Abstracts & Awards - Hypertension Scientific Sessions

Read the guidelines in the tabs or download them here:

• Faculty Disclosure Template Slide (PPTX)

Look for more information closer to the meeting.

Overview

In order to provide the best possible educational environment and ensure smooth and efficient handling of audiovisual presentations, please read and follow the guidelines below or download these instructions as a PDF.

AV Equipment Provided

There will be technicians in each meeting room. Session rooms will be equipped with a 16:9 format screen and LCD projector, lectern with microphone, large display speaker timer, monitor and mouse pointer.

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 24-point font-size 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.
  
  
• All PowerPoint files must be labeled with the date, time, and last name of the presenter.
  
  
• When building your presentation, all files (PowerPoint and external, i.e. movie files) associated with your presentation must be loaded separately and saved in the same folder as the rest of your presentation.
  
  
• Save your file to a memory stick.
  
  
• If you feel that your presentation has something out of the ordinary (extensive files or video clips), please bring your laptop to the meeting as back-up.

At the Meeting

• The Speaker Resource Room is available for reviewing, editing and loading your presentation. Your presentation must be turned into the Speaker Resource Room at the hotel at least two (2) hours before the start of your scheduled session start time. If you are presenting in the first session of the day, try to upload your presentation the day before. Individual laptops will not be allowed at the podium. The speaker resource room will be open the following hours:

• Any updates to your presentation MUST BE MADE in the Speaker Resource Room and not your session room.
  
  
• A technician will show you to a computer station to review your presentation and help you load it onto the computer.
  
  
• Once you are done reviewing your presentation, be sure to notify a technician so he or she can verify that the presentation is saved and properly labeled. Once the technician has verified that the presentation is labeled correctly, please check-out of the Speaker Resource Room. This will ensure that your presentation gets to your session in a timely manner.
  
  
• All presentations will be loaded by a technician onto the presentation computer in the session room.
  
  
• If you have embedded video in your presentation, you MUST test that your presentation can be “read” properly in the Speaker Resource Room prior to your presentation (preferable 12 hours in advance of your presentation).
  
  
• It is the presenter’s responsibility to collect his or her own media (if applicable) at the conclusion of the session.

Presenter Disclosure – Mandatory

• All presenters are required to have a conflict of interest disclosure slide as the first or second slide of your PowerPoint presentation.
  
  
• Moderators do not need to have a disclosure slide, but they should verbally disclose to the audience any applicable conflicts of interest they may have when they introduce themselves at the beginning of the session.
  
  
• If unlabeled use of a commercial product, or an investigational use not yet approved for any purpose is discussed, you must include this information on the disclosure slide. Give the name of the product and disclose that the product is not labeled for the use under discussion or that the product is still investigational. You must also verbally disclose this use to the audience.
  
  
• If you are referencing work within your presentation previously published by another author, be sure to include a complete citation at the bottom of the appropriate page.
  
  
• Exclude any information from your presentation that may compromise or violate patient confidentiality.

Presentation

Please arrive at your session meeting room at least 15 minutes before the start of your session. Take time to familiarize yourself with the setup at the lectern. There will be a mouse at the lectern that will allow you to control/advance (left click will move forward, right click will move backwards) the slides during your presentation. The mouse pointer can also be used in lieu of a laser pointer. The technician will be available throughout the session.

On the floor in front of the lectern you will find a large plasma monitor where you can view your presentation as seen on the screen. At the end of each session day, all presentations are deleted from the meeting room computers.

Should you have any questions regarding this material, please email Susan Kunish with your specific concerns.

General Information

Download these Poster Presenter Guidelines (PDF)

A poster presentation consists of a visual display of research highlights on a fiberboard background combined with a 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 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 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 program, which will be included on the conference website and distributed at the conference, provides detailed information.

Moderated Posters

Hypertension 2024 will be offering moderated posters sessions during poster session 2 on Friday morning. If you were selected to present a moderated poster, please refer to your acceptance notification for the specific timing on the moderated portion of the session. You must be present at your poster throughout the entire attendance time listed below. 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 25 for each session. These sessions will take place in the same room as the other posters. Please prepare a brief, three-minute overview of your poster with the remaining two minutes for moderated question and answer. You may be the first or last presenter depending on your assigned presentation number.

It's essential that you remove your materials immediately after the end of your presentation because the room will be cleared then to make room for the next poster session or other conference activities. Please remove and discard your poster if you don’t want to keep it.

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 future meetings.

REMINDER! Include all author disclosure information in your poster. Ensure that it's visible to attendees viewing the poster.

Hypertension 2024 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 weeks from [email protected].

Both ePoster files and poster print files are uploaded through the same link that will be emailed to you with your login 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.