EurAsia Heart - international cooperation in cardiovascular surgery

Cardiovascular diseases are the major cause of death in neonates, children, adolescents and adults. Untreated congenital heart disease is the major cause of death worldwide in children younger than five years of age, exceeding the combined death rate caused, e.g. by malaria, tuberculosis or HIV [6]. In many developing countries, life expectancy is limited to an average of 58 to 64 years of age [1, 2]. In addition quality of life is markedly reduced while the number of disabled patients and patients depending from social welfare is steadily increasing. The major cause is undiagnosed and untreated cardiovascular diseases. Eighty percent of all cardiovascular deaths worldwide occur in developing countries [3]. Cardiology and cardiovascular surgery are powerful tools to increase the life expectancy, to improve and normalize the quality of life, to preserve patients able to work and to reduce the overall health care costs as well as costs for social welfare for those otherwise disabled by chronic cardiovascular diseases. Developing countries invest in cardiology and cardiovascular surgery. However, the establishment of a cardiovascular centre is a challenging task. The problem is that several specialties have to be developed simultaneously: cardiology, cardiac surgery, perfusion techniques, anaesthesia, intensive care as well as postoperative medical treatment - for adults and for children. The attractiveness of EurAsia Heart Foundation allowed establishing numerous international co-operations with excellent institutions, interested and engaged in teaching and education abroad.

EurAsia Heart, cardiac surgery, international cooperation, improvement in cardiac surgery