[Czech angiology and its transformation]

Over the last 25 years, Czech angiology has changed dramatically with respect to the diseases and conditions managed by angiologists as well as available therapeutic modalities. Such developments also required substantial expansion of the extent and character of specialist knowledge required from angiologists. Angiology manages to effectively correlate a clinical profession with non-coronary endovascular therapy and this has brought about a significant improvement in treatment efficacy and comfort. Physicians thus crossed a boundary of purely conservative treatment and focus on life and organ-threatening vascular diseases. Recent years have also seen an emergence of sub-specialities ofinterventional and acute angiology. The use of diagnostic and therapeutic catheterisation enabled angiologists to contribute to the care of patients previously managed by vascular surgeons and interventional radiologists; angiologists have become important contributors to the medical care provided by comprehensive cardiovascular centres.