Month: April 2024

By Prof. Dr. Yana Simova, Ph. 
Director of the Bulgarian Cardiology Institute,
with over 400 scientific publications in the world’s leading journals

“My main professional and research passion is advanced medicine and leading-edge medical science. The management of a large research organization and the multifaceted methodical leadership of the newest and most modern hospitals inevitably led me to conceptual analyses in health care policy in our country, Europe and developed democratic countries.

Why have all those in the MoH and National Assembly who are against the licensing of ‘Heart and Brain’ Sofia failed and will fail in their political careers?

Because they cannot answer the question of how this new hospital, which practices medicine and research at the European and American level, will infringe on the right of choice guaranteed in the law and on the interests of the people of Sofia, who have one of the lowest levels of satisfaction with medical care in the country and in the European Union. The primitive populism that has been exercised over the last four years, in all its forms, including through parliamentary scrutiny, has a serious conflict with itself. Populism does not have the dignity to acknowledge the simple truth that the private initiative is competent, takes on the worst pathology in hospitals outside Sofia, operates state-of-the-art 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, and has remarkably good social outcomes for all – from low in-hospital mortality and high industrial productivity to record GDP and unprecedented tax collection. […]

People from home and abroad now choose to be treated here, says the manager of the high-tech ‘Heart and Brain’ clinic

Two positive news on the eve of the professional holiday of doctors April 7, told Darik Dr. Lidiya Stefanova, manager of the hospital ‘Heart and Brain’ Burgas and chairman of the Health Committee in the local parliament.

For the first time we are witnessing a reverse migration – not outside, but to Burgas. Patients choose to be treated here, coming from different regions of the country, and also Bulgarians living abroad. Most often they are from Romania, Turkey, Great Britain.

“These are people who have researched very well where they can get quality treatment without it costing them a huge amount,” says the cardiologist. On the other hand, more and more doctors are heading to Southeast Bulgaria’s largest city for professional development, training and permanent settlement.

She says the city’s greatest achievements can be noted in healthcare because of the quality of hospital care. “With the investments attracted in this area, projects are being implemented that have put Burgas on the health map of Bulgaria. There is a new trend – the so-called medical tourism, which until recently took Bulgarians to Turkey, but now is in the direction of Burgas and Pleven”.

The head of the region’s high-tech hospital believes that the doctor-patient relationship has been restored, and that it is closely linked to the attitude of specialists towards those they treat.

You can find the full interview here in Bulgarian.

Why did a national specialist choose to apply electrophysiology and cardiac pacing in Burgas?

On the eve of the professional holiday of doctors – April 7, here is what the leading specialist told Darik:

Dr. Protich, what are the new methods to protect the heart from developing heart failure?

Apart from drug therapy /with a group of glyphlosins/, which in the last ten years have started to gain more and more popularity and become part of our recommendations in the treatment of diseases such as hypertension, heart failure and diabetes, in my specialty this is done by implanting special pacemakers that aim to improve the pumping function of the heart, thus fighting the manifestations of heart failure and significantly improving the quality of life of our patients. Of course, this treatment is not applicable to all patients. And our goal is to select those of them we can help. We should not fool people into thinking that this is the only way to treat and it is not a stand-alone treatment, but is also associated with medical treatment.

The full article is available here in Bulgarian.

Interview with prof. Ivan Dimitrov – Head of the Clinic for Nervous Diseases at ‘Heart and Brain’ Burgas on the occasion of World Parkinson’s Day

Every year on 11 April we celebrate World Parkinson’s Day. What is this disease?

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive degenerative disease of the nervous system that is most commonly diagnosed in patients between 55-60 years of age. Both sexes are affected, with a slight male predominance. It is estimated that there are about 12 000 patients in Bulgaria. Although at first sight such a number of patients does not seem too large, the disease cannot actually be described as rare. The celebration of the World Day is a good occasion to give publicity to the possibilities of diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

What are the manifestations of the disease and the complaints that point to this diagnosis?

Unfortunately, at the beginning the disease develops asymptomatically. There is a period with non-specific complaints when it is difficult to make the diagnosis. Among the typical symptoms that appear later are slow movements, stiffness of the body and limbs and trembling (tremor). It is the tremor that most often impresses the patient and his relatives. It is important to stress, however, that not every tremor is a manifestation of Parkinson’s disease. For example, essential tremor disease is much more common.

 Are specialist tests needed to make the diagnosis?

A neurological examination is particularly important. A medication test is also done. Of course, the diagnostic process also includes some apparatus tests – a tremorogram, brain imaging. In any case, the diagnosis should be made by a specialist neurologist.

 And what is the treatment, can the development of the disease be stopped?

There are different types of treatment depending on the stage of the disease. In the early stages, after the diagnosis is made, treatment with medication is initiated, the appropriate ones being selected according to the specific clinical case. Some of these have neuroprotective effects and are thought to be able to slow the progression of the disease. In late Parkinson’s disease, when various complications occur, other therapeutic methods are also applied. These are the introduction of special medications via portable pumps or deep brain stimulation.

What options for diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s disease does the Heart and Brain Hospital in Burgas provide?

The Clinic of Nervous Diseases at ‘Heart and Brain’ Burgas works actively with patients with Parkinson’s disease, as well as with those in whom the diagnosis has not been made and should be confirmed. The hospital has a contract with the National Health Insurance Fund to work on clinical pathways covering Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor and other diseases associated with similar symptomatology. We have equipment for neurophysiological and imaging diagnostics, as well as a transcranial magnetic stimulator, treatments with which can relieve some of the patients’ symptoms.