WASHINGTON, April 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dipti Itchhaporia, MD, FACC, today begins her term as president of the American College of Cardiology. During her one-year presidency, she will lead the over 54,000-member global organization in its mission to transform cardiovascular care and improve heart health.

"From the moment I became a Fellow of the ACC, I've been excited about being a part of this community and contributing to advancing the field of cardiology and the patients we serve," Itchhaporia said. "I'm looking forward to connecting the cardiovascular community over the next year, as we emerge from a mostly virtual world, to make strides in our strategic priorities and improve the lives of heart disease patients. We must be prepared as a profession to embrace and move to center stage our solutions and vision of digital transformation and health equity."

Itchhaporia is an interventional cardiologist who is the Eric and Sheila Samson Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Health, director of disease management for Hoag's Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart and Vascular Institute in Newport Beach, California, and associate professor of medicine at the University of California, Irvine. She has been a leader in the College for over 20 years, previously holding positions both nationally and in the ACC California Chapter.

Most recently, Itchhaporia held the position of ACC vice president. She previously served as a member of the ACC's Board of Trustees and the Board of Governors, secretary of the ACC as chair of the Board of Governors, and president of the ACC California Chapter. She has also served on multiple ACC committees and helped to advance the College's education, science and innovation efforts, including as a member of the ACC Lifelong Learning Oversight Committee, Science and Quality Committee, Governance Committee, Practice Administrator Workgroup and as an advisor for the ACC's Innovation Program.

Itchhaporia's professional interests include quality measurement and improvement in cardiovascular disease, focusing on emerging risk factors and medical and lifestyle interventions to prevent coronary heart disease. She is also extensively involved in advancing technology and innovations that will advance the digital transformation of cardiovascular medicine to ultimately improve the lives of patients and clinicians, while helping to achieve health equity.

Itchhaporia's professional passions have led to leadership roles in advancing the ACC's strategic priorities, including serving as chair of the ACC Board of Trustees Health Equity Task Force, which addresses issues of health disparities, the social determinants of health and improving access to care for underserved patients. Further work toward health equity will be at the forefront of her presidential year.

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