European Society of Cardiology

About the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)
Mission: To reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease in Europe

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) is a non-profit knowledge-based professional association that facilitates the improvement and harmonisation os standards of diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. The ESC produces, organises and supports many scientific and educational activities and products aimed at cardiology professionals wishing to increase their knowledge and update their skills.

The ESC was founded in 1950 and its headquarters are located in Sophia Antipolis in the South of France. The first European Congress of Cardiology was held in London in September 1952 and it has now become the ESC Congress, the largest annual medical meeting in Europe.

Structure
The ESC currently comprises 55 National Cardiac Societies, from across Europe and the Mediterranean region, 6 Associations, 18 Working Groups and 5 Councils, covering different sub-specialties of cardiology. Activities reach far beyond the boundaries of Europe, however,and our approximately 80 000 members come from all over the world. The ESC also maintains close ties to 36 Affiliated Cardiac Societies world-wide.

Clinical Practice Guidelines
The ESC produces Clinical Practice Guidelines for the cardiology profession from evidence-based clinical trials data. Guidelines aim to present all the relevant evidence on a particular clinical issue in order to help physicians weigh the benefits and risks of a particular diagnostic or therapeutic procedure.

ESC Congresses
The ESC is proud to organise several top cardiology congresses per year. The ESC Congress, has become the largest medical congress in Europe (over 25,000 attendees) and has established itself as the world’s premier conference on the science, management and prevention of cardiovascular disease, attracting cardiologists, primary care physicians, scientists, healthcare industry leaders, regulators as well as media from all over the world. The ESC Congress is the largest gathering of cardiovascular professionals and it is the ideal place to gain international recognition for scientific work.

Annual or biennial sub-specialty congresses address acute cardiac care, cardiac imaging, prevention and rehabilitation, nuclear cardiology and cardiac CT, heart failure, heart rhythm and electrophysiology, as well as basic science.

The ESC Fellowship
A Fellow of European Society of Cardiology is a cardiologist considered to be a person who has had a number of years of experience in the field and who has distinguished himself or herself individually in clinical, educational, investigational, organisational or professional aspects of Cardiology. Fellows have the right to use the postnominal designation of the FESC title.