The best that has been invented in medicine!

Professor Skride Heart Clinic is changing the way we think about health from both doctors and clients, says associate professor Ainārs Rudzītis, Chief physician of Professor Skride Heart Clinic, cardiologist and echocardiology specialist.

There is good food available in Latvia, we live in an environment that is not polluted, there is fresh air and good water. Unfortunately, we can’t say the same about our health. Elsewhere in the world and in the countries of Europe just a few hundred kilometres away, people are enjoying more healthy years. What’s even more troubling is that the number of preventable deaths is also much lower. Many of those deaths can be prevented. This was the reason why Professor Skride Heart Clinic was established. Working in emergency medical care and in the hospital as an invasive cardiologist, I see how many patients care very little about their health. In addition, with each passing year patients in need of a hospital care become younger. Risk factors are not unique in Latvia. They are the same as, for example, in France. This is a way of life – we work a lot, and then taking care of health is often not at the top of priorities, but the opposite should be true, Prof. Rudzītis is convinced.

That is why Professor Skride Heart Clinic, which has been operating since May 2024 and whose number of clients is now in thousands, has created a team of doctors under the leadership of Prof. Rudzitis, which conceptually changes the approach to health care. “Our focus is on the individual person. The patient’s health is a priority for any doctor, but at the Professor Skride Heart Clinic we ensure that both the best doctors with their knowledge and the most modern equipment that allows you to perform the necessary examinations are available in one place. Also, in situations where surgery is required, we will monitor the recovery and further care. This gives confidence that nothing will go unnoticed and saves our patients time. We can often plan all the tests so that they can be done in one day, which is especially important if the client comes from another city,” says the head of the medical team. He points out that health is the responsibility of both parties – doctors and patients, but conditions must be created for care to proceed smoothly, without unnecessary complications and burdens. Although there are various tests available in Latvia, we can see that they are not being used enough or in ideal combinations. It must be concluded that it is not only society’s indifference to one’s own health that is to blame. It happens that manipulations take place at various locations, there are long waiting lines, and often information about the need for some kind of check and the possibility of performing it has not reached a person at all.

The change in attitude and thinking is also emphasized by Prof. Rudzitis: “Whatever the reason, we see that the result in the system now is not satisfactory. There is such a Chinese proverb — a good doctor treats a disease before it begins. It can also be turned upside down — a good patient thinks about the symptoms and risks before the disease is overblown. A heart attack or cancer does not make itself felt. This happens suddenly and unexpectedly, but given the different risk factors, we can get ahead of these diseases. As strange as it may sound, I believe that nothing better than preventive tests in medicine has yet been invented. In the long run, they are essential for health and allow you to live a much better and longer life. They certainly take less time and less money than treating a disease when it has already begun or been let in. We can look at it as a regular visit to the dentist and hygienist. Only in this case it is about health in general. Taking care of dental health regularly is easier than going to the dentist when the pain is already unbearable. I’ve come across countless cases where it’s only after life has changed irrevocably that people realize it and, of course, then there’s a lot of regret, distress and reproach to themselves that nothing was done sooner, preventively.”

We see that the new approach of the clinic is working, many clients have already got help and evaluating the attitude of the doctors themselves – more and more specialists are choosing Professor Skride Heart Clinic as their main place of work. They want to be where they can contribute the most with their work and knowledge.

Although the heart is mentioned in the name of the clinic and its head is one of the leading cardiologists in Latvia, the prevention of heart disease is far from the only priority. “The name may even be a little confusing, but it is not accidental – over the past year, more than 50 percent of preventable deaths in Latvia have been caused by cardiovascular diseases. This is a few per cent less than in previous years, but we still have a long way to go to the best examples in Europe, where the figure is around 30 per cent. A person is a very complex organism, and no matter how good a cardiologist is, no matter how good an echocardiogram we do for him, it can often not be enough. Therefore, it is very important that there are doctors here who can rely on each other to have care at the highest level in all sectors. Thanks to the experience of our specialists, we have created special health examination programs that we can apply depending on the client’s profile – gender, age, previous illnesses and goals. This is very important so that the patient himself does not have to go in circles about where to start determining his state of health, and that there is confidence that everything is done. Everyone should perform a check-up that we offer, and if all is good, then repeat it in two to three years’ time. On the other hand, if a health problem needs attention, the clinic will definitely have specialists who will help solve it,” professor Rudzītis emphasizes the work of his colleagues.

You are welcome to come visit us at the Professor Skride Heart Clinic!