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Doctors get to the heart of the matter

The symposium was organised by the ECS, in conjunction with Pfizer pharmaceuticals, ahead of World Heart Day (WHD), which falls on September 28.

Focusing on women's health in his address, Prof. Al Khaja said that WHD was a major driving force in encouraging the prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) worldwide. "The main objectives of World Heart Day are first, to build public awareness and second, to increase pressure on policy makers," he said.

"Women, heart disease and stroke" is WHD's theme for this year. Its aim is to raise women's awareness that they are just as much at risk of CVD as men are and must pursue a healthy lifestyle through increased physical activity, smoke-free living, healthy nutrition and weight control.

"Preventive measures," he said, "are the best, most inexpensive and most effective way to reduce the incidence of death and disability due to cardiovascular disease, and on behalf of the ECS I would like you to pass this message all over the Emirates - at medical centres, primary health care units and to the general public," Dr Al Khaja said in his address to the distinguished group of medical practitioners attending the symposium that was held at the Bustan Rotana Hotel.

Dr Awatif Al Sousi, Consultant Cardiologist at Al Jazeera Hospital, Abu Dhabi, who delivered a presentation on 'Cardiovascular Disease in Women', said that diagnosis of coronary heart disease in women is a greater challenge than in men. Mortality rates are higher for women who suffer miocardial infarction, especially in the age group 35-39.

Women need to modify risk factors such as smoking, high calorie diets, excessive weight and hypertension, she said. Low dose of asperin and lipid lowering drugs, in addition to lifestyle modification, such as healthy diet, exercise, stopping smoking, helps to reduce risks of cardio-vascular disease, she said, adding that menopause is a risk factor for CVD.

Dr Iman Moshref, Specialist at the Rashid Hospital, who spoke on 'Cerebro-vascular disease and its prevention in women' said that 16 per cent of women will die of stroke compared to only 8 per cent of men. Among the major symptoms of stroke is a sudden weakness, or numbness of parts of the body. She emphasised that women be educated on the risk factors of a stroke, even though half the stroke patients have no known risk factors.

In general, after the age of 55, each decade doubles the risk of stroke. Blacks, hispanics, Chinese and Japanese are ethnic groups with higher incidence of stroke, while being overweight and having a family hostory are also major risk factors.

Dr Moshref said both elevated systolic and dystolic blood presure is responsible for strokes as also birth control pills. She pointed out that 20 per cent of ischaemic stroke was due to cradiac emboli, adding that diabetes was positively related to stroke deaths in women.

Women who smoke have four-fold the risk of a stroke as men smokers, she said. The lack of physical activity also indirectly increases the risk of stroke as also the excessive consumption of alcohol and the loss of natural oestrogen. She pointed out that migrane in young women of child bearing age increases their risk of a stroke and called for improved public awareness of the risk factors and ways to control them. She strongly recommended smokers to quit, lower the blood pressure, decrease weight and exercise for at least 30 minutes a day and eat healthy foods.

Dr Ghaida Kaddaha, Consultant Endocrinologist at the Rashid Hospital, delivered a presentation on the 'Burden of the Diabetic Heart', pointing out that 80 per cent of diabetic-related deaths were due to cardiovascular complications.

Diabetes is bad news for women as it increases the risk of a heart disease three to seven times, she said, pointing out that a diabetic women's chances of survival after an MI is the poorest.

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