Cardiologist MUDr. Petr Janský on World Heart Day 09.29.2023

To learn about World Heart Day, we spoke with cardiologist MUDr. Petr Janský, who works in Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, 2nd Medical Faculty, Charles University and University Hospital Motol and in the cardiology department at My Clinic. He is a member of the European Society of Cardiology, the Czech Society of Cardiology, the Czech Society of Internal Medicine, the Czech Society of Intensive Medicine, deputy editor-in-chief of the journal Interventional Cardiology and Acute Cardiac Care and a member of the editorial board of the European Heart Journal – Acute Cardiovascular Care.

Diseases of the heart and blood vessels are still the leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide. Cardiovascular causes account for up to 30% of all deaths. Despite significant advances in prevention and treatment, the incidence of diseases of the heart and circulatory system continues to increase on the global scale.

In part, this cardiovascular epidemic is due to the rapidly growing number of people in advanced age. The risk of developing cardiovascular disease is increased by unhealthy lifestyle factors such as smoking, poor dietary habits, excessive alcohol consumption or insufficient physical activity. Such factors lead to excess weight and obesity, an increase in blood pressure and high levels of cholesterol and sugar in the blood. Many circulatory complications can be averted or at least delayed by reducing these risk factors.

The most common cardiovascular diseases include ischemic heart disease, heart failure, heart rhythm disorders, stroke and thromboembolic complications.

The cause of ischemic heart disease is the accumulation of fatty substances in the walls of the coronary arteries, which causes them to become gradually narrower or entirely blocked. The most feared complication of coronary artery disease is acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), in which there is a sudden restriction or even interruption of blood flow through the coronary arteries. This is typically felt as a dull aching pain on the front of the chest, which can radiate to the neck, back or arms. Other symptoms are general nausea, sweating or an urge to vomit. Myocardial infarction can be complicated by heart failure or heart rhythm disorders, the most serious of which can lead to cardiac arrest and sudden death. Therefore, if a heart attack is suspected, every second counts in seeking emergency assistance, ensuring safe transport to a medical facility and restoring blood flow to the heart muscle.

Cerebrovascular accidents (strokes) are caused by impaired blood flow through the brain vessels or bleeding into the brain tissue. Their main symptoms are sudden, usually unilateral, disorders in limb movement, confusion, impaired consciousness, headaches or speech disorder. Even if a stroke is only suspected, it is essential to provide professional medical assistance as quickly as possible, because this can reduce or even eliminate permanent disability.

The increasing incidence of heart rhythm disorders, especially atrial fibrillation, is a very significant health problem. This arrhythmia affects mainly seniors. It can cause unpleasant sensations such as heart palpitations and limit physical activity. The most serious complication of atrial fibrillation is the formation of intracardiac blood clots, which can cause impaired blood supply to the brain or other parts of the body if they enter circulation. For this reason, atrial fibrillation is one of the most common causes of stroke. However, appropriate treatment can restore normal heart rhythm or at least significantly reduce the occurrence of such complications.

Recently, there has also been a significant increase in patients with signs of heart failure. This manifests as a gradual deterioration in physical performance, fatigue, shortness of breath, sleep disorders and fluid retention in the body with swelling. People with an advanced stage of heart failure can experience these symptoms after minimal activity or even at rest. The decline of heart function can be effectively halted by a course of treatment including consistent management of high blood pressure and diabetes, prevention of coronary heart disease and early diagnosis and treatment of heart valve defects.