Cardiology

Head prof. Remigijus Žaliūnas, MD, PhD
Address: Eivenių Str. 2, LT-50161, Kaunas
Phone: +37037326449
E-mail: kardiologijos.klinika@kaunoklinikos.lt

The Department of Cardiology mainly consists of an admission division, 2 inpatient cardiological divisions, including 6 subdivisions with 130 beds, a cardiac diagnostic division (with an echocardiographic subdivision), a cardiac intensive care unit (CICU), a cardiac intervention unit and an ischaemic heart disease prevention unit.
Yearly, over 3,000 patients are hospitalized in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (with 18 inpatient beds). In this unit, critically ill patients with acute coronary syndromes and their complications, life threatening cardiac arrhythmias, acute heart failure, acute pulmonary embolism, aortic dissection, etc. are treated using up-to-date methods of management, combining the most modern interventions with appropriate pharmacological therapy. The unit is equipped with modern monitoring system including invasive haemodynamic monitoring using the most advanced techniques as well as the equipment for advanced haemodynamic support consisting of an intraaortic balloon counterpulsation, left ventricular percutaneous assist device and continuous veno-venous haemofiltration system.

STUDY

In the Department of Cardiology, problem-based teaching has been started since 2010.
Scientific activities of the Department of Cardiology are directed towards introducing new diagnostic methods, management problems of coronary artery disease, arrhythmias and infective endocardites. Much attention is paid to the evaluation of the efficacy of new antiarrhythmic, anti-ischaemic and thrombolytic drugs. Clinical trials of amlodipine, azimilide, dofetilide, d-sotalol, carvedilol, lanoteplase, peghirudin, losartan, lotrafiban, perindopril, simvastatine, tedisamile, telmisartan, etc. were performed according to the Good Clinical Practice Standards of the European Community.
The specialists of the Department improve their knowledge and clinical skills in Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, France and the USA.

RESEARCH

In the Department of Cardiology, teachers and scientific researchers take an active part in the realization of the following joint scientific research projects together with researchers working in the Institute of Cardiology at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, the Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, and researchers in the other departments.