E-Journal of the Society of Chest Pain Centers

Spring 2002, Volume I, Number I

Editorial

A Growing Society, A New Journal

With this first issue of the electronic Journal of the Society of Chest Pain Centers (SCPC), the Society reaches another milestone in its relatively brief but active history. Founded in 1998 to advance knowledge and management of acute cardiovascular disease, SCPC comprises upward of 200 members and has already held 4 National Congresses, which have featured presentations by leaders in the field as well as research by both authorities and new investigators in the abstract sessions. Plans have been completed for the Fifth National Congress which will be held in New Haven on September 13th-14th of this year for which the call for abstracts has been announced.

The growth and activity of the Society are a testament to its leaders, who include Ray Bahr, founding President, and our current President, Lou Graff. They have been ably supported by a nationally representative Executive Committee comprising emergency medicine physicians and cardiologists. An important step in the administrative maturation of the Society is the recent appointment of Robert Lipetz to the new position of Executive Director.

In addition to the clinical and research activities fostered through its Congresses, the Society has been active in working through the institutions of government to improve recognition and support for the care provided to patients in chest pain centers. Some of this activity is described in this issue by Ray Bahr in his article, "Government Correct", which demonstrates how dedication and expertise can overcome bureaucratic inertia to achieve positive results. In "Missed MI/I", Lou Graff considers the important problem of missed diagnoses in patients with acute coronary syndromes and suggests approaches to reduce these errors. Lee Garvey and Ray Bahr complete our first issue with an informative review on the current status of low molecular weight heparins in the management of acute coronary syndromes.

The Journal will appear quarterly and will feature a broad variety of articles relating to acute cardiac disease and its management from multiple perspectives, as reflected by the papers in our inaugural issue. We welcome contributions from our members and others interested in furthering the goal of reducing the continuing toll of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of mortality in our society.

Ezra A. Amsterdam, MD
University of California (Davis) Medical Center
Sacramento, California
Editor-in-Chief