Lenka Roblová M.D. is a physician of the 2nd Department of Medicine – Department of Cardiovascular Medicine (1st Medical School of Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague). She is also one of the specialists of the Center for the diseases of the myocardium and the pericardium of the above-mentioned clinic. In this article, you may read an interview with her.

Dr Roblová, please, could you share with us some information about your professional life?

After graduation from the medical school (1st Medical School of Charles University in Prague), I have had become employed in my home-town in České Budějovice. Now, I have been working in the 2nd Department of Medicine of General University Hospital in Prague for 2,5 years where I am focused primarily on the issue of cardiomyopathies and echocardiography.

How often in your clinical practice do you meet with the cases of myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathy?

In our centre for cardiomyopathies and on the ward, we treat approximately 5 patients per month.

According to the data of UZIS (Institute of Medical Informatics and Statistics), the number of cases of myocarditis has increased by about 60 % when compared with the time 10 years ago. Would you offer us an explanation for this increase?

It is true. Surely, improved diagnostic tools take a part in this, primarily cardiac magnetic resonance that is a golden standard in non-invasive diagnostics of myocarditis. Most likely, even a better awareness and knowledge about this disease among medical professionals play their roles too.

Is care about patients with myocarditis and inflammatory heart diseases generally somehow specific?

Generally, restriction of the physical activity for 6 months or until the reduction of the inflammation or the improvement of the heart function is recommended. In the case of heart failure, standard pharmacotherapy of the heart failure is administered (ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, diuretics etc.). Regarding specific therapy, the situation is not clear completely. There is an agreement in the question of giant-cell and eosinophilic myocarditis and sarcoidosis, where immunosuppressive therapy is indicated. (note of the redactor: for a more detailed description of some terms click on blue-coloured words).

What are according to your professional opinion the biggest difficulties in the research of diagnostics and therapeutics methods of myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathy?

The main problem according to my opinion is the heterogeneity of the myocarditis aetiology. Moreover, it a histological diagnosis and for the definitive diagnosis, the endomyocardial biopsy may be needed, what is not a rule and this examination is performed only in specialized centres. Furthermore, in milder forms of myocarditis without the disorders in the heart function or life-threatening arrhythmias, the endomyocardial biopsy is not indicated.

What is your opinion about the website www.myokarditida.cz? Would you recommend it? Alternatively, for whom do you think it could be beneficial?

The website truly pleasantly surprised me. They are well arranged, with up-to-date information. I think that the website is very helpful to public and physicians, and thus I may recommend them glowingly.

Author of the opening picture: Znajdzlekarza