An Emergency Medicine Clinician's Guide to Navigating ARIA: Optimizing Triage and Management Strategies for Alzheimer's Disease Patients on Anti-Amyloid Beta Monoclonal Antibodies

Program Description

Anti-amyloid beta monoclonal antibodies (anti-Aβ mAbs) are the first treatments designed to target Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology. With two now approved, adoption of this strategy is increasing. While these agents are an important development for patients, they also introduce unique side effects, amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA), and considerations (e.g., medication interactions) that impact emergency care. Despite the importance and potential impact of decisions that are made in the emergency department (ED), there are no formal protocols designed to guide the triage and management of these patients in this setting. 

To provide practical guidance on this rapidly evolving issue, this interactive program features discussion among an interdisciplinary panel regarding protocols and strategies that have been developed by a collection of eight member institutions – including their own – within the Geriatric Emergency Department Collaborative (GEDC). By highlighting some of the steps these centers have taken to create and standardize treatment practices for these patients, the goal is to assist learners in the application of these concepts within their own EDs.

Target Audience

This activity is intended for emergency medicine physicians, neurologists, neuroradiologists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nursing staff, triage specialists, and other healthcare professionals (HCPs) specializing or consulting in the care of older adults in the ED.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, the learner should be able to:

  • Describe the range of acute symptoms of ARIA that may prompt a patient to seek emergency care to encourage prompt recognition
  • Identify appropriate imaging modalities and techniques needed to evaluate ARIA to facilitate accurate diagnosis and initiate management
  • Review which medications/treatments that may be administered in the ED are inappropriate or contraindicated in patients prescribed anti-Aβ mAbs to maximize patient safety
Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 AAPA Category I CME
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 1.00 ANCC
  • 1.00 Attendance
Course opens: 
06/30/2025
Course expires: 
06/30/2026
Cost:
$0.00
Rating: 
0
   B. Joy Snider, MD, PhD (Course Director/Moderator)
   Professor of Neurology
   Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center at Washington University School of Medicine
   Saint Louis, MO
 
 
 
 
 
   Thomas Carmichael, MD, PhD
   Professor and Chair
   Frances Stark Chair
   Department of Neurology
   Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
   Los Angeles, CA
 
   Jennifer Sutherland, PharmD, BCEMP
   Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacy Specialist
   PGY2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency Program Director
   Assistant Adjunct Clinical Professor-Division of Practice Management and Clinical Education
   UNC Health | UNC Medical Center | UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
   Chapel Hill, NC
 
   Charles Kircher, MD, MBA
   Presenter
   Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
   Assistant Professor of Neurology
   Washington University School of Medicine
   Saint Louis, MO

This activity is jointly provided by Medical Education Resources (MER) and Efficient LLC and was developed in partnership with the Geriatric Emergency Department Collaborative (GEDC). 

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Joint Accreditation Statement

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In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Medical Education Resources (MER) and Efficient LLC. MER is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Designation Statement

PHYSICIAN CREDIT
Medical Education Resources designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
 
NURSING CREDIT
Medical Education Resources designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.0 ANCC nursing contact hours. Nurses will be awarded contact hours upon successful completion of the activity.
 
PHYSICIAN ASSOCIATES CREDIT 
Medical Education Resources has been authorized by the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1 AAPA Category 1 CME Credits. Physician Assistants should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.
 
CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION FOR OTHER HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
A Certificate of Participation will be given upon completion of the enduring activity enabling participants to register their credit with the appropriate licensing boards or associations.

Staff Disclosures

Efficient LLC and Medical Education Resources' planners and managers have no financial relationships to disclose.

Faculty Disclosures

  • Dr. Carmichael reports the following relationships: Consultant: CytoDyn, BlueRock Therapuetics; Research grant: Calico Labs; Scientific Advisory Board: Fibrobiologics, Inc.
  • Dr. Sutherland has no financial relationships to disclose
  • Dr. Kircher reported the following financial relationships: Consultant: Chiesi USA
  • Dr. Snider reported the following financial relationships: Grants/Research Support: Eisai, Biogen, Johnson & Johnson, Roche (serve as site PI for clinical trials); Consultant: Roche, Eisai

Disclosure of All Financial Relationships

Medical Education Resources (MER) ensures balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all our educational activities. In accordance with this policy, MER identifies relevant financial relationships with its instructors, content managers, and other individuals who are in a position to control the content of an activity. Reported relevant financial relationships are mitigated by MER to ensure that all scientific research referred to, reported, or used in an accredited continuing education activity conforms to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis. MER is committed to providing learners with high-quality accredited continuing education activities that promote improvements or quality in health care and not the business interest of an ineligible company. 

All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the start of the activity.
Efficient LLC and Medical Education Resources' planners and managers have no financial relationships to disclose. 

Disclaimer

The content and views presented in this educational activity are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Medical Education Resources, Efficient LLC, and/or Lilly. The authors have disclosed if there is any discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the FDA in their presentations. Before prescribing any medicine, primary references and full prescribing information should be consulted. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patient’s conditions and possible contraindications on dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities. The information presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management.

Commercial Support

This activity is supported by educational grants from Lilly.

Method of Participation

There are no fees for participating in and receiving credit for this activity. During the period June 30, 2025, through June 30, 2026, participants must: 1) review the learning objectives and faculty disclosures; 2) complete the pre-activity assessment; 3) watch the educational activity and respond to the intra-activity assessments; 4) complete the posttest by recording the best answer to each question; and 5) complete the evaluation form.

Media

Internet

Available Credit

  • 1.00 AAPA Category I CME
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 1.00 ANCC
  • 1.00 Attendance

Price

Cost:
$0.00
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