A study designed to track and assess the incidence, risk factors and treatment of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), a form of heart disease, has been launched across four GCC countries.

Tarek Rabah, president AstraZeneca Gulf, took part in the signing ceremony for a research support agreement with Kuwait University for the official launch of the “Gulf loCals with acute CorOnAry Syndrome evenTs” Registry, or Gulf COAST Registry.

This is the first study of its kind to focus on Gulf citizens, a statement said.

“Heart disease is the number one killer, both in the region and in the UAE, accounting for 25 to 30 percent of deaths,” said Dr Fahad Omar Baslaib, president of the Emirates Cardiac Society and head of the Cardiology Department at Rashid Hospital.

“We know that many of our citizens suffer and die from heart disease. But, without understanding both the extent of the problem and how it’s actually being treated, it is difficult to make recommendations to improve patient care.”

“While significant data exist at the international level, we lack the regionally specific information necessary to better understand and address ACS and the needs of our citizens. Gulf COAST will deliver the robust local data that we require,” he added.
Gulf COAST is a collaborative effort among leading cardiologists from the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman.

The study will track 4,000 Gulf citizens across 35 hospitals in the region for up to one year, who are admitted with a diagnosis of ACS, a leading form of heart disease associated with cardiovascular events such as heart attack.

“Gulf COAST is an important study for doctors and heart disease patients,” said Dr Wael Abdulrahman Almahmeed, member and former president of the Emirates Cardiac Society and the deputy chief medical officer and head of the Cardiology, Heart and Vascular Institute at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi.

“While lifestyle factors – and in a small number of cases genetics – play a key role in causing heart disease, we know that there are also treatment gaps for patients with ACS and other heart conditions. The Gulf COAST study will help us identify these gaps so we can better support patients in living a healthier lifestyle and adhering to a prescribed treatment regimen.”

“Improving health is one of the toughest challenges facing the world today. But we can’t do it alone. This is why we need strong partners, like Kuwait University, and great research, such as the Gulf COAST study, in this quest for better health,” Rabah said.

“Gulf COAST aims to better understand and collect information of the state of patients with heart disease or Acute Coronary Syndrome, from the moment of hospitalization to discharge. This is crucial for patients’ long-term wellbeing and even survival. AstraZeneca is committed to supporting the best possible care for patients, and ensuring that they are supported throughout their disease management and treatment,” he concluded. – TradeArabia News Service