Global cardiology comes to Australia: 14th world congress of cardiology, Sydney, 5-9 May 2002

The 14th World Congress Of Cardiology, held in Sydney 5-9 May 2002 (the first time ever in the antipodes), was a joint meeting with the 50th anniversary meeting of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). The Congress is the principal meeting of the World Heart Federation, a body comprising all of the world's cardiac societies and heart foundations. Delegates came from 115 countries, and there was a total registration of just over 9000. More than 3000 abstracts were received from investigators in 82 countries. In addition to focusing on developments at the cutting edge of cardiovascular disease, the Congress explored themes such as the world burden of cardiovascular disease and the likely rise of this burden in the 21st century, particularly in developing countries - a prospect of particular concern to the World Heart Federation.