AI v medicíně a zdravotnictví – nová rubrika časopisu Vnitřní lékařství

doc. MUDr. Ondřej Volný, Ph.D.

Vnitr Lek 2026, 72(1):3  

Most common mistakes in hypertension management

Jitka Mlíková Seidlerová

Vnitr Lek 2026, 72(1):8-13 | DOI: 10.36290/vnl.2026.001  

Arterial hypertension is one of the most prevalent diseases in the Czech population, but unfortunately, its control does not reach satisfactory levels. It is therefore clear that there is still potential for improvement in its management. This article lists the most common problems, points out the possible consequences of these mistakes, and suggests the correct approach to solving them. In terms of diagnosis, we make errors not only in clinic blood pressure measurement but also in the use of out-of-office blood pressure measurement. Another shortcoming is the insufficient use of supplementary tests, which are mandatory for all hypertensive patients....

Current and emerging therapies in obstructive lung diseases

Kristián Brat

Vnitr Lek 2026, 72(1):15-20 | DOI: 10.36290/vnl.2026.002  

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchial asthma are the two most common chronic lung diseases with an estimated global prevalence of over 300 million people each. For both diseases, updates of global strategies are published annually (the GOLD document for COPD and the GINA document for asthma) to establish a general framework for the management of these diseases. Both documents are cornerstones for the Czech national guidelines for the diagnosis and management of COPD and asthma. In recent years, a substantial scientific progress has been made in the field, that outlines the current and future directions of their management. This...

Gut microbiome in internal medicine

Zdeněk Lys, Lukáš Štos, David Galis, Veronika Janošcová, Jan Václavík

Vnitr Lek 2026, 72(1):22-28 | DOI: 10.36290/vnl.2026.003  

The gut microbiome is a dynamic ecosystem with many physiological tasks not only in the gut itself, but also in interaction with the immune, endocrine, and nervous systems, as well as in the complex functioning of the organism. Knowledge of the role of the microbiome in the pathophysiology of diseases is growing across the entire spectrum of internal medicine. Knowledge of the role of the microbiome and its metabolites in the context of genetic and epigenetic factors may play a significant role in the diagnosis and treatment of several diseases. Despite many obstacles to clarifying the role of the microbiome, such as high inter- and intra-individual...

Clinic and treatment of aortic diseases - ESC guidelines

Veronika Jankovičová

Vnitr Lek 2026, 72(1):29-35 | DOI: 10.36290/vnl.2026.004  

Aortic diseases represent a growing clinical problem with increasing prevalence, especially in older age groups. The availability of imaging methods, especially echocardiography, CT with ECG gating and MRI, plays a crucial role in diagnosis. Management of aortic aneurysms and acute aortic syndromes (AAS) is based on an accurate assessment of morphology, risk factors and growth dynamics. Prevention includes screening of selected populations and control of risk factors, especially arterial hypertension. Thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms have different etiopathogenesis, risk of complications and indication criteria for surgical or endovascular treatment....

Arterial hypertension is an important topic even in patients admitted to hospitals for other reasons

Pavel Rutar

Vnitr Lek 2026, 72(1):38-42 | DOI: 10.36290/vnl.2026.005  

Arterial hypertension affects nearly 20% of Czech population. Due to this high prevalence, arterial hypertension has become a diagnosis seen on daily basis by general practitioners in primary care as well by specialists in hospitals. Despite the amount of energy and time which doctors give into the treatment of hypertension, we can still find patients who are not treated in the best way. And because we can still find some space for improvement, we should take care about the treatment of hypertension even at patients who came to the hospital for other reasons. Hospitalisation on its own brings very good conditions for frequent blood pressure controls...

Surprising finding of a large intracardial mass in the right atrium during catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation

Katarína Doležalová, Filip Souček, Vojtěch Šebetovský, Zdeněk Stárek

Vnitr Lek 2026, 72(1):43-46 | DOI: 10.36290/vnl.2026.006  

Myxomas are the most common primary cardiac tumors, most often located in the left atrium. Right atrial myxomas are rare and often remain asymptomatic for a long time, which complicates early diagnosis.  Our case report describes a 53year-old male endurance athlete diagnosed with paroxyzmal atrial fibrillation, who was referred for catheter ablation – specifically, pulmonary vein isolation. During the planned procedure, intracardiac ultrasound revealed a large, mobile mass in the right atrium, attached by a stalk to the interatrial septum. The procedure was immediately aborted. Subsequent transesophageal echocardiography and cardiac magnetic...

Acute kidney injury induced by synthetic cannabinoids

Eva Zvárová, Jan Václavík

Vnitr Lek 2026, 72(1):47-50 | DOI: 10.36290/vnl.2026.007  

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a potentially life-threatening condition with a range of possible causes that can be didactically classified as prerenal, renal, and postrenal. Differential diagnosis of the etiologically heterogeneous renal subgroup of AKI requires a comprehensive approach and includes, among others, vasculitides, systemic connective tissue diseases, infectious disorders and intoxication with medications or drugs. This case report describes a 21-year-old patient admitted to the internal medicine department with non-oliguric stage III AKI of unclear etiology, clinically dominated by dyspeptic symptoms. Imaging and laboratory tests, including...

Interdisciplinary recommendations for thrombophilia testing

Eva Drbohlavová, Jaromír Gumulec, Alena Buliková, Petr Dulíček, Jana Hirmerová, Radovan Malý, Ester Zápotocká, Jan Blatný, Jan Václavík, Petr Kessler

Vnitr Lek 2026, 72(1):56-59  

In this interdisciplinary consensus of four medical societies dealing with thrombophilic disorders, we summarize the rules of diagnosis and care of patients with congenital or acquired thrombophilias, i.e. factors increasing the risk of venous thromboembolic disease. The primary goal is to standardize the care of these patients with respect to the rules of evidence-based medicine. The recommendations imply under which circumstances, in which clinical situations, for which patients and which tests it is useful to investigate which thrombophilias and when not. Despite the long history and very good availability of diagnostic tests for individual thrombophilias,...

Blood pressure and energy drinks

Markéta Sovová, Eliška Sovová

Vnitr Lek 2026, 72(1):52-55 | DOI: 10.36290/vnl.2026.008  

Energy drinks (ED) contain a combination of stimulants, mainly caffeine and taurine, which affect the central nervous and cardiovascular systems. Their consumption is growing among the population, especially among young people, which increases interest in their possible health effects. Caffeine increases sympathetic activity, peripheral vascular resistance, and blood pressure, while taurine may have partially protective effects. Other ingredients in energy drinks, such as carbohydrates and plant extracts, may contribute to metabolic and autonomic changes. Short-term use of energy drinks leads to an increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressure,...

Artificial intelligence in cardiology: Current clinical applications and regulatory framework in the EU

Lukáš Evin

Vnitr Lek 2026, 72(1):60-66 | DOI: 10.36290/vnl.2026.009  

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a standard part of modern cardiology, influencing diagnostics, interventional treatment, and patient follow-up. It is gaining ground most rapidly in areas with large volumes of structured signals or imaging data, particularly in ECG analysis, long-term ambulatory rhythm monitoring, support systems for electrophysiological procedures, and cardiovascular applications of computed tomography. At the same time, systems are being developed for the urgent triage of critical findings on CT/CTA (Computed Tomography Angiography) scans and tools that support standardized echocardiographic examinations even...