I Schusterova, J Saligova, L Potocnakova, A Tohatyova and K Gombosova
Children University Hospital, Slovakia
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Primary Health Care
The process of atherosclerosis begins already in childhood and its relationship to the presence and intensity of the known cardiovascular risk factors has been already proved. Expert panel on integrated guidelines for cardiovascular reduction in children and adolescents highlighted early identification of risk factors and their elimination, as they plays a key role in the prevention of CVS diseases. AHA definition of ?¢????CVS health?¢??? encompasses these parameters: tobacco use, BMI adjusted to the gender and age of a child, physical activity, score of healthy food, total cholesterol, blood pressure, fasting glycaemia. As an important part of primary prevention we perform screening program, examining the serum concentration of total cholesterol in 11 and 17 years old children and adolescents allover Slovak Republic by primary paediatricians. In case, total cholesterol level are higher than 5.4 mmol/l patients are refered to the specialist outpatient care department ?¢???? pediatric cardiologist and endocrinologist. Selective screening is provided in population with high risk of CVS disease (with positive family history of CVS diseases, concentrations of cholesterol higher than 6.2 mmol/l, etc.) in specialised terciary centers for lipid metabolism disorders and preventive cardiology. Markers of subclinical atherosclerosis, increased Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (CIMT) assessed with ultrasound, endothelial dysfunction (reduced arterial dilation), and increased left ventricular mass with cardiac ultrasound are examined in the pediatric centers of preventive cardiology. The identification of children and adolescents with high risk and effective management of identified risk factors represents the key point in prevention of future CVD.
I Schusterová is an Associated Professor and the Head of the Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent medicine, Children University Hospital, P J Š University in Košice, Slovakia. At the same time, she is the Head Physician in the tertiary center for valvular and congenital heart defects, Eastern Slovak Institute of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases. She took specialization exam from Adult and Pediatric Cardiology at National Institute of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases in Bratislava, Slovak Republic. After Graduation, she took part in Fellowship Training at Ottawa Civic Hospital, and later on performed research work in the area of cardiology at University of Ottawa in Canada. In the period from 11/1999 till 7/2004, she completed her training at Cardiologic department, II. Internal Medicine Clinic, General hospital, Vienna under supervision of Professor Dr Gerald Maurer. Later in 2005, she broadened her professional knowledge and skills at Cardiac Surgery Clinic, Kardiocentrum Universitätsklinik in Bad Oyenhausen, Germany. Her research interests focus on preventive cardiology, obesity, and disorders of lipid metabolism, atherosclerosis and their prevention in the pediatric age group.
Email: ingrid.schusterova@upjs.sk
