Heart health in Vienna: New therapies save lives!

Heart health in Vienna: New therapies save lives!

Heart health is very important in Vienna, and the current figures from the Vienna Health Association (WIGEV) provide impressive evidence of this. In 2024, a total of 17,500 people were hospitalized for heart disease. What is particularly alarming is that chronic coronary heart disease is a common diagnosis that, if left untreated, can lead to serious complications such as heart attack or heart failure. In order to counteract this trend, the Vienna clinics rely on interdisciplinary collaboration and modern technologies that enable individual patient care. Wiener Districtblatt reports on around 1,700 patients who were treated after an acute heart attack in 2024.

The risk factors for heart disease are wide-ranging: high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, inactivity and psychosocial stress play a significant role. Genetic factors, such as the lipoprotein a value, are also measured as standard in order to make differentiated therapy recommendations. Women with pregnancy complications are particularly at risk, as gestational diabetes or high blood pressure can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Modern therapies and prevention

The various clinics in Vienna use the most modern procedures, which represent a significant improvement in the treatment of heart disease. The Favoriten Clinic uses MitraClip therapy to stabilize the mitral valve without open heart surgery. A heart biopsy enables doctors to make an exact diagnosis of heart failure and to develop a tailor-made therapy. Complex coronary procedures are also carried out at the Ottakring Clinic. 37 patients with a high surgical risk have been successfully treated here in the past two years.

Particular progress was achieved at the Floridsdorf Clinic, where a custom-made aortic arch prosthesis was implanted. This globally unique breakthrough is supported by a novel “seamless connector” that significantly reduces the duration of the operation and the risk of complications. Interdisciplinary collaboration is of central importance in all treatments and is supported by regular heart team meetings in the Donaustadt and Floridsdorf clinics.

Special features for women

A look at the gender differences reveals that men are more likely to suffer from classic heart attacks caused by blocked coronary arteries. However, women under 50 have a higher mortality rate after a heart attack than their male counterparts, due to a variety of causes. More frequent illnesses and more diverse symptoms mean that warning signs are often not recognized as such. It is therefore advisable for women to take preventive measures such as quitting smoking, exercise and a healthy diet and to have their blood pressure checked regularly from the age of 45. AOK emphasizes that from around the age of 50, a woman's body produces less blood pressure-lowering estrogen, which increases the risk of high blood pressure.

These developments are a wake-up call to raise awareness of heart health, not only for men, but especially for women, who often receive less attention. Prevention and education are the key to counteracting cardiovascular diseases in a timely manner. To raise awareness of these topics, the “Klinikkosmos” podcast series is also a valuable source of information, offering listeners insights into the world of heart surgery and highlighting the importance of teamwork.