Prof. Petr Neužil was today appointed Head of the Cardiology Department of the 1st Faculty of Medicine of Charles University and NNH

The ceremony was attended by the Dean of the 1st Faculty of Medicine of Charles University Prof. MUDr. Martin Vokurka. Petr Polouček, MBA and other representatives of the hospital management and the cardiology department. We congratulate prof. Neužil on his new position. 

From 1 February 2025, the new Cardiology Clinic of the 1st Faculty of Medicine of Charles University and the Na Homolce Hospital started its activities. The establishment of this clinic, which combines the academic and clinical spheres, was approved by the Academic Senate of the 1st Faculty of Medicine of Charles University on 13 January 2025.

This step confirms the long-term cooperation between the cardiology department of the Na Homolce Hospital and the 1st Faculty of Medicine of Charles University.The main focus will be the undergraduate teaching of students of this faculty with a focus on the 5th and 6th year, teaching of foreign students and, of course, an integral part of the activities of the new cardiology clinic will be the existing biomedical research, in which the cardiology clinic will focus primarily on the development and testing of new technologies for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. This area is dominated by interventional approaches within structural diseases, cardiac arrhythmias and heart failure. The focus in this area will also be on postgraduate training, particularly the study of PhD students.

These innovative projects, led by Prof. Petr Neužil, M.D., CSc., FESC, Head of the Cardiology Department, are carried out within the experimental laboratory, which is part of the joint research centre of the 1st Faculty of Medicine of Charles University, Na Homolce Hospital and General University Hospital in Prague.

"The Cardiology Clinic at the Na Homolka Hospital is a modern workplace that provides comprehensive care for patients with heart and vascular diseases. Within our clinic, we perform up to 3,500 catheterisation procedures every year, which places us among the largest cardiovascular centres in the Czech Republic," says the head of the department, Prof. Petr Neužil. "Our goal is not only to provide top-quality care to our patients, but also to educate future generations of doctors and contribute to the development of cardiology through biomedical research and the development of new treatment methods. The clinic will provide a space for the education of students of the 1st Faculty of Medicine of Charles University, who will be able to participate in everyday clinical practice and research."

The establishment of the clinic is also welcomed by the Dean of the 1st Faculty of Medicine of Charles University, Prof. Martin Vokurka: "We have a long-standing cooperation with the cardiology department of the Homolka Hospital in medical education and science. With the establishment of the clinic, it can now develop and expand intensively. Cardiology is an important field and introducing future doctors to a wide range of modern diagnostic and treatment methods is very important, as is the opportunity to get involved in clinical and research work during their studies. Students at the first medical school will thus have the opportunity to get to know cardiology at our departments in a truly comprehensive way, from the theoretical basics to cutting-edge clinical practice."

The Cardiology Clinic of the 1st Faculty of Medicine of Charles University in Prague and the Na Homolce Hospital is part of a broader network of three renowned institutions and cooperates with international partners in the field of clinical and translational medicine. The clinic focuses on highly specialised treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, performing catheter ablation, implantation of pacemakers and cardioverter-defibrillators for patients at high risk of sudden cardiac death. It is one of the European leaders in the treatment of heart rhythm disorders and chronic heart failure and is one of the largest centres in Europe, with an exceptional focus on interventional catheterisation procedures for acute myocardial infarction, treatment of angina, closure of atrial septal defects and stroke prevention. The clinic was also one of the first in the Czech Republic to use temporary mechanical heart support in the treatment of acute heart failure.

The new clinic will strengthen the competitiveness of Czech biomedical research and technology, while continuing to provide quality patient care and an innovative approach to the treatment of cardiovascular disease.