Szabo served as the Director of the Városmajor Heart and Vascular Centre from 1981 until 1992.
In January 1992, he performed Hungary's first successful heart transplant following years of research.
[1] Szabó retired from the Városmajor Heart and Vascular Centre on 1 July 1992.
[1] Szabó was also the recipient of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary Commander's Cross, as well as the Batthyány-Strattmann László Award.
[1] Zoltán Szabó died in Budapest following a long illness on 6 December 2015, at the age of 86.