Dubai: Surgeons at a Dubai hospital saved the life of a heavy smoker who was brought to the emergency, suffering cardiac arrest, by carrying out an emergency surgery. The surgery was conducted at Medcare Hospital Dubai by Dr Yahya Kiwan, consultant interventional cardiologist, although the 41 year old patient was brought to the emergency room of Medcare Hospital, Sharjah. According to Dr Hany Fathy specialist in emergency medicine at the hospital the patient was brought in unconscious.
Listening to the medical history of the patient from a friend who had brought him in, Dr Fathy realised the heavy smoker had a history of coronary artery disease and had undergone a bypass in 2017. He had suffered another episode as he had not been compliant with the treatment protocol.
Dr Fathy and his team immediately carried out cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for over an hour to successfully revive the patient. Dr Fathy said: “When the patient was in a stable condition, an electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed acute myocardial infarction. Dr Tamer Taha, consultant non-interventional cardiologist immediately advised for specific medication to restore blood pressure and to transfer the patient for urgent coronary angiography. Thereafter the patient was transferred to Medcare Hospital Dubai where Dr Kiwan carried out a percutaneous angioplasty procedure, placing one stent in the patient’s occluded right artery that restored the blood flow.
Although cigarette smoking has long been linked to cardiovascular disease and sudden cardiac events such as myocardial infarction, recent studies provide new clarity around the relationship. One study found that smokers are more likely to suffer more severe myocardial infarctions (or heart attacks) at a significantly younger age and affecting multiple arteries, when compared with non-smokers. Smokers also more commonly have complications associated with heart attacks such as pulmonary oedema and have a higher trend towards in-hospital mortality.
Dr Kiwan added: “The condition of the patient was attributed to the history of heavy smoking and non-compliance to treatment despite having undergone a previous heart surgery, two years ago. There is a need for increased awareness around the harmful effects of cigarette smoking, in particular the risk of cardiovascular disease,” said Dr Kiwan.
