Virtual guided tour through Department of Cardiology IKEM

Department of Cardiology, IKEM consists of specialized outpatient clinics, three clinical wards with a total capacity of 84 beds and of specialized units for evaluation and invasive treatment of patients with cardiovascular diseases. Individual units of the department could be found in different parts of IKEM buildings.

Building F, 5th floor – hosts Management of Department of Cardiology (office of the Head of Department, office of its Deputy Chairmen, Head Nurse’s office)

Building B, 3rd floor – the site of Cardiology Outpatient Department for planned visits of ambulatory patients who suffer from a broad spectrum of cardiac diseases, especially with ischemic heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias, implantable devices (pacemakers, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators), valvular heart disease and congenital heart disease.

Building G, 1st floor (next to arrival of ambulances) contains Division of Acute Cardiology. It is used for hospitalisation of patients with acute cardiovascular disorders who are at risk of death or complications. The department consists of Intensive Care Unit, Intermediate Care Unit and Emergency Admission Unit with round the clock service. Departmental experienced staff employs modern equipment to manage life-threatening conditions.

Building G, 3st floor is a location of Intervnetional cardiology unit. It is engaged in catheter diagnostics and treatment of cardiac diseases such as various forms of coronary artery disease (e.g. acute myocardial infarction, angina pectoris and others). Other catheter-based procedures such as catheter closure of atrial or ventricular septal defect or non-coronary interventions are also performed in this unit.

Diagnostics and treatment of heart rhythm disturbances is the main role of the Arrhythmia unit. Its specialized outpatient clinic is located in Building B, 3rd floor. The unit further consists of operation theatre for implantation of implantable devices in Building G, 1st floor and of 2 electrophysiology labs in Building G, 3rd floor. In these labs, catheter ablations of various types of cardiac arrhythmias (catheter-based procedures used for destruction of the site of origin of cardiac arrhythmias or the tissue involved in arrhythmia maintenance) are performed.

Building D, 3rd floor – the location of Noninvasive cardiology unit. It is involved in noninvasive (i.e. bloodless) diagnostics of structure and function of the heart. Echocardiography (cardiac ultrasound) belongs among the fundamental methods, followed by ergometry (cardiac exercise test), spiroergometry (more detailed cardiopulmonary exercise test), spirometry (fundamental pulmonary functional test), ambulatory ECG monitoring (so-called Holter) and head-up tilt test.

Department of cardiology has 2 clinical wards situated in Building F, 4th (ward A) and 5th (ward B) floor. Each of them consists of 33 hospital beds situated in one and three bedroom with WC and bathroom. Ward A contains Heart failure unit with 12 intensive care beds. Both wards are used for hospitalization of patients for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Heart failure unit is an outpatient facility located in Building F, -1st floor. Newly reconstructed unit has 4 outpatient rooms, reception and catheterization lab for right heart studies and endomyocardial biopsies. This unit coordinates heart transplant programme and follows patients after transplantation. Associated programme is pulmonary hypertension (more about this programme at http://www.pah.cz/).