The ESC President’s Award 2025: Panos E. Vardas

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ID: 320959
2026
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Abstract
All correspondence relating to this paper should be sent to: [email protected] Panos E. Vardas, Chair of the Heart Sector of the Hygeia Hospitals Group in Athens, Greece, has been honoured with the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) President’s Award for his outstanding contributions to cardiovascular medicine. His research focuses on arrhythmias, cardiac electrophysiology, and the socioeconomics and biostatistics of cardiovascular disease. Elected President of the ESC from 2012 to 2014, he is also a recipient of the ESC's Gold Medal and founded the organization’s office in Brussels, Belgium. The President’s Award is presented annually to those who have significantly advanced the field and strengthened the mission of improving heart health worldwide. Prof. Vardas is a native of the Greek island of Kythera off the coast of the Peloponnese. His family instilled him with a strong work ethic and desire to achieve beyond his relatively humble origins. Although there were no specific early mentors, as a young man Prof. Vardas felt a strong pull to explore the world beyond the small island society where he grew up. He says: ‘As an idealistic eighteen-year-old—the son and only child of a sea captain who spent his life battling the oceans—medicine seemed the perfect field in which to invest my dreams, social sensibilities, the expectation of a secure economic future, and, of course, the vast opportunities to explore the hidden pathways of life’ (Figure 1). Professor Panos Vardas MD, PhD, Chairman of Heart Sector of the Hygeia Hospitals Group, Athens, Greece Cardiology offered dynamic and intriguing possibilities. He says: ‘It appeared to be a truly pulsating specialty—with immediate therapeutic impact, romantic in its symbolism, and profoundly dependent on technology. It resonated perfectly with the core elements of my being. I chose cardiology rather than cardiac surgery, despite the latter appearing more imposing during my adolescent years, because I believed that true solutions to the heart’s problems would eventually come through minimal intervention, equally effective as cardiac surgery. This was clear to me decades before it became reality’. The route to becoming a cardiologist, particularly for a person from a small Greek island, was not straightforward. ‘Every step of my career involved significant challenges, absolutely nothing came easily. I had to earn everything through hard work. My four years in London, especially the initial period, were far from easy. Yet, I remain deeply grateful to Prof. Richard Sutton for his trust and invaluable support’. This hard work ethic eventually led to the establishment of the University Clinic in Crete, and the development of the Medical School, where he served as Dean, as well as the creation and expansion of Europace alongside Prof. Sutton and building associations such as EHRA. He overcame the challenges along the way by maintaining a clear vision and a strategic mindset. ‘This foresight, the ability to anticipate what was needed next, helped me push forward despite resistance, particularly in establishing the ESC Office in Brussels and initiating the European Heart Agency project. Over the past decade, digital health and artificial intelligence have been my focus as strategic priorities for our Society, always with one goal: improving care and serving our patients’. Prof. Vardas says that interventional cardiology and electrophysiology are advancing rapidly with great effectiveness. He believes that medicine will undergo a profound transformation in the coming decades, moving into what he calls the Metaclinical era. ‘Metaclinical Medicine will inevitably limit the decisive responsibilities of physicians in diagnosis and treatment. At the same time, however—I truly hope—it will bring physicians closer to their patients in terms of awareness, humanity, and broader support. Medicine, a unique blend of art, science, and experience, is constantly evolving. There is no reason to lose our optimism, for Metaclinical Medicine will bring greater quality, consistency, and higher standards to healthcare’. His professional life has combined clinical practice, academic leadership, and European-level strategy—spheres that require a rare combination of skills. He says: ‘Every animal has its own characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses. When powerful traits—such as passion, tenacity, and dedication—combine with the blessing of seeing the big picture, one can accomplish a great deal. Many people call me a leader, and perhaps that is true. From my perspective, however, I feel more like an entrepreneur. I never inherited anything significant; I always took what was small—or what did not yet exist—and made it visible, distinguished, and respected. That is how I wish to be remembered’. He advises aspiring cardiologists to be ‘genuine, honest, and authentic, to serve humanity and the patient in the way they personally choose. All paths have equal value, if they are grounded in integrity and truth, and authentically pursued’. For those who aspire to leadership roles, he advises cultivating a broad and long-term vision and avoiding being discouraged by narrow-minded or contrarian people. ‘Truly accomplished leaders must be capable of understanding multiple dimensions of the complex environment in which we exist and operate. Medicine and its developments, and above all, patient care and outcomes, are inseparably linked to economics, strategy, and ongoing political decisions’. Prof. Vardas applied this ethos throughout his ESC Presidency, particularly when establishing the European Heart Agency in Brussels. He characterizes his aim not only to advance medical science in a narrow sense, but to improve patient care, making it modern, equitable, and accessible to everyone who needs it. All authors declare no disclosure of interest for this contribution.
Reference Key
openalex_W7168267668 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Judith Ozkan
Journal european heart journal
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/eurheartj/ehag427
URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehag427
Keywords Keywords not found

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