Vascular medicine

,,The secret of being a bore... is to tell everything." (F.M.A. Voltaire) We can assure you, dear Reader, that we took Voltaire's wise advice to heart. In this coursebook, our intent was not to include every piece of information, but only to highlight those that are the most relevant in everyday clinical practice for medical students. We attempted to focus on the fundamental questions of vascular medicine, and summarize the most important information in the fields of vascular surgery, angiology, and interventional radiology. The task of a comprehensive description of vascular medicine far exceeds the boundaries of a university coursebook. Therefore, we have written these chapters so that they contain the knowledge indispensable for a freshly graduated general practitioner. One of our major intentions behind this coursebook was to call attention to the complex interdisciplinary approach necessary for the treatment of vascular patients. Doctors must reach out to every branch of clinical medicine, including vascular surgery, angiology, and interventional radiology. Comprehensive examinations require a level of knowledge in vascular medicine that allows future doctors to ask vascular specialists the right questions and understand the answers. Asking the right questions already implies a right (and useful) answer. Only a student who possesses the theoretical and practical knowledge of a subject can ask the right question and know what the possible answers are - at the moment of asking the question. As such, they are not only able to comprehend the answer, but also to use that answer in diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. We have tried to offer the latest information in this textbook. These reflect the current principles and recommendations from both Hungarian and international sources. Similar to other clinical fields, vascular medicine is undergoing extremely rapid development. New drugs appear on the market, the range of endovascular devices expands almost day to day, and hybrid techniques are becoming more and more widespread in vascular surgery. If a doctor wants to keep up with these changes, they must possess thorough knowledge and constantly update it in order to maintain their competence. We hope this coursebook will help our students learn and understand vascular medicine, as well as reinforce the importance of a multidisciplinary approach. With these words, we wish you fruitful studies and hope to receive your feedback. ,,We try to teach the student too much. Give him good methods and a proper point of view, and all other things will be added as experience grows." (W. Osler) Yours sincerely,