Institute of Cardiology

The Institute of Cardiology at Lithuanian University of Health Sciences is the chief Lithuanian research institution dealing with topical issues in cardiology. Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is the main problem under investigation. Both basic and clinical researche is carried out at the Institute. The main goals of the Institute of Cardiology are:

- to assess the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors; to study their natural history and related mortality;

- to develop new methods of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of the cardiovascular patients and estimate the effectiveness of these procedures and interventions;

- to investigate regulatory mechanisms of the cardiovascular system and their impact for pathological processes.

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The Institute was founded in 1969 as an extension of the Kaunas Medical Institute Central Research Laboratory on the initiative of the late Rector Professor Z.Januškevičius (1911-1984). From 1975 to 1992, the Institute was headed by Professor J.Blužas, President of the Lithuanian Society of Cardiology. From 1986, the Institute was under the direct jurisdiction of the Ministry of Public Health. In 1991, the Institute became affiliated to the Kaunas Medical Academy. From 1992 to 1997, the Director of the Institute was R.G.Sakalnikas, M.D., D.Sc.habil. Since 1997 Director of the Institute has been Professor P.Grybauskas. In 2004 Election Committee named the new Director of the Institute Professor Rimantas Benetis. In 2010, the Institute was integrated into the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences.

At present, the Institute includes 9 laboratories, employing a staff of 71. Among them there are 38 researchers; a substantial part of the personnel - engineers, mathematicians, computer scientists, biophysicists and chemists - have a paramedical background.

International projects

- Determinants of cardiovascular diseases in Eastern Europe: Longitudinal follow up of a multicentre cohort study (The HAPIEE study).

- CHANCES-Consortium on Health and Ageing: Network of Cohorts in Europe and the United States.

- Investigation of T-wave alternants formation mechanisms during ischemia in explanted and in situ heart models.

- Development of new NIR probes to study human cardiac excitation (NIH grant No.5R01HL07163501).

- EDFAS. Functional State Evaluation System with Distributed Intellect for Elderly and Disabled Population.

- GUARANTEE. A Guardian Angel for the Extended Home Environment.

- Project SOR S/340006/01 (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment)