Cardiac rehabilitation, or cardiac rehab, is a complex, interprofessional intervention customized to individual patients with various cardiovascular diseases such as ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and myocardial infarctions, or patients who have undergone cardiovascular interventions such as coronary angioplasty or coronary artery bypass grafting. (1) Within the Croatian health system, the “Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation Krapinske Toplice” has been important not only for the medical rehabilitation of hospitalized patients, but also for providing a large number of outpatient services for patients with cardiovascular diseases. Within the hospital, the “Polyclinics for Cardiovascular Diagnostics” provides outpatient services (treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases, systematic health examinations) as well as the health care to hospitalized patients.

The cardiovascular diagnostics encompasses the following procedures: electrocardiogram (ECG), ergometry, spirometry, continuous 24-hr Holter ECG monitoring, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM); Doppler vascular ultrasound; ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI); transthoracic (TTE) and transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE). The Polyclinics has an important role at the county level, because each year it provides health care for more than 20.000 patients (100 to 150 patients daily). The data for 2023 can be summarized as follows: ECG: 8.080 outpatients and 2.268 hospitalized patients; spirometry: 532 outpatients and 87 hospitalized patients; ergometry: 3.743 outpatients and 2.660 hospitalized patients; Holter ECG: 4.239 outpatients; ABPM: 2.477 outpatients; TTE: 4.104 outpatients and 505 hospitalized patients; TEE: 54 outpatients and 46 hospitalized patients; Doppler vascular ultrasound: 1.177 outpatients; ABPI: 615 outpatients; Individual examinations of 5.632 outpatients (cardiology ward) plus 746 outpatients (diabetology ward). On top of the large number of standard TTE examinations, over the last several years there is a continuous increase in the number of performed TEEs and stress-echocardiograms.

The Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation Krapinske Toplice, through its Polyclinics for Cardiovascular Diagnostics, is a cornerstone of cardiovascular health in the region, offering extensive diagnostic and rehabilitative services. Our long-term goal is to continuously improve the daily practice and education of all involved health care providers. With its commitment to improving healthcare practices and expanding service capabilities, the hospital aims to enhance patient outcomes and support the overall health of the community.