Angeliki Eleftheriou

Athens Medical Center, Greece

Title: Greece’s First PERT initiative: Outcomes of the first 50 patients,Including a rare case and a Head to Head Comparison with the US Experience .

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Biography

Angeliki Eleftheriou is a distinguished cardiologist, clinical researcher, and Director of the Cardiology Clinic at Athens Medical Center, Greece. With more than 35 years of experience in cardiovascular medicine, she has dedicated her career to advancing patient care, clinical research, and medical education.

She graduated from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and earned her PhD with research focused on experimental acute myocardial infarction and reperfusion under different levels of arterial pressure. Her work has contributed to the understanding of cardiovascular disease and has been recognized with awards for scientific excellence.

Since 2013, Eleftheriou has led the Cardiology Clinic at Athens Medical Center while maintaining a private cardiology practice, providing comprehensive cardiovascular diagnostics and preventive care. Her clinical and research interests include heart failure, acute coronary syndromes, myocardial infarction, hypertension, pulmonary embolism, and cardiovascular prevention.

Eleftheriou has participated in numerous national and international clinical research programs, authored scientific publications, and presented her work at more than 40 medical congresses. She is actively involved in physician education, serves on the Education Committee of the PERT Consortium (Massachusetts General Hospital–Harvard Medical School), and leads the Athens Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) at Athens Medical Center.

She is a member of several leading professional societies, including the Hellenic Society of Cardiology, the Hellenic Society of Hypertension, and the Hellenic Heart Failure Association. Through her leadership, research, and commitment to education,Eleftheriou continues to make significant contributions to the advancement of cardiovascular medicine and improved patient outcomes.

Abstract

Pulmonary Embolism (PE) is the third most common cause of cardiovascular death globally. Rapid diagnosis, risk stratification and management of PE patients are all absolutely essential and improve their outcomes.

Pulmonary Embolism Response Teams (PERTs) have modified PE patient management especially those of intermediate-high and high risk via individualized treatment, advanced therapy and post-discharge follow up. The 2026 AHA/ACC have established a class 1 recommendation for PERTs. Besides the USA, PERTs adoption in Greece remains in its infancy. 

More than a year ago ATHENS MEDICAL CENTER became an international founding member of the PERT CONSORTIUM in Greece. A database platform aligned with the USA platform has been set up alongside a participation in the Education Committee of the organization. 

This Keynote presentation will introduce the experience of Greece’s first PERT focusing on its clinical workflow and outcomes of the first 50 patients. A rare case will also be presented indicating the importance and the benefits of PERT activation. 

Benchmarking reports of Athens Medical Center data and PERC Registry (from the United States) revealing similarities and discrepancies will also be addressed. 

This presentation will strive to define the difficulty of setting up a PERT alongside the benefits of its development as well as future challenges including a potential international   scientific and research collaboration.

The experience will serve as a framework for other healthcare systems which will potentially adopt the multidisciplinary approaches for the management of acute pulmonary embolism patients thus ensuring the advance of cardiovascular care worldwide.