Health experts will present the latest findings on preventing and treating cardiovascular disease (CVD) at a national conference sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) April 11-13 in Washington, D.C. The conference, "Cardiovascular Health for All - Meeting the Challenge of Healthy People 2010," is co-sponsored by leading government and voluntary health agencies.

More than 1,500 health professionals from across the country are expected to attend the conference, and thousands more will view sessions via satellite downlink at 145 sites in 41 states, Washington, D.C., and Canada. In addition to NHLBI, co-sponsors of the conference are the American Heart Association and various agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services, including Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Speakers include Jack Valenti, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, and Dr. J. Ian Morrison, chairman of the Health Futures Forum. In addition, cardiologists, public health professionals, emergency medical care providers, nutritionists and other experts will speak at four plenary and 62 concurrent sessions.

Over 40 exhibits will be open and free to the public. Exhibitors include associations, public interest groups, government agencies, pharmaceutical companies and companies offering healthy lifestyle products.

The cardiovascular-related goals and objectives of Healthy People 2010, a national health promotion and disease prevention initiative, serve as the framework for the conference.

For more information, call NHLBI at (301) 496-4236, or visit www.cvh2002.net/.