The International Cardiology Congress brought together 27 speakers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the region, Europe, and the United States, providing a multidisciplinary platform focused on education, scientific exchange, collaboration, and mentorship. The program covered key areas of cardiovascular medicine, including cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, advanced heart failure, structural interventions, imaging, precision medicine, prevention, and innovation.
In alignment with the BHAAAS mission to promote scientific excellence and collaboration between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the international medical community, the congress emphasized the integration of early-career physicians and trainees, who participated alongside established national and international experts. This reinforced structured mentorship and the development of future cardiovascular leaders.
We are proud to highlight the introduction of the concept of Women’s Heart Centers, supporting structured approaches to cardiovascular prevention and care across a woman’s lifespan. The program also addressed transparent and responsible industry collaboration, precision medicine in rare cardiomyopathies, and the role of advanced cardiac imaging.
A central message of the meeting was the need to improve accessibility and timely delivery of advanced cardiovascular care, including early identification and escalation of advanced heart failure patients toward advanced heart failure, LVAD, and transplant pathways. The continued strengthening of PCI-capable institutions, expansion of coordinated STEMI systems of care, and further development of structural heart programs, including TAVI, were also highlighted as essential priorities to improve outcomes and expand access to lifesaving therapies.
The congress reaffirmed that Bosnia and Herzegovina has a strong base of skilled physicians and healthcare professionals whose impact can be enhanced through collaboration, resource alignment, and multidisciplinary care. Continued expansion of institutional cooperation, trainee involvement, and regional and international partnerships remains a priority.
The congress was made possible through collaboration among BHAAAS, University Clinical Center Sarajevo (KCUS), ASA Hospital Sarajevo, the Association of Cardiologists of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and partner institutions across Bosnia and Herzegovina including Cantonal Hospitals in Zenica, Bihać, and Mostar, General Hospital “Prim. dr. Abdulah Nakaš” Sarajevo, with regional collaborators from Serbia and North Macedonia, and academic and clinical partners from the United States and European centers.
The symposium was led by Jelena Arnautović, DO, FACC, FSCAI, RPVI, Clinical Assistant Professor at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and Program Director of the Cardiovascular Fellowship Program at Henry Ford Health System, prof. Dr. Belma Pojskić, president of the Association of Cardiologists of Bosnia and Herzegovina and full professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Zenica, Dr. Elvira Silajdžija, PhD, from the Cardiology Department of the University Hospital in Copenhagen, and Dr. Lamija Ferhatbegović, PhD, FESC, assistant professor of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Zenica and president of the Working Group for Lipidology of the Association of Cardiologists of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
English
Bosanski
