Scientific board

doc. MUDr. Eva Gonsalvesová, CSc., Head of the Scientific board

NICVD is the leading center of Slovak cardiology and cardiac surgery. Besides the methodical management of cardiovascular healthcare in Slovakia (its employees are the main consultants of the Ministry of Health for cardiology, cardiac surgery and vascular surgery) there are running several research projects and multi-center clinical trials, focused mainly on clinical verification of new drugs. High professionality of the medical staff within the institute is the appropriate basis for research activities. At present time, there are 6 university professors, 4 university associated professors, and tens of other professionals awarded by academic degree (PhD.) working in the Institute.

Scientific research is coordinated and overseen by the scientific board of NICVD, which has 15 members. At present time, there are 13 ongoing research projects granted and funded by the Ministry of Health. Their main aim is solving the current cardiovascular problems. Those projects are concentrated on risk stratification of sudden cardiac death after acute MI, on viability assessment of myocardium by means of contrast and stress echocardiography, on clinical research of selected biochemical and immunological markers in patients after HTx, as well as on monitoring of comorbid conditions after HTx. Other research projects focus on the clinical impact of biochemical parameters in the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of patients with heart failure, application of biochemical markers in early detection of sepsis, efficiency of antithrombotic therapy within facilitated PCA in acute MI, as well as embolization protection in patients with atrial septal defect occluded with Amplatz occluder.

A unique project is cellular plasticity of ischemic cardiomyopathy. Several research activities are carried out in the surgery departments. They concentrate on application of new methods and strategies in coronary surgery and reconstruction of critical ischemia of extremities as well as on endovascular therapy of carotid lesions and aneurysms of the abdominal aorta.

Results have been presented at several national and international meetings and have been published in scientific journals. These activities are very well received all over the world and form the basis for intensive cooperation with other well known institutions. As a consequence, credit of NICVD is rising abroad.

An important milestone in the development of this top centre was the construction of a new building. The institution moved there in May, 1997. The new centre that became a pleasant environment for patients and hospital staff is equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic and healthcare equipment. Three departments and independent healthcare sections that provide top level European services form pillars of the Institute. The Institute also provides postgraduate education of physicians at its three faculties and one sub-faculty of the Slovak Medical University.