Moshe Gueron
Encyclopedia
Introduction
Gueron was born in Sofia, Bulgaria and received his bachelors and M.D. degrees from Hebrew University of JerusalemHebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he emigrated from Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and lived in Tel-Aviv with his parents. Graduating in 1964, Gueron moved to Beer-Sheba where he was founded the Department of Cardiology in Soroka Medical Center
Soroka Medical Center
Soroka Medical Center is a hospital in Beersheba, Israel. It is the largest medical center in southern region of the country, and the fourth largest in Israel with approximately 1000 beds. It is owned by Clalit, the largest Health Maintenance Organization in Israel. Soroka services diverse ethnic...
after Professor Harry Heller, Chief of Medicine at the Sheba Medical Center
Sheba Medical Center
The Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer , also Tel HaShomer Hospital, is the largest hospital in Israel.-Overview:The hospital was named after Chaim Sheba, the founding director. It was established in 1948 as the country's first military hospital to treat casualties of Israel's War of...
, led him to his position by matching between him and Moshe Soroka, one of Soroka Medical Center's founders, who was looking to establish a Cardiology Department at that time.
Medical training
Gueron worked together with Professor Noble O. Fowler, which was his master at University of CincinnatiUniversity of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
, where he was doing his specialization and generalization in medicine. Fowler, was a medical scholar of the highest order and functioned as a Director of the Division of Cardiology
Cardiology
Cardiology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the heart . The field includes diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology...
in Department of Internal Medicine of Medicine College (1970–1986) of University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
, and Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
Emeritus at the same institution from 1984 to the time of his death (March 8, 2003) from prostatic carcinoma
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
. Fowler was graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine
University of Tennessee College of Medicine
The University of Tennessee College of Medicine is one of six graduate schools of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in downtown Memphis...
with a Faculty Medal and a Certificate of Honor in 1941. In May 1997, it was reported that an Israeli medical research team led by Professor Gueron haf found the relationship between angina pectoris and the severity of coronary artery disease. It is hoped that such tissue will be used eventually for transplantation in humans suffering from heart disease.
Medical career
Gueron was appointed Professor at Soroka Medical CenterSoroka Medical Center
Soroka Medical Center is a hospital in Beersheba, Israel. It is the largest medical center in southern region of the country, and the fourth largest in Israel with approximately 1000 beds. It is owned by Clalit, the largest Health Maintenance Organization in Israel. Soroka services diverse ethnic...
in 1967, and was involved in the development of the techniques of heart and heart-lung treatment. Gueron is best known for a research he has managed regarding the treatment of scorpion evenomation and its affection on the human's heart. During his research, thousands of stung patients were reviewed. Gueron's research has shown that thirty-four patients with severe scorpion sting were reviewed and pertinent data related to the cardiovascular system such as hypertension, peripheral vascular collapse, congestive heart failure or pulmonary edema were analyzed. The electrocardiograms of 28 patients were reviewed, 14 patients showed "early myocardial infarction-like" pattern. The urinary catecholamine metabolites were investigated in 12 patients with scorpion sting. Vanylmandelic acid was elevated in seven patients and the total free epinephrine
Epinephrine
Epinephrine is a hormone and a neurotransmitter. It increases heart rate, constricts blood vessels, dilates air passages and participates in the fight-or-flight response of the sympathetic nervous system. In chemical terms, adrenaline is one of a group of monoamines called the catecholamines...
and norepinephrine in eight. Six of these 12 patients displayed the electrocardiographic "myocardial infarction-like" pattern. Nine patients died and the pathologic lesions of the myocardium were reviewed in seven. The anticipated time line is within three years depending on successful animal trials. Gueron was described hypertension, pulmonary oedema with hypertension, hypotension, pulmonary oedema with hypotension and rhythm disturbances as five different syndromes that may dominate the clinical picture in scorpion sting victim. He suggested that all patients with cardiac symptoms should be admitted to an intensive cardiac unit. Gueron was questioned regarding the value of giving antivenin
Antivenin
Antivenom is a biological product used in the treatment of venomous bites or stings. Antivenom is created by milking venom from the desired snake, spider or insect. The venom is then diluted and injected into a horse, sheep or goat...
, and he replied that although is freely available, all cases of scorpion sting are treated without it, and there had not been a single fatality in 1989. In 1990, he reported poor contractility with low ejection fraction, decreased systolic left ventricular performance, lowered fractional percentage shortening observed in echocardiographic and radionuclide angiographic study.
Retirement
Gueron has been working in Soroka Medical CenterSoroka Medical Center
Soroka Medical Center is a hospital in Beersheba, Israel. It is the largest medical center in southern region of the country, and the fourth largest in Israel with approximately 1000 beds. It is owned by Clalit, the largest Health Maintenance Organization in Israel. Soroka services diverse ethnic...
between years 1964 to 2002 and was the first for doing a catheterization in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, and has operated on more than 100,000 patients. Having retired from performing cardiology at the age of 65, he continues to act as a high profile consultant. Gueron is recognized as a world leader in heart research. His contributions to the field of medicine will have spanned the better part of 70 years, since he has published more than 300 full-length research papers in national and international journals. He remains much beloved by the legions of fellows he has trained and the colleagues with whom he has worked.