Dubai: Leading experts warned against the rise of heart disease at World Congress of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Health, which ended in Dubai on Saturday.
Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Emirates Cardiac Society and World Heart Federation discussed the importance of regular health screening to protect against cardiovascular disease.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death globally, claiming more lives than all cancers and chronic lower respiratory diseases combined. Over 30 million heart attacks and strokes occur every year.
Dr Fahd Baslaib, Interventional Cardiologist and CEO of Rashid Hospital, said: “The difference between our region and other places in the world in terms of heart disease is that we have a high incidence of diabetes. In the Middle East, the average age of heart attacks is 50 to 55 years as opposed to 65 years in western countries. This is a significant difference and calls for urgent lifestyle modification.”
Also, to raise awareness about High LDL-C, also known as ‘bad cholesterol’, which is one of the key modifiable risk factors for CVD, free cholesterol screenings took place on December 6 at the Dubai Fountain area.
Campaign partners also displayed a LED video on Burj Khalifa to highlight the importance of early screening for prevention of CVD and the link between high cholesterol and CVD.
“As part of Amgen’s long-term commitment to advancing cardiovascular health, we are raising awareness against the misperception that high cholesterol is a relatively normal and harmless part of ageing,” said Mohammad Nasser, General Manager, Amgen GCC.
Professor Abdullah Shehab, Consultant cardiologist, Professor of Medicine and President of Emirates Cardiac Society, said: “This campaign offers education for patients and caregivers, particularly those who have already had a cardiovascular episode and live in fear of having another. The campaign aims to encourage a heart-healthy diet, exercise and therapies, especially for those patients who remain at a risk of cardiovascular disease due to high levels of cholesterol.”
