XXII International Congress of the Polish Cardiac Society

In Krakow on September 13-15, 2018, the annual International Congress of the Polish Cardiac Society was held 22nd time. This year's event was exceptionally significant - it included 135 thematic sessions, during which 500 lecturers presented the latest achievements of cardiology in front of more than 6,000 participants. The congress was organized under the slogan "Heart failure - stop the epidemic".

The Congress of the Polish Cardiac Society is one of the most important and largest scientific events in Poland, which is held for the 22nd time, but for the first time in Krakow. During the meeting, which every year gathers participants and experts from Poland and abroad, there are discussions on the problems of contemporary cardiology and the latest scientific reports - everything to deal with the challenge of treating cardiovascular disease more effectively.

During Congress’ Digital Cardio Area we could see presentations of innovative projects and products that may be the future of Polish cardiology. Prof. Paweł Buszman, Krzysztof Milewski PhD and Piotr Buszman PhD (American Heart of Poland) presented a modern model of cardiac telerehabilitation, which is being developed as part of the RESTORE program, co-financed by NCBiR, and modern, biodegradable stents. The MedApp company, headed by Mateusz Kierepka, presented CarnaLife Holo system, which was awarded and received a competition prize for the most innovative product presented during the event.

What was particularly important topic of discussions was heart failure and heart valve treatment with participation of prof. Adam Witkowski, President-elect of the Polish Cardiac Society. Participants’ attention was also paid to the session devoted to the treatment and diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia, during which prof. Dariusz Dudek and prof. Maciej Banach showed the action of modern drugs for this disease - PCSK9 inhibitors. During the Congress there was also a special session entitled "Heart failure: to prevent or to cure? Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart failure in Poland", organized by the American Heart of Poland with the participation of the Silesian Center for Heart Diseases and the Upper-Silesian Medical Centre. The session was attended by eminent experts in the field of cardiology and cardiac surgery: prof. Paweł Buszman (Chief Executive Officer, American Heart of Poland), prof. Mariusz Gąsior (Head of 3rd Department of Cardiology, SMDZ in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia), assoc. prof. Krzysztof Milewski PhD (General Director, CCRD, American Heart of Poland), prof. Wojciech Wojakowski (President-elect, Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions, Polish Cardiac Society), Piotr Buszman PhD (Preclinical Research Director/Experimental Workshop, CCRD, American Heart of Poland), Piotr Rozentryt PhD (3rd Department of Cardiology, SMDZ in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia) and assoc. prof. Michał Zembala PhD (Deputy Director Mechanical Circulatory Support Dept. of Cardiovascular Surgery and Transplantology, Silesian Center For Heart Diseases).

The subject of the discussion were both the causes as well as the methods of treatment and prevention of heart failure in Poland, which is one of the most common cardiovascular diseases occurring in Poland. During the session experts also raised such issues as the role of cardiac surgery and pharmacotherapy in the treatment of heart failure, telerehabilitation of patients, modern ambulatory care and monitored pharmacotherapy in the day ward.

Eleven Zett Productions provided media support for the aforementioned sessions, a report on social media and a photo coverage.