Professor Hugo A. Katus has been awarded the Order of Merit of the State of Baden-Württemberg for his pioneering work in the heart attack diagnosis and groundbreaking scientific work in cardiovascular research. He received the order, which is the state's highest award, on the 22nd of April. He was awarded by Minister President Winfried Kretschmann at a ceremony to mark the state's anniversary at the Mannheim Palace. Shortly before, the former Director of the Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pneumology at the University Hospital of Heidelberg (UKHD) and now Senior Professor had received another great honour: The German Society of Cardiology (DGK) awarded him the Carl Ludwig Medal, the highest distinction in German cardiology, for his pioneering work. In its citation, the DGK wrote that he had given decisive impetus to translational research in cardiology. For example, the troponin T test is now an integral part of clinical practice and has revolutionised the diagnosis of myocardial infarction worldwide. In addition, he was instrumental in advancing the treatment of cardiomyopathies and heart failure.
The Curt Ludwig Medal of Honour has been awarded since 1932, and including Prof. Katus 36 people have been honoured with it. In 2001, the prestigious award went to a Heidelberg cardiologist: Professor Dr. Wolfgang Kübler headed the Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pneumology at the UKHD from 1974 to 2002. The Order of Merit of the State of Baden-Württemberg has been awarded annually to around 30 people since 1974. The total number of living recipients is limited to 1,000.
Prof. Dr. Hugo A. Katus was Medical Director of the Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pneumology at the UKHD from 2002 to 2020. Under his leadership, the first "Chest Pain Unit" in Europe was established in Heidelberg in 2004, which is now the standard for the initial treatment of heart attack patients, and the first "Advanced Heart Failure Unit" in Germany was established in 2012, a unit specifically for patients with advanced heart failure. In the field of myocardial diseases, the hospital sets standards with the Institute for Cardiomyopathies Heidelberg, founded in 2015. From 2012 to 2019, Katus was the spokesperson for the DZHK's Heidelberg/Mannheim site.
"The clinical and scientific work of Professor Katus was scientifically innovative and original, always patient-oriented and aimed at improving patient care. The developments he initiated in Heidelberg's Department of Cardiology had an international impact and continue to set standards today," said Prof. Dr. Ingo Autenrieth, Managing Medical Director of the UKHD. "I congratulate my colleague most sincerely on these two prestigious and well-deserved awards.
Prof. Hugo A. Katus has received numerous international awards and honours, in particular for his research on troponin T, a protein from heart muscle cells that can indicate a heart attack in the blood, and for the development of the blood test together with Boehringer Mannheim/Roche in the 1980s.
Source: Press release University Hospital Heidelberg