In recent years, cardiovascular diseases have been one of the main causes of morbidity and the first cause of death according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO).

The number of people suffering from them has increased to a large extent, a fact mainly due to the change in lifestyle (sedentary life, eating habits, smoking) but also to the great progress that has been achieved in the methods of finding and diagnosing the specific diseases.

At the same time, the rapid development of technology has contributed to the significant improvement of the therapeutic means of treating them and concerns both the production of more effective drugs and the application of innovative invasive methods which gradually replace the classic open heart surgical techniques such as the aortocoronary bypass (by-pass). and heart valve replacement. It is now undeniable that patients with cardiovascular problems live longer and with better quality in their daily lives.

The development of technology has affected to a superlative degree all areas of the specialty of Cardiology, specifically imaging, drugs and interventional cardiology.

Developments in medicines

In the field of pharmaceutical intervention, we have new preparations for heart failure, high cholesterol, arterial hypertension, diabetes, as well as new antithrombotic (antiplatelet and anticoagulant) drugs for the prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation and vascular strokes.

The advantage of all these new drugs is their greater effectiveness combined with less side effects eg less bleeding than newer anticoagulant drugs. The development of drugs should also include treatments for rare diseases such as cardiac amyloidosis and more.

Advances in imaging

In the field of imaging tests, which are the cornerstone of medical diagnosis, great progress has been made in ultrasound, CT and MRI, nuclear and ionizing radiation, resulting in real-time visualization of the perfusion and functionality of the heart.

Thus, we have the possibility, after ascertaining the condition, to carry out therapeutic interventions such as for coronary artery disease (angioplasty, implantation of special, flexible impregnated stents, use of rotablator for very calcified coronary stenosis or shock-wave balloons i.e. special balloons with ultrasound, etc.) but and the treatment of heart valve diseases (percutaneous valve repairs-replacements, which are narrow or insufficient, transcatheterically through large vessels or implantation of special clips in the insufficient valves that restore them to proper hemodynamic function).

All of the above were previously performed surgically with a large sternotomy with the consequent stay of the patients in the hospital and abstinence from normality for many days. Now in a very short time the patients return to everyday life.

Pacemaker – defibrillator devices

Technology, however, could not fail to change for the better the pacing-defibrillation devices as well. Essentially, these are small battery-powered computers that are implanted under the skin, connected to thin intracardiac wires that aim to give an electrical rhythm to the heart or stop malignant arrhythmias (defibrillators) by giving a small electrical discharge to the heart. At the moment there are small implantable intracardiac pacemakers the size of a pen cap, without wires that replace when needed the electrical heart function and also have the ability to send all the findings (events) to the treating physician’s phone. The future is to remove the devices and implant special pacemaker cells (biological pacemakers).

Another cardiac nosological entity is heart failure which has many causes (coronary heart disease, valvular diseases, cardiomyopathies, etc.) and the number of people living with this condition is constantly increasing. In the early stages, it is successfully treated with medication. But when the patients are in the final stages, then depending on the age and conditions, heart transplantation should be considered. Until this is achieved, technology makes its presence felt with cardiac assist devices (artificial heart). As for the implantation of cells or cultured tissues in the myocardium, we are still waiting for results.

Sudden cardiac death in young adultss

I would also like to dwell specifically on an area called sudden cardiac death at young ages. This death is usually due to malignant arrhythmias caused by hereditary disorders of the electrical system as well as the structural tissue of the heart. In our time we have the possibility to diagnose them through genetic tests in young people who have sudden deaths in their family and to proceed with the corresponding treatment.

Personally, during my entire professional career, I have had and continue to have the good fortune to adopt and apply in daily medical practice these most modern diagnostic and therapeutic developments within the highly scientific environment of HYGEIA and in harmonious cooperation with internationally recognized colleagues .

HYGEIA, in which I have the honor of being the Director of the 2nd Cardiology Clinic (which is made up of highly trained colleagues) as well as the Vice-President of the Scientific Council, is a pioneer and center of reference internationally, has one of the best hybrid surgeries in Europe and is from the few hospitals that are accredited for the quality of services offered according to the JCI standard. To this I must add the highly trained medical, nursing and technical staff. Also, none of the above would have been achieved if the Administration and the Scientific Council did not demonstrate the appropriate flexibility and follow the developments and of course if the corresponding financial possibility did not exist.

As an epilogue I would like to refer to the quote “Prevention is better than cure” which is the basic and desired goal of modern medical science. HYGEIA, has completed 54 years of service to humanity and was the first private nursing institution which, from the beginning of its operation, provided the possibility of preventive control in the special check up department which is fully organized and contributes the best to prevention.

Our heart is the source of our life. September is dedicated to World Heart Day, let’s remember how important it is to take care of our heart every day. A healthy heart contributes to more moments of happiness and well-being with our loved ones.