Jiri Horak

Dr. Jiri Horak is a Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care at the University of Pennsylvania, practicing at Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. Board-certified and accepting patients aged 18+, he specializes in high-acuity cardiac anesthesia and critical care.

His educational pathway includes:

• Medical School: Masaryk University
• Residency: Research Institute for Surgery & Traumatology
• Residency: Medical College of Pennsylvania
• Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
• Fellowship: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Research focuses on cardiac anesthesiology with emphasis on microcirculation during cardiopulmonary bypass, lactic acidosis mechanisms, and point-of-care echocardiography. His work addresses critical gaps in predicting and managing perioperative organ injury through advanced physiological monitoring.

From 2017-2024, Dr. Horak published 10 articles demonstrating consistent output in cardiac anesthesia, with recent work integrating AI for echocardiography and exploring microcirculatory heterogeneity as a predictor of complications. Publications appear in Critical Care Medicine and Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia, reflecting translational impact.

As a Clinical Professor, he mentors medical students and residents through Penn's anesthesia training program, emphasizing evidence-based management of cardiac surgical complications. His clinical expertise spans ECMO, LVAD support, and bronchospasm management during critical transitions.

Dr. Horak's work operates within Penn Medicine's integrated cardiac care system, collaborating with surgeons and intensivists to optimize outcomes in the cardiac operating room and surgical ICU.