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Sessions

11:00 - 16:15	AF Association Patients Day	Hall 11a
11:00 - 16:15	STARS Patients Day	Hall 11b

AF Association Patients Day - Hall 11a - 11:00 - 16:15

	Chair: Dr Boon Lim, Prof Carlos Morillo		London, UK, Calgary, CA
11:00	Welcome “Setting the scene: Why today matters for patients living with AF”	Dr Boon Lim, Prof Carlos Morillo	London, UK, Calgary, CA
11:10	Introduction to the AF Association – plans for 2027 “Supporting patients today — and shaping AF care together”	Mrs Tracy Goodman	Oxford, UK
11:15	What is the link between AF and heart failure? • Why rhythm and pumping function are closely connected “Does AF cause heart failure — or reveal it?”
11:35	Should patients be involved in their treatment plan? • Shared decision-making and why your voice matters “Are you an observer or a partner in your own care?”
11:55	From wires to wireless: modern cardiac implants • Pacemakers (single- and dual-chamber), CRT, ICDs, leadless systems, and self-monitoring — who gets what under NICE guidance “What is this device really doing — and how do we balance innovation with safety?”	Dr David Sharman	Northampton, UK
12:10	Weight loss medication and AF medication • How weight, metabolism, and heart rhythm intersect “Can treating weight improve AF outcomes — and is it safe?”
12:20	What patients need to know about ablation options Making sense of the choices • Pulsed field ablation • Hybrid ablation • Radiofrequency ablation • Cryoablation • Surgical ablation “One word, many techniques — which ablation is right for which patient?”	Prof Carlos Morillo	Calgary, CA
12:40	General discussion Q&A
13:00	Lunch
14:00	Minimally invasive surgery and AF-related stroke prevention • What every patient should understand • Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) “Reducing AF-related stroke risk when anticoagulation is not an option”	Prof Carlos Morillo	Calgary, CA
14:20	The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in detecting AF, from wearables to remote care: how technology is changing AF management • Capturing real-time data to improve diagnosis and care “Can AI spot AF earlier than symptoms — and what does that mean for you?”	Dr Boon Lim	London, UK
14:40	AF and the cognitive link/impact • Brain health, memory, and long-term impact “Can AF affect how we think, remember, and concentrate?”	Dr Helen Eftekhari	Coventry, UK
15:00	Maintaining a healthy heart with AF • Practical advice on diet, exercise, and lifestyle “Small daily choices that can make a real difference”	Dr Angela Griffiths	Oxford, UK
15:20	What does the future of AF look like? • Innovation, research, and unanswered questions • New treatments on the horizon • What research is telling us • Things my doctor forgot to mention “What will AF care look like in five or ten years — and how close are we?”	Dr Andy Turley	Middlesbrough, UK
15:40	General discussion Q&A • Key takeaways and next steps
16:15	Close

STARS Patients Day - Hall 11b - 11:00 - 16:15

	Chair: Prof Richard Sutton, Dr Robert Sheldon		London, UK, Calgary, CA
11:00	STARS today: Support, change, and what’s new • How STARS has evolved and how we support patients now and in the future “Where are you now — and how can STARS help you move forward?”	Mrs Trudie Lobban	Winchester, UK
11:05	Speaking up for your health • Self-advocacy, referrals, and accessing the right care when symptoms are dismissed “What do you do when you are told ‘no’, but your body says otherwise?”	Dr Helen Eftekhari	Coventry, UK
11:20	Tilt-testing: Old test, new answers • Advances in tilt-testing and its place in modern syncope care “Is this still the gold standard — and for whom?”	Prof Richard Sutton	London, UK
11:45	Smarter syncope care: The role of AI • How artificial intelligence is improving detection, diagnosis, and management “Can technology help us see what we have been missing?”	Dr Boon Lim	London, UK
12:00	Psychogenic syncope explained • Stress - and anxiety-triggered syncope — and why symptoms should never be dismissed “When symptoms are real, why is belief still a barrier?”
12:15	Syncope undetected • Falls, memory gaps, and faints that go unrecognised — especially in older adults “What happens when the faint is forgotten, but the fall remains?”
12:30	Living with syncope • The physical and psychological impact on patients and families “How do we treat the whole person, not just the episode?”	Dr Melanie Dani	London, UK
12:45	Questions and answers • Open discussion with the panel “What still needs clarity?”
13:00	Lunch
14:00	PoTS and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) • Why misdiagnosis is common and symptoms are often misunderstood “Why does it take so long to get the right diagnosis?”	Dr Nicholas Gall	London, UK
14:15	PoTS after COVID-19 • Long COVID symptoms and the link to PoTS “Could COVID have triggered what you are experiencing now?”
14:30	Diagnosing PoTS properly • Moving beyond symptom recognition to accurate diagnosis “What should a correct diagnosis really look like?”	Dr Will Foster	Worcester, UK
14:45	Education, work, and life with PoTS • Managing expectations, education, and employment while unwell “How do you keep going when your body will not cooperate?”	Dr Lesley Kavi	Warwickshire, UK
15:00	PoTS and ectopic beats • When palpitations are dismissed — and when they matter “What’s ‘nothing to worry about’ — and what isn’t?”	Dr Robert Sheldon	Calgary, CA
15:15	Questions and answers • Final discussion and take-home messages
16:15	Close