Day I (October 09) 

09.00–10.00    Registration 

10.00–10.10     Welcome – Dr. Pentti Põder, Estonia 

I session 10.10–11.20
„Heart failure today: epidemiology and guideline updates“  

Moderators: Dr. Pentti Põder, Estonia; Prof. Diana Žaliaduonytė, Lithuania 

10.10–10.30    Heart failure epidemiology: prevalence, risk factors, and future trends – Dr. Märt Elmet, Estonia 

10.30–11.00    Evolving standards in heart failure management: what has changed in the latest guidelines? – Dr. Pentti Põder, Estonia 

11.00–11.20    Heart failure in daily practice in Baltic countries: lessons from EVOLUTION trial data – Prof. Diana Žaliaduonytė, Lithuania 

11.20–11.40    Coffee break 

II session 11.40–13.10  
„Heart failure diagnostics and treatment: challenges and contemporary solutions” part 1 

Moderators: Prof. Piotr Ponikowski, Poland; Dr. Ginta Kamzola, Latvia 

Debate “Is echocardiography required before initiating heart failure therapy?” 
 
11.40–11.50    Yes  – Dr. Ginta Kamzola, Latvia 

11.50–12.00    No – Dr. Pentti Põder, Estonia 

12.00–12.10    Discussion 

12.10–12.40    Managing iron deficiency in heart failure: the emerging role of IV iron therapy – Prof. Piotr Ponikowski, Poland 

IV iron therapy: where are we now in Baltics - and what is still holding us back?  

12.40–12.45    Estonia – Dr. Marit Märk

12.45–12.50    Latvia – Dr. Baiba Barone 

12.50–12.55    Lithuania – Prof. Egle Rumbinaite  

12.55–13.10     Discussion 

13.10–14.00    Lunch 

III session 14.00–15.20  
„Cardiac amyloidosis in 2026: from early detection to advanced management“ 

Moderators: Dr. Anna Maria Punab, Estonia; Prof. Eglė Eremienė, Lithuania 

14.00–14.20    CMR in the assessment of diseased myocardium: 

focus on infiltrative cardiomyopathies – Dr. Andrei Šamarin, Estonia 

14.20–14.40    ATTR cardiac amyloidosis: diagnosis and opportunities for earlier recognition – real-world experience from the Czech Republic – Prof. Tomáš Paleček, Czechia 

14.40–15.00    Contemporary management of ATTR-CM: the evolving therapeutic landscape – Prof. Diana Bonderman, Austria 

15.00–15.20    Cardiac amyloidosis in the Baltic States: diagnostic and treatment pathways – Prof. Eglė Eremienė, Lithuania

15.20–15.40    Coffee break 

IV session 15.40–17.25 
„Cardiac pacing and heart failure“ 

Moderators: Dr. Kaspars Kupics, Latvia;  Assoc. prof. Priit Kampus, Estonia 

15.40–16.10    Conduction system pacing (CSP) and heart failure, is there a place for CRT? – Dr. Heli Talppanen, Finland 

Round table: Implementation of CSP in the Baltics 

16.10–16.15     Estonia – Dr. Jüri Voitk  

16.15–16.20     Latvia – Dr. Evija Kanesniece   

16.20–16.25    Lithuania – Dr. Gediminas Račkauskas  

16.25–16.30    Finland – Dr. Heli Talppanen  

16.30–16.45    Discussion  

16.45–17.05    ICD in non-ischemic cardiomyopathy – is there still a place for primary prevention? – Dr. Silver Heinsar, Estonia 

17.05–17.25     Leadless pacing in 2026 – how to choose pacing strategy in younger patients? – Dr. Mantė Agnė Rimkienė, Lithuania 

17.25–17.45    Coffee break  

17.45–18.45 Satellite symposium (Boehringer Ingelheim) 
„Myocardial steatosis and the „healthy“ heart: a hidden path to heart failure" 

Moderator: Dr. Pentti Põder, Estonia 

19.00–22.00 Dinner at MEKK Restaurant & Bar (Radisson Collection Hotel I floor) 

Day II (October 10)

V session 09.00–10.30
Young Investigators Session
 
Moderators: TBA 
 
Estonia – TBA 

Latvia – TBA 

Lithuania – TBA 

10.30–10.50    Coffee break  

10.50–11.50 Satellite symposium (Abbott) 
„From leadless pacing to LVAD support: contemporary device therapy in heart failure“ 

Moderator: Assoc. prof. Priit Kampus, Estonia 

10.50–11.10    With leads or not with leads, this is the question - leadless pacemakers – Dr. Priit Pauklin, Estonia 

11.10–11.30     Cardiac conduction system pacing in the treatment and prevention of heart failure – Dr. Silver Heinsar, Estonia 

11.30–11.50    LVAD before heart transplantation: a strategy for lifelong care – Prof. Karl Lemström, Finland 

VI session 11.50–13.10 
„Left ventricular hypertrophy revisited: from phenotype to etiology to treatment“ 

Moderators: Dr. Märt Elmet, Estonia; Assoc. prof. Ainārs Rudzītis, Latvia 

11.50–12.10    Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: essentials of diagnosis, clinical assessment and follow-up – Dr. Mai Blöndal, Estonia 

12.10–12.30    Diagnostic approach to left ventricular hypertrophy: an echocardiography-based perspective – Dr. Kairit Palm, Estonia 

12.30–12.50    Cardiomyopathy genetics for cardiologists: practical essentials – Dr. Marius Sukys, Lithuania 

12.50–13.10    Cardiac myosin Inhibition: a disease-modifying strategy in obstructive HCM – Assoc. prof. Ainārs Rudzītis, Latvia

13.10–14.00    Lunch 

VII session 14.00–15.40 
„Atrial fibrillation burden and the evolution of ablation therapies“ 

Moderators: Dr. Priit Pauklin, Estonia; Prof. Germanas Marinskis, Lithuania 

14.00–14.20    Results from Estonian Health Database analysis in atrial fibrillation patients – Assoc. prof. Priit Kampus, Estonia 

14.20–14.40    Pulsed field ablation (PFA) in atrial fibrillation – where are we in 2026? – Dr. Kaspars Kupics, Latvia 

14.40–15.00    Pace-and-ablate strategy in Estonia – is there still a place for it? 10-year Estonian experience – Dr. Anette Ööbik, Estonia 

15.00–15.20    Combined atrial fibrillation ablation and LAAO procedures – can anticoagulation really be stopped afterwards? – Dr. Gediminas Račkauskas, Lithuania 

15.20–15.40    Cardioneuroablation – a new alternative to pacing in vagally mediated bradyarrhythmias and syncope? – Dr. Hasso Uuetoa, Estonia 

15.40–16.00    Coffee break 

VIII session 16.00–17.20  
„Heart failure diagnostics and treatment: challenges and contemporary solutions” part 2 

Moderators: TBA 

16.00–16.20    Heart failure and hypertension: overcoming challenges in management – Dr. Martin Serg, Estonia 

16.20–16.40    Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists across the heart failure spectrum: navigating evolving evidence – Prof. Gustavs Latkovskis, Latvia 

16.40–17.00    Beyond diabetes and weight loss: GLP-1 agonists in heart failure – TBA 

17.00–17.20     Carcinoid heart disease in patients with neuroendocrine tumors: diagnostic and management challenges – Dr. Pille Teppand, Estonia 

17.20–17.40    Coffee break  

 
IX session 17.40–20.00  
„The road ahead: transplantation, mechanical support and future perspectives in heart failure treatment“ 

Moderators: Prof. Povilas Jakušk, Lithuania; Prof. Piotr Ponikowski, Poland 

17.40–18.10    Heart transplantation in the Nordics: current realities and a decade of Estonian–Finnish collaboration – Prof. Karl Lemström, Finland 

Where do we stand regarding heart transplanatation and LVAD implantation in Baltics? 

18.10–18.20    Estonia – Dr. Märt Elmet 

18.20–18.30    Latvia – Dr. Janis Lacis 

18.30–18.40    Lithuania – Prof. Povilas Jakuška 

18.40–18.50    Discussion 

18.50–19.10    The power of one: can the polypill reshape heart failure treatment? – Prof. Piotr Ponikowski, Poland 

19.10–19.30     From app to action: remote monitoring in heart failure management – Dr. Malle Helmdorf, Estonia 

19.50–19.40    The emerging role of artificial intelligence in heart failure: opportunities, evidence, and limitations – Dr. Eno-Martin Lotman, Estonia

19.50–20.00    Awarding the Best Young Investigator presentation 

 
End of the meeting 

20.00–22.00    Dinner at MEKK Restaurant & Bar (Radisson Collection Hotel I floor)