International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk

	INTERNATIONAL CHAIR ON CARDIOMETABOLIC RISK ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF FIRST SCIENTIFIC e-PUBLICATION EXCLUSIVELY DEDICATED TO CARDIOMETABOLIC RISK

Québec, January 10th, 2008

The International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk is very pleased to announce the launch of the first ever online publication exclusively dedicated to abdominal obesity and global cardiometabolic risk: http://cmrejournal.cardiometabolic-risk.org

This e-journal has been created as a complement to the Chair website, to provide up-to-date information to everyone who is interested in the growing pandemic of abdominal obesity and related cardiometabolic risk. The CMR e Journal will provide in-depth papers on issues relevant to abdominal obesity, global cardiometabolic risk and will focus on key findings and messages.

This new publication will be available on the Chair's website: http://www.cardiometabolic-risk.org/

The first issue includes five articles, which will provide important new insights into the assessment and management of cardiometabolic risk. The first article deals with the prediction and treatment of obesity related insulin resistance. The second article explains the contribution of intra-abdominal (visceral) adiposity to global cardiometabolic risk. The third highlights the importance of simple measures (such as plasma triglycerides or HDL-C) to identify metabolic syndrome in overweight people. The forth shares the insight of a heart surgeon and clinical scientist at Hôpital Laval, Québec City Canada, Dr. Patrick Mathieu, on the cardiac surgeon's perspective on cardiometabolic risk. The last article introduces the concept of "valvulo-metabolic risk", a new emerging field of research in cardiology and could have important clinical implications in the prevention of cardiometabolic disease morbidity and mortality.

In this issue, Pr. Jean-Pierre Després (Scientific Director of the Chair and Editor-in-Chief) writes "We hope the CMR e Journal will become a popular forum for us to share ideas, findings, and concepts surrounding abdominal obesity and global cardiometabolic risk". He encourages all readers to actively participate in the new cardiometabolic rise dialog offered by this e-publication. The CMR e Journal aims to complement the many communications made by the International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk, including conferences and presentations at international congresses, educational symposia for physicians or other healthcare professionals and publications in peer reviewed, indexed scientific and medical journals.

Three or four issues are planned per year. They will systematically be sent free of charge to all web users who have chosen to subscribe. It will include, as on the Chair website, downloadable figures.

The multi disciplinary nature of the International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk will allow this publication to offer a global perspective for improving the world's rising cause of premature death from cardiovascular disease: abdominal obesity and related cardiometabolic risk. Readers will be regularly informed of the most current debates on latest strategies and current best practices for managing patients at risk.

About the International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk
Based at Université Laval, Québec, Canada, the International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk is made up of 25 world-renowned international scientists. Their goals are to develop awareness and knowledge around the cardiometabolic risk factor in order to improve international patient management. Each year, this group organizes a series of conferences and debates. The Chair also intends to provide physicians and patients with various educational materials.

About the Hôpital Laval
Founded in 1918, Hôpital Laval, the heart and lung institute of University Laval includes cardiology, pneumology, and the surgical management of obesity departments. The hospital’s expertise includes ambulatory and hospital care, teaching, research, and the evaluation of health technologies.

About the Hôpital Laval Research Centre
The main goal of the Hôpital Laval Research Centre is to slow the obesity epidemic and the progression of cardiac and pulmonary disease through research and prevention. The Hôpital Laval Research Centre has focused its development around this vision and aims to become the leading North American research centre in cardiology, pneumology, and obesity.

For further information or requests, please contact:

Mélanie Chaboissier
Burson-Marsteller Agency
Telephone: (+33) 1 4186 7672
E-mail: melanie.chaboissier@bm.com

Jean-Claude Coubard
Executive Director
International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk
Telephone: 1 (418) 656-8711 extension 3183
Cell phone: (+33) 6 3334 7813
E-mail: chair.cardiometabolic-risk@crhl.ulaval.ca