Dear colleagues, dear friends,
The Covid era has pinned us all to computers and taught us to live part of our lives in a virtual environment. Also the events of the Czech Society of Cardiology have become virtual. Looking back, we can say that we have not thrown in the towel and the Society has not stopped its activities. We strive to maintain a high standard of all our events. This should be testified by over 80 hours of the online 28th Congress, the successful Czech Cardiology Days, and the Congress of the Czech Association of Acute Cardiology.
We are already thinking about what our activities will look like in 2021. Unfortunately, it is not certain what the epidemic situation will be in May. Therefore, at the committee meeting on January 19, after a long discussion, we decided that the Congress would be virtual again. We are planning to spread the program again into two weeks and offer a recording of the entire progress after the end (to be viewed at the CSC portal).
We would be happy if the Congress retains the scientific nature; therefore, we are looking forward to scientific contributions that will be presented in selected sections and in the form of electronic posters.
The challenges facing the CSC in the future will be much greater than ever before. Organizing the Congress is a minor issue compared to the expected increase in the incidence of cardiovascular diseases in the years to come. The causes will be not only the restricted movement and thus less physical activity during the state of emergency, but also the decreased socioeconomic level and neglected prevention and treatment. The observed decrease in acute coronary events feels that many patients with heart attack simply have not reached our cardiovascular centers. These patients will undoubtedly return, either with coronary relapse or complications of the coronary issues they have overcome. Therefore, we will have to mobilize our efforts in both primary and secondary prevention.
Let me thank you in advance: all of you involved in the preparation of the Congress program as well as those that will participate.
On behalf of the CSC Committee
Prof. MUDr. Aleš Linhart, DrSc, FESC. FCMA
Chairman of the Czech Society of Cardiology
Chairman of the Program Committee
Prof. MUDr. Miloš Táborský, CSc, FESC, MBA
Chairman of the Organizing Committee