The cardiology medical community of Greece watched with particular interest the Panhellenic conference “Cardiology Days: Latest Developments”, where presentations and discussions were the latest developments in the field of cardiologywith an emphasis on the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The conference was organized by the Association for the Study of Cardiovascular Diseases (EME.KA.P) in collaboration with the Cardiology Department of the General Hospital of Athens “The Evangelismos”, while it was held under the auspices of the School of Medicine of the EKPA and the Society for the Study and Research of Heart Failure (EMECA).

Within the framework of the conference, leading scientists of clinical and interventional medicine, as well as renowned health professionals, presented the latest epidemiological data on cardiovascular diseases, which remain the leading cause of mortalityeven after the COVID-19 pandemic. Coronary artery disease accounts for 50% of deaths from cardiac causeswhile the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic plaque continues to be the subject of research. According to the new 2024 guidelines, factors such as smoking, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and family history still contribute decisively to the assessment of cardiovascular risk.

When discussing coronary artery disease, bloodless diagnostic techniques were emphasizedsuch as exercise testing, dynamic echocardiography and radioisotope methods, which assess clinical risk in low-risk patients. At the same time, the role of CT coronary angiography in the diagnosis of chronic coronary disease in patients of moderate cardiovascular risk is significantly improved. Interventional treatment, whether with angioplasty or coronary artery bypass grafting, must be tailored to the needs of each patient, especially in cases of complex disease, with decisions made through multidisciplinary collaboration.

In the field of heart failureattention is increasingly focused on the group of very old patients, which is constantly expanding due to the increase in life expectancy and the aging of the population. At the same time, modern therapeutic strategies focus on the individualized approach, combining newer drugs, such as SGLT2 (glucose-sodium cotransporter) inhibitors, with advanced mechanical heart support devices. This approach contributes to the reduction of hospitalizations and mortalitywhile significantly improving the patients’ quality of life.

Valvular diseases and advanced treatment techniques

The scientific field of valvular diseases and their advanced treatment techniques were the main topic of the scientific program of the conference. Transcutaneous aortic valve replacement (TAVI) is proving particularly useful for patients with dysfunctional bioprosthetic valves, providing a valuable alternative for those with comorbidities. At the same time, new generations of devices for percutaneous tricuspid valve replacement-repair have significantly reduced complication rates and have increased the effectiveness of the procedure, making it particularly useful for patients who cannot undergo surgery.

The developments in the field of arrhythmias gathered intense interest, as distinguished speakers of international prestige presented the latest data on the treatment of atrial fibrillation through ablation surgery. This method has emerged as the treatment of choice for this arrhythmia, contributing decisively to the improvement of the patients’ quality of life. In addition, the treatment of dangerous ventricular arrhythmias, with the help of magnetic resonance imaging of the heart, is shown to significantly increase the effectiveness of the therapeutic approach.

Intensive didactic commentary was provided on current and controversial issues in clinical cardiology, such as the management of electrical storm in patients with an implanted defibrillator and the management of chronic pericardial effusion, pending the forthcoming European guidelines on the latter topic. Furthermore, stratifying and preventing the risk of sudden cardiac death, particularly in athletes and patients with cardiomyopathy, continues to be a challenge even for specialized medical scientists.

Finally, Frinnovations in the pharmacological approach to myocardial diseases were presented. In particular, the effect of thyroid hormone on the negative remodeling of the left ventricle of the heart, following a variety of noxious stimuli, has attracted the attention of researchers. The data that have been collected at the laboratory level after extensive research, by research groups of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, are expected to be evaluated with interest at the clinical level as well.