Qatar- Joint efforts to beat heart disease urged

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula

Doha: Minister of Public health H E Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari has called for joint efforts to prevent, treat and control heart disease as well as stressed the importance of reducing incidenceof the condition.

The Minister said that the 14th Gulf Heart Association Conference, held in Doha for three days, provided an opportunity to highlight the key role that health care professionals play in promoting healthy behaviours as a strategy to reduce the incidence of heart disease.

The conference concluded yesterday.

'Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in Qatar and across the world, with the majority of heart disease cases being preventable, the health minister said.

While risk factors such as family history, gender, and age do have an influence, unhealthy lifestyle behaviours including tobacco use, unhealthy diet, excess of body fat, and physical inactivity are the primary risk factors that contribute to the onset of this deadly disease, said Dr Al Kuwari.

'Health care professionals play a pivotal role in educating patients about risk factors, encouraging screening and treatment compliance, and perhaps most importantly, urging patients to modify their behaviour to reduce controllable risk factors, she added.

Dr Al Kuwari said: 'Together we must remain focused on continuing our efforts to address cardiovascular disease through preventive health, research, and cutting-edge treatments and technologies, he added.

The 14th Gulf Heart Association Conference was held under the patronage of Dr Al Kuwari and also attended the opening session of the event on Thursday.

Robotic surgery, cardiovascular outcomes in type 2 diabetics, and personalized medicine in the treatment of heart disease were among the topics discussed during the conference.

More than 30 international experts and distinguished local faculty from the various Gulf and Middle East countries led the sessions attended by over 700 physicians and cardiology specialists.

The annual conference, held for the third time in Doha since 2002, also included the 11th Gulf Vascular Society Symposium.

H E Dr Hajar Ahmed Hajar Al Binali, Conference Chairman for the 14th Gulf Heart Association Conference and the 11th Gulf Vascular Society Symposium (GHA), said that a major objective of the annual conference is to offer a platform to provide advanced knowledge, promote cardiovascular-related research in the region, and facilitate the exchange of ideas and experiences among local and international leaders in the field of cardiology.

'By working together we can improve the system of care surrounding our patients while also reducing the impact of heart-related illnesses on our individual health systems.

'This conference is an important opportunity to discuss comprehensive approaches to diagnosis, advanced treatment methods, and the latest developments in a variety of fields, including valvular heart disease, ischemic heart disease, and medical treatment in paediatric pulmonary hypertension, he said.

'This gathering has also provided an opportunity for the open exchange of medical information and expertise and has been a significant educational event and learning opportunity for professionals working in the field of cardiology, said His Excellency Dr Al Binali, who is also the founder of the Gulf Heart Association and was the organisation's president for the first 12 years of its existence, he added.

The three-day conference was held in collaboration with the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), and Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q). The event was sponsored by Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and the Gulf Heart Association (GHA).

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