European Society of Cardiology (ESC) congress report from Munich 2012

The Annual Congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) was held in Munich from the 26th to 29th of August 2012. The daily attendance ranged from 26,600 to 27,407 up to the 28th and several important issues were presented and discussed, including antiplatelet therapy for acute coronary syndrome (TRILOGY ACS), transcatheter aortic valve implantation, renal denervation, novel oral anticoagulants for atrial fibrillation (AFib), AFib ablation, the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake on cardiovascular disease, management of vasospastic angina, plaque rupture and erosion (ESC-JCS [Japanese Circulation Society] joint session), heart failure, and FFR-guided percutaneous coronary intervention outcome. Three ESC "GOLD MEDALS" were awarded, including one to Professor Ryozo Nagai, the first Asian to receive this award. The ESC meeting has become one of the most important for updating not only general cardiologists' education but also specialists' expertise. Japan topped the number of abstracts submitted to ESC 2012 (>1,200 abstracts), while the ESC would like to establish a strong collaboration with the Japanese Cardiology Society. Relations between ESC and JCS will become closer and more favorable year by year.