Focus on Hungary

ACVC National Representatives

Prof. Endré Zima,
Semmelweis University, Heart and Vascular Center
Budapest, Hungary

ACVC Young National Representative

Dr. Enikő Kovács

Semmelweis University, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy  

Budapest, Hungary

Interview

What does it mean to be an ACVC National Representative (NR)?

Being an ACVC National Representative means a great opportunity to exchange experiences and knowledge with international professionals, taking part in surveys and researches, improving the quality and decrease weaknesses of our national ICCU care, as well as propagating its results and strengths.

What can ACVC bring to your national working group and vice-versa?

ACVC and our national working group would profit from each other in many ways. The co-operation will bring opportunities for sharing professional and scientific experiences, co-working on joint trials and studies, as well as creating joint symposia and guidelines. First step, would be the endorsement of the ACVC recommendation of organisation of cardiac intensive care units. The Hungarian NRs would collect and provide data to the actual ACVC White Book.

What does an ICCU look like in your country?

We can divide ICCUs into two groups in our country: on the one hand ICCUs managing patients with acute cardiac diseases needing conservative, intensive and invasive cardiac therapy and on the other hand ICCUs caring of patients who require cardiovascular surgery. Intensive therapists,  anesthesiologists, cardiologists, cardiothoracic and vascular surgeons co-operate at these units leaded by intensive therapists. ECMO and ventricular assist devices are available, but only in the university centers and a few high-volume cardiac centers.

Describe the most challenging situation in your country

The most challenging situation is the lack of human resources in our ICCUs. Much more well-trained intensive care specialist nurses and physicians would be needed, however due to the high physical and mental strain at these units, and the underbalanced salaries it is difficult to keep the stuff for a long period.

What would you like to change or harmonise?

There is a need of unified and well-prepared national guidelines regarding acute and intensive cardiac care, organisational and networking issues in our country. In paralel, it would be very important to improve the postgraduate education and training of nurses and physicians working in the ICCUs focusing on the special situations at these units. We would propagate the ACVC certification exam to all the staff working in specialised cardiovascular ICUs.