules will be followed by a multiple-choice examination. An examination can be repeated once if the performance is unsatisfactory. The examinations of at least 5 modules will have to be passed successfully
to be eligible for certification

Course Structure

The London Postgraduate Course in Heart Failure Management (PCHF) is a 2-year course consisting of 6 modules, each module with a 3.5-day duration. The course includes a total of 160 hours of classroom time and 140 hours of self-study, and its successful completion leads to a Certificate in Heart Failure Management.

Organisation and Project Management

Zurich Heart House
Christine Lohmann
Hottingerstrasse 14
CH-8032 Zurich, Switzerland
Phone: +41 250 40 83
E-mail: christine.lohmann@zhh.ch

Course Fee

The course fee is GBP 3'800. Payment can be made in two installments: GBP 2'000 by the end of 2024 and GBP 1'800 by the end of September 2025. Travel and accommodation costs are not included and will have to be paid on an individual basis.

Application Procedure

The candidates will be selected by members of the selection committee based on their interest in heart failure as documented in their motivation letter, rotations in a heart failure unit and / or publications in this field. Furthermore, career options in heart failure management, as foreseen by their supervisor, will be taken into consideration. Candidates at the end of their training or junior staff members will have priority among the applicants.

Applicants are asked to submit the following documents in English:

• Curriculum vitae
• List of publications
• Grades of medical school
• Motivation letter
• Recommendation letter of supervisor
• Outline of future career

The application process is now CLOSED!

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