On November 27, at the Shupyk National University of Health, the official defense of the thesis of a graduate student of the Department of Functional Diagnostics, a cardiologist at the Heart Institute, Yaroslav Skybchyk, “Predictors of restoration and preservation of sinus rhythm in patients with long-term episodes of persistent non-valvular atrial fibrillation” (scientific director – Prof. Oleg Zharinov) took place. The meeting of the one-time specialized council was chaired by the head of the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Prof. Oleg Loskutov. The official opponents were the deputy director for scientific work of the Strazhesko Institute of Cardiology, Clinical and Regenerative Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Prof. Oleg Sychov, and head of the Department of Cardiology, Laboratory and Functional Diagnostics of the Karazin National University, Prof. Vira Tseluiko, the reviewers are the head of the Department of Cardiology of the Shupyk National University of Health, Prof. Maryna Dolzhenko and Prof. Rostyslav Vitovskyi, the Department of Surgery of the Heart and Main Vessels.

The novelty of the work was in the study of a special category of patients with episodes of atrial fibrillation lasting more than three months, for whom late seeking medical help and the formation of “tachycardiomyopathy” are characteristic. On the basis of research carried out on the basis of the Department of Heart Rhythm Disorders of the Heart Institute, the possibilities and advantages of the strategy of rhythm control by the method of electrical cardioversion, provided that the drug therapy with anticoagulants, antiarrhythmic agents and drug correction of heart failure, are justified. The factors that predict the restoration and long-term preservation of the rhythm have been determined, and the possibility of reducing the size and improving the function of the heart chambers has been shown, provided that the sinus rhythm is maintained. Based on the results of the work carried out, the practical aspects of managing patients with prolonged episodes of atrial fibrillation have been improved.

On the basis of positive feedback from the members of the one-time specialized scientific council, as a result of a detailed discussion of the results of the work, Yaroslav Skibchyk was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the scientific specialty Cardiology.