The Emirates Cardiac Society announces the launch of the first of its kind conference in the GCC, “Cardiovascular Disease in Women Conference” in Dubai from February 3 to 4.

 

The conference is launched in cooperation with the Saudi Group of Women Heart (Saudi Heart Association), by a group of experts and specialists to discuss the latest developments and research related to women’s heart diseases. 

 

With the participation of specialists from the GCC: UAE, Saudi, Bahrain and Oman and Dr Alaide Chieffo from Italy, the event will take place at the same time as International Women’s Heart Disease Awareness Day which is held globally on February 3, 2023. 

 

Awareness campaigns

On the sidelines of the “Women’s Heart Disease Conference”, awareness campaigns will be organised by the society throughout the year, in the shape of several virtual workshops to introduce and raise awareness of heart diseases, and several initiatives across UAE commercial centres and malls, where to measure blood pressure, body mass index, sugar and cholesterol as well as providing health tips and guidance about women’s fitness and nutrition.

 

The CVD In Women Conference committee will include Dr Juwairia Alali, the President of the Emirates Cardiac Society, Vice President Dr Abdullah Shehab and Scientific Committee Chairperson Dr Wael Al-Mahmeed and Head of Congenital and Genetic Heart Disease Working Group of Emirates Cardiac Society Dr Ghadeera Al Mansouri.

 

Dr Alali said: “CVDs are the leading cause of death among women worldwide. However, when comparing men to women with cardiovascular diseases, women strokes are often misdiagnosed or mistreated because their symptoms do not match the known heart diseases recognised by doctors as well due to insufficient awareness among women and society of the symptoms specific to women.”

 

Congenital heart defects

Dr Al-Mansoori said: “Congenital heart defects are often diagnosed at birth and with the progress of surgical treatment, the category of adults with congenital heart defects increases.” 

 

Dr Shehab said: “Over the past decade, we were able to make massive progress in spreading awareness of cardiovascular diseases, as they are the main cause of death among women. There has also become greater awareness of the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular disease.  We are keen now to focus on identifying the age stages and their risks of developing cardiovascular disease in women and working to prevent and spread.”

 

Dr Al-Mahmeed said: “More research is needed to identify the factors responsible for gender differences that have effects and constitute traditional risk factors, to understand them and work to improve the treatments for cardiovascular diseases.” 

 

Al-Mahmeed added: “It should also communicate with health sector officials and committees responsible for clinical treatments to design specific interventional treatments according to the patient’s sex.”-- TradeArabia News Service