Abstracts and Awards - EPI|Lifestyle

• Please use the Faculty Disclosure Template slides (PPTX) for your presentations.

Important Slide Formatting and PPT Tips

It is recommended that all PowerPoint presentations be created/submitted in a 16:9 (widescreen) format. Below is how to create your 16:9 PowerPoint:

• Open PowerPoint on your computer
• From the top menu, (depending on the version of PowerPoint you have) select Design, then Page Setup OR File, then Page Setup, OR Design, then slide size, and change Slides sized for to: On-screen Show (16:9).
• Click OK
• PowerPoint Page Setup on a PC:
  
  

If you start with the step in the creation of your presentation, then just assemble the PowerPoint as you normally would. If you are converting an existing slide show, then please check all of the slides for format accuracy.

The widescreen format should not cause any issues with the text in your presentation, however some images may be stretched as a result. If your presentation has multiple images, a suggested way to transition to widescreen format is to save a copy of your current PowerPoint in the 4:3 format under a different name, then convert to widescreen, and cut and paste the images from the original version into the widescreen version.

• For optimal legibility, use a maximum of six lines of text and six words per line per slide (equals one frame in an electronic format).
• We request that you use Arial as it is a common cross-platform compatible font. Serif fonts like Times New Roman do not project well.
• A minimum slide typeface of 24 point is recommended.
• Use color for emphasis only. White or yellow lettering on a blue background is attractive and easy to read. DO NOT USE BLUE, RED or GREEN text.
• Use common image formats that are cross-platform compatible such as JPG, PNG, GIF, and BMP.
• Keep illustrations simple. Significance of data can be grasped more quickly in a simple graph form than in tabular form. Use rounded figures. Use captions sparingly.
• Sound and Video Clips:
  • Solution 1: Pack and Go: The "Pack and Go" feature of PowerPoint embeds the clip into your presentation file. This ensures that the clip will be in the correct location when you unpack the file on the meeting room computer.
  • Solution 2: Location of audio/video files: Create the presentation with the audio/video files in the same folder. PowerPoint looks in the immediate folder before generating the error that states it cannot find the audio/video file. Always check your video clips in the speaker ready room to make sure they have been embedded correctly.
• While it is recommended that all PowerPoints are formatted in 16:9, we can accommodate PowerPoints in 4:3. However, please note that when your presentation is displayed on the large screens for the audience, there will be black bars on the sides of your presentation slides.
• Please see below for supported formats and additional information.

New this year: We are utilizing the Orchestrate presentation management system. Presenters will receive an email in the coming weeks with detailed instructions for uploading presentations.

Submitting Your Presentation

If you do not know your login name, click the "Forget Your Password?" link on the login page. When you enter your email address, both your login name and temporary password will be emailed to you. If you are still having trouble after you receive the instructional email, please email us.

Uploading Files:

• Step 1: After Registration please use the actual show URL to access the Orchestrate website. When creating your password, the minimum length is 6 characters.
• Step 2: Locate the desired session you wish to upload to. Important: When naming your file, please keep the length under 30 characters and do not include special symbols:
  $ & + , / : ; = ? @ " < > # % { } | \ ^ ~ [ ] `
  as this will prevent your presentation from uploading through the submission website. Name the file with your last name and title of your session.
• Step 3: Click the "Upload" green button.
• Step 4: Browse out to your upload file/files target location, select the file(s) to upload, and click on "Open".
• Step 5: If your upload is successful, you will receive a pop-up message indicating that the upload was successful, and your files will appear listed under the appropriate session/presentation. Do not leave the page until you have successfully completed the upload, or the upload will fail.

Supported Formats:

• PPT, PPTX: The Orchestrate system at your event is optimized for PowerPoint, whether created on a PC or MAC. To take advantage of advanced media support in PowerPoint, we recommend all PPT files be converted to the PPTX format. You can find the convert feature located under "File, Help" when you have your PowerPoint open.
• PDF: Supported.
• KEY: Keynote files are supported but must be the latest version of keynote and the file must be a *.key file not a folder.
• Prezi: Currently unsupported for upload. Please ask for assistance in the Speaker Ready Room.

Video and Audio File Support

Please read the Microsoft Support article for Video and Audio formats supported within PowerPoint.

Please consider compressing your videos. If you’ve authored your PowerPoint as a PPTX, there are tools within PowerPoint to do this automatically. Instructions are found in this Microsoft article on compressing media files. If you will be converting or authoring videos, we recommend H.264 encoding at less than a 5Mbps bitrate for best performance. Typical resolutions in the meeting room will be 1280x720 for 16:9 presentations. A 1080p, maximum bit rate encoding will bloat the size of your presentation with no visual improvement and may hurt performance.

Considerations for custom fonts
We only supply fonts that are included with Office 2019. For a list, see this article. If you need a specialized font, it should be embedded into your PowerPoint presentation. Some licensed fonts may not embed and should be replaced with a font included with Office. See this Microsoft article on downloading and installing custom fonts for an explanation of this process.

Any Links to Web Pages?
Meeting Room computers are not connected to the Internet. Links to web pages will not function and may cause issues if clicked accidentally during your presentation. We strongly recommend removing all internet links from your presentation.

Before You Depart, Backup
Please bring a copy of your presentation along with you when you depart for your meeting. Copy your PowerPoint and all movies to a folder on a USB. While later versions of PowerPoint will embed movies by default, you should still bring the videos just in case. Not all prior versions of PowerPoint will embed movies. It is a good practice to keep a second copy of your presentation and movies in your luggage.

Arriving at the Meeting

Speaker Ready Room Schedule:
Speakers must check-in at the Speaker Ready Room onsite at the hotel at least 2 hours prior to their scheduled presentation. The computers in the Speaker Ready Room will be configured with hardware and software exactly like the ones in the meeting room. It is imperative that you review your presentation in the Speaker Ready Room. This is where our technicians can help resolve any compatibility or formatting issues and explain the in-room setup.

Giving Your Presentation
Please arrive at your session meeting room at least 15 minutes before the start of your session. At the lectern there will be a monitor set in front of you where you can follow your presentation. Simply click your name on the display, select the start button, and your PowerPoint will launch automatically. At the end of your presentation, the display will return to the list of presenters.

At the lectern there will be a monitor set in front of you where you can follow your presentation. Simply click your name on the display, select the start button, and your PowerPoint will launch automatically. At the end of your presentation, the display will return to the list of presenters.

Speak directly into the microphone in a normal voice and do not handle the microphone while speaking. If you have any difficulties or need any assistance, just click the "ASSISTANCE NEEDED" button and a technician will be immediately sent to your room.

By following the guidelines above, we are confident that Freeman Orchestrate will ease the process of delivering your presentation. Should you have any questions not addressed in this document, please feel free to email us at: [email protected].

General Information

A poster presentation consists of a visual display of research highlights on a fiberboard background combined with an interpersonal question and answer period. The content of an effective poster presentation should be direct, focused, and concise. Investigators are required to be available for a specified period of time to discuss methods and results with interested visitors and colleagues. Your confirmation letter provided the date(s) and time(s) of your presentation(s) as well as your presentation number.

The poster should remain in place for the entire time of the scheduled poster session (see schedule below). The poster board number should correspond with the pre-assigned “Presentation Number” printed in the final program and provided in your confirmation letter. The final conference program (which will be included on the conference Web site and distributed at the conference) will include the detailed information for each presentation as well as copies of the abstracts.

It is essential that you remove your materials immediately after the end of your presentation time because the room will be cleared at that time to make room for the next poster session or other conference activities. We kindly ask you to remove and discard your poster if you do not want to keep it. If a poster is not removed at the end of the poster period, the AHA staff will assume that the presenter wants the poster material discarded.

Failure to present deprives the audience and leaves a space in the program that might have been filled by another presenter. Due to the competitive nature of the program, any unexplained absences may result in the American Heart Association refusing to consider your abstracts at any future meetings.

REMINDER! Please include all authors’ disclosure information in your poster. Please ensure that it is visible to attendees viewing the poster.

Moderated Poster Information

Abstracts selected for a Moderated Poster presentation will be part of a “guided audio tour” of selected presentations. A moderator will be assigned to the session in which you are presenting and will lead each presenter through an engaging discussion of the research. Headsets will be provided to attendees and limited to approximately 30 for each session. These sessions will take place in the same room with other posters. Please prepare a brief, three to five minute overview of your poster with the remaining five to seven minutes for moderated question and answer. You must be present at your poster throughout the entire attendance time listed above. The moderated portion of the sessions are listed above. You may be the first or last presenter depending on your assigned presentation number.

EPI/Lifestyle 2026 Scientific Sessions will offer ePosters again this year to extend the reach of our poster presenters’ research. Poster authors are encouraged to submit a single or multi-page electronic version of their poster file to complement their printed poster. Note that all poster presenters must register and attend in person to present their poster. ePosters are meant to complement the face-to-face program.

You gain greater and long-term exposure and visibility for your poster by making it available online as an electronic file in addition to your printed poster. All posters in the Poster Hall will be provided a corresponding QR Code on the poster board. This will allow the opportunity to scan the code with a smartphone or camera-equipped tablet to view the ePoster, along with the abstract, and any audio narration or video (if provided by the author). Instructions for uploading your ePoster and other media will be emailed to you in the coming weeks from [email protected].

Poster Printing
The AHA offers discounted poster printing through our preferred poster service provider, Digital Acumen. We recommend you take advantage of the easy and convenient service to have your poster printed, shipped to the meeting and hung on the poster board for you. Further information will be emailed to you in the coming weeksfrom [email protected].

Both ePoster files and poster print files are uploaded through the same link that will be emailed to you with your log in credentials. Please check your Spam/Junk filter if you do not see the emails in your Inbox.

Poster Preparation Guidelines

Poster boards are 4 ft high x 8 ft wide (1.2 m high x 2.4 m wide) less a 2 in (5 cm) frame on all four sides. The surface is fabric-covered fiberboard contained in a 2 in (5 cm) wide aluminum frame and firmly supported on "A-frame" legs. The display stands approximately 7 ft (2.1 m) high. Note: a 4.24 inch x 11 inch card (10.8 cm x 27.9 cm) card containing your poster’s QR code will be placed on the left side (mid-level) of the board. Please do not cover this card. See diagram below.

Your presentation should contain succinct headings that organize and logically display the information. Graphics should be explicit and brief. Elaboration is best done verbally -- just as if it were an oral presentation using slides. A short legible "Introduction" and a "Summary of Conclusions" are essential.

The poster display should focus on:

• Hypothesis or Objectives
• Methods
• Results or Outcomes

All illustrations (figures, tables, diagrams, equations, etc.) should be developed beforehand. Keep text and figure legends explicit and brief. Illustrations must be read from distances of approximately 4’. Charts, drawings, and illustrations should be similar to those you would use in making slides.

Pushpins and velcro will be provided to mount your poster materials. Do not mount your presentation materials on heavy poster board because they may be difficult to keep in position. Do not write or draw on the poster board surface or use adhesive putty.

Design, Materials and Production

Sources for Design and Production

• Art department of your institution
• Commercial art schools
• Commercial artists
• Graphic designers
• Advertising Agencies

Background Materials

• Color sheets and film overlays
• Matte and glossy surfaces, most self-sticking brands: Pantone color paper, Pantone color/tint overlays, chartpak
• Hot press illustration board: very smooth, less absorbent surface than regular grade

Printing and Drawing

• Color keys
• Computer systems that are capable of generating large, readable type
• Professionally set type
• Press type (rub on)
• Geotype, Letraset, Chartpak, Formatt
• Border tape (rub on) Same brands as above

Readability of Posters

Poster sessions are viewed by a large audience. To accommodate a group at a single poster presentation, the size of the lettering (type) must be large enough to be legible at a distance of approximately 6 feet (1.8m). The 6 best color combinations to use are listed below. Remember the key is choosing contrasting colors and shades. Simple use of color can add emphasis effectively.

• Black on white
• Red on white
• Green on white
• Blue on white
• White on blue (no diazo)
• White on black

If the presentation is typeset, choose a typeface (design of the type) that is particularly simple and clear (Helvetica, for example). The weight of the type chosen (the thickness of each letter) should be medium or bold.

The actual size of the type is measured in "Points." To be legible at a distance of eight feet, the minimum type size used should be 30 points. Below are suggestions of type for viewing at various distances.

General ePoster Information

• All abstracts accepted for poster presentation will be presented onsite and online through EPI’s ePoster partner, Digital Acumen’s APPRISOR. Poster presenters are required to upload an ePoster.


• ePosters can be viewed from smartphones, laptops, tablets, or computer monitors. The online viewer allows participants to examine every detail of your poster while protecting content from download or re-use.


• Presenting authors will have access to the secure ePoster submission site at https://submit.scientificposters.com/epi.


• Presenting authors will receive an email with further instructions and login credentials from APPRISOR via [email protected] in early February 2026. Please add this email to your contacts list to ensure receipt. If you do not see the email in your inbox by February 15, please check your junk or spam folder.


• This email cannot be sent to multiple recipients. If you are assisting a presenting author with his/her ePoster, s/he must forward the email to you.


• When you log in, you will have access to the Poster Printing Service, templates, FAQs, instructions for recording audio and/or slide advancement, and technical support, all found on the Support page.


• Deadline: ePosters must be uploaded by March 13, 2026.

ePoster Preparation

• ePosters must be uploaded as either PDF or PowerPoint.


• 16:9 is the preferred aspect ratio, but the system will also support 4:3.


• ePosters can be a single page (like a traditional print poster you would bring to the in-person meeting) OR a multi-slide presentation (no more than 8 total slides, excluding the first two slides for Title and Disclosures).


• Only one file can be uploaded per ePoster.


• If you choose to prepare a multi-slide presentation, note that some PowerPoint-specific features such as animations, page transitions, hyperlinks, or “embedded” video or audio are not supported. However, after uploading your PowerPoint or PDF file, you can record audio narration, advance slides, and/or add a content video* within the submission site.
  
  
  * A video that expands upon the research demonstrated in the poster that clearly supports the content is allowed. A video that serves as a presentation of the ePoster is not allowed and will be disabled.


• Use audio (5 minutes maximum) to enhance the presentation. The online recording tool, or uploaded audio file, will allow you to add narration to your poster and advance your slides.


• Your ePoster should be self-explanatory so that you are free to supplement the information and discuss particular points if you choose to add audio narration.

ePoster Viewing and Discussion

• ePosters will be available to view on-demand beginning on March 17, 2026, when the meeting opens.


• Participants will be able to contact presenting authors with questions and comments via the Forum - Ask the Author feature which will send an email to the author.


• Access to ePosters will remain available until April 17, 2026. After April 17, EPI 2025 ePosters will then be archived to https://aha.scientificposters.com, and be available for viewing.

If you have technical questions regarding your ePoster, please contact Digital Acumen at [email protected]. For all other ePoster questions, please contact [email protected]..