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Cardiovascular diseases in the COVID-19 pandemic are a huge challenge. How to take care of your health? What to do in case of disturbing symptoms? How to call for help? We asked specialists from the Silesian Center for Heart Diseases.
On October 23, during the XXVII International Cardiology Conference, as part of the session of Health of Poles – cardiovascular diseases in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, led by the editor-in-chief of Medonet, Dr. Anna Zimny-Zając, outstanding specialists answered the questions of MedTvoiLokona readers:
- Prof. Dr. with. Marian Zembala
- prof. dr hab. med. Mariusz Gąsior
- prof. dr hab. my. med. Zbigniew Kalarus
- dr hab. med. Piotr Rozentryt, prof. CATFISH
- dr hab. n. med. Michał Zembala
- Klaudiusz A. Nadolny, PhD
- Dr. med. Szymon Pawlak
Experts answer questions about cardiovascular disease during the pandemic
How to take care of your heart in a pandemic? What to look for when suffering from cardiovascular diseases? Who is most at risk of severe COVID-19? How to properly call an ambulance? Here you will find answers from specialists from the Silesian Center for Heart Diseases in Zabrze, answering these and other important questions
Prof. dr hab. med. Mariusz Gąsior
Doctor, specialist in internal diseases, cardiologist. Scientist, academic teacher, Head of the 15rd Department and Clinical Department of Cardiology in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice. From the beginning of his work, he was associated with the Silesian Center for Heart Diseases in Zabrze, where he was the Medical Director for 1999 years (2014-XNUMX).
Main clinical and research interests: interventional treatment of acute coronary syndromes, including cardiogenic shock, heart failure, primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases, hybrid therapy. An innovator and promoter of the use of new technologies in cardiovascular diseases. Initiator and co-initiator of large databases and registries in the field of cardiovascular diseases. Co-founder and executor of the largest in Europe National Register of Acute Coronary Syndromes PL-ACS, creator of the Silesian Cardiovascular Base SILICARD, implemented in cooperation with the National Health Fund, covering all hospitalized patients in the province. Śląski with cardiological diseases, as well as the “Health calculator” – an innovative IT and statistical tool that can predict the prognosis of patients.
Author and co-author of numerous scientific publications and conference reports. Initiator and implementer of scientific and research projects, incl. project manager financed by ABM entitled “Assessment of the frequency, clinical course and treatment of cardiological, neurological and pulmonary complications of COVID-19”. A long-time inspirer and teacher of young academic staff.
Repeatedly awarded and distinguished for his clinical, scientific, didactic and organizational work, incl. by the Polish Cardiac Society, the Rector of the Medical University of Silesia, as well as by the Minister of Health of the Republic of Poland. Laureate of the Platinum Laurel of Skills and Competences “Pro Publico Bono”, awarded to people in recognition of their activities for the benefit of local, regional and international communities.
Prof. dr hab. n. med. Zbigniew Kalarus
Head of the Department of Cardiology, Congenital Heart Defects and Electrotherapy at the Medical University of Silesia in Zabrze; internal medicine specialist, experienced cardiologist and clinical electrophysiologist. From the beginning of his work, he was associated with the Silesian Center for Heart Diseases. Academic teacher and educator of young doctors. President of the Polish Cardiac Society in the 2013-2015 term. Winner of many scientific awards (including PTK, Rector of SUM).
He specializes mainly in invasive cardiology and clinical electrophysiology, in which he implements new methods of diagnosis and treatment of patients with cardiac arrhythmias. He participated in numerous trainings in the field of electrophysiology, ablation, implantation of pacemakers, cardioverter-defibrillators at the Cardiology Clinic of the University Hospital in Arhus (Denmark) and the Catharina Hospital in Eidhoven (Netherlands).
In invasive cardiology, he deals with the treatment of patients with acute coronary events, including myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock, determination of optimal methods of therapy, determination of risk factors for sudden cardiac death, the influence of metabolic disorders, mainly diabetes, impaired kidney function on early and long-term outcomes in patients with a heart attack. Next
an important clinical and research topic is the inoperable repair of severe, functional mitral valve insufficiency using the MitraClip system in high-risk patients disqualified from cardiac surgery, and percutaneous closure of the left atrial appendage in patients with atrial fibrillation at an increased risk of ischemic stroke.
Dr. Klaudiusz A. Nadolny
Paramedic. Since 2007, he has been working in the Provincial Ambulance Service in Katowice in various positions – from a paramedic in a medical rescue team, a medical dispatcher, and currently as the Head of the Coordination Center. Head of the Department of Medical Rescue at the University of Strategic Planning in Dąbrowa Górnicza and assistant professor at the Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze at the University of Technology in Katowice.
He deals with substantive supervision over medical dispatchers and emergency medical teams. Member of many expert groups at CMKP and MZ. Main research interests: improving the quality of medical services provided by members of emergency medical teams, in particular regarding sudden cardiac arrest. Creator of the prospective register of sudden cardiac arrest SIL-ROSC in the province. Śląskie, run jointly with the Silesian Center for Heart Diseases in Zabrze.
One of the initiators of the creation of the POL-OHCA nationwide emergency cardiac arrest register. Co-author of documents issued as recommendations of the Ministry of Health, incl. good pain management practices in primary, specialized and aviation medical emergency teams in children and adults (2019), or management by medical dispatchers and emergency medical teams in patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome (2020).
Scientific director of training courses for paramedics and medical dispatchers at CMKP. Author of over 190 publications in the field of emergency medical services. Author, co-author of 7 scientific monographs. Over 100 speeches at conferences in Poland and Europe. In 2011-2016, he was the editor-in-chief of the portal “Ratunek 24”. For many years, a member of the program board of the “Na Ratunek” and “Nursing in the States of Emergency” magazines; Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the periodicals “Postępy Nauk Medycznych” and “Emergency Medical Service”. Organizer, co-organizer of many conferences, symposia in the field of medical rescue and emergency medicine. He has been awarded many times, incl. with the award of bl. Gerard, awarded by the Minister of Health for outstanding achievements in medical rescue (2019).
Dr hab. med. Piotr Rozentryt, prof. CATFISH
A graduate of the Faculty of Medicine of the Medical Academy in Łódź (currently the Medical University of Łódź). After graduating, he worked for a short period of internship at the Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, to start working at the Nephrology Clinic of the Medical Academy in Łódź. In this clinic, he obtained first and second degree specializations in internal medicine, and then a specialization in nephrology. While working in Łódź, he dealt with the issues of cardiovascular neuroegulation and cardiovascular diseases in patients with uremia.
After defending his doctoral dissertation on autonomic neuropathy in dialysis patients, he moved to the Department of Cardiac Surgery of the Silesian Center for Heart Diseases in Zabrze, where he dealt with the care of patients – candidates for heart transplantation and nephrological problems of patients after transplantation of this organ. After a few years, he started working in the newly established Clinical Department and the Department of Cardiology, where he was responsible for creating a care program for patients with heart failure. While working at this Department, he completed a specialization in cardiology and prepared his habilitation thesis on the economy of anabolism / catabolism balance in patients with heart failure.
Although since 2019 he is the head of the Department of Toxicology and Addiction at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the Medical University of Silesia and a professor at this university, he is still an active clinician at the Clinical Department and the Department of Cardiology of the Silesian Center for Heart Diseases in Zabrze. He is a recognized expert in the field of heart failure. He was one of the founders of the Heart Failure Section of the Polish Cardiac Society, chairman of this section in 2011-2013, and currently is a member of its board. He is a lecturer at meetings of many scientific societies and the author or co-author of nearly 200 Polish and foreign publications.
Dr hab. n. med. Michał O. Zembala
A cardiac surgeon specializing in the treatment of patients with severe heart failure, performing both heart transplantation, implantation of artificial heart chambers (LVAD) and artificial heart (TAH). He performed the first artificial heart implantation (Syncardia) in Poland and the first successful heart retransplantation, introducing this form of therapy into the standard of care for end-stage heart failure.
An expert in the field of transcatheter aortic valve disease (TAVI) treatment, which he performs from both transabdominal and transapular access. Many times he had the privilege to teach others – fellow cardiologists and cardiac surgeons in Poland and in the world, including in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Great Britain, Ireland, France, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, Romania, Switzerland, Hungary, Israel, Australia, Greece and the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Thailand.
He developed a method of hybrid ablation of atrial fibrillation. Working with cardiologists – electrophysiologists in Poland and abroad, he was able to help patients suffering from persistent atrial fibrillation, effectively restoring sinus rhythm. As an expert proctor, he has repeatedly taught surgery techniques in foreign centers, mainly in France and Great Britain, and presented the results of the therapy at many national and international symposia and congresses.
In 2010, he initiated the possibility of introducing the profession of the Physician Assistant to the national health care system, modeled on the well-functioning Physician Assistant profession in the USA. The pilot program started at the Silesian Center for Heart Diseases was appreciated by colleagues, proving its medical usefulness and cost-effectiveness. As such, it remains a model for the further development of the profession today.
See also:
- The coronavirus can seriously damage your heart. Even with mild symptoms
- Seven symptoms of a silent heart attack you need to know
- When the heart fails, warning signs appear on the skin