Patients across the Gulf who are at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease need more aggressive treatment to mitigate these risks, such as treating high cholesterol levels, according to medical experts at the Pace event held recently.

The experts made the presentions at the region’s second Physicians Academy for Cardiovascular Disease Education (Pace) event held in Dubai, a statement from the event organisers said.

Following on from the successful inaugural event in January, as many as 150 doctors from across the region attended the Pace Master Class inaugurated by Dr Mahmood Fikri, executive director for health policies at the Ministry of Health, and chaired by two of the world’s most prominent cardiovascular experts; professor John E Deanfield from University College London, and professor John J P Kastelein from the Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.     

As part of the two-day event, delegates heard from local and international experts about how majority of patients in the region are being treated successfully with lipid lowering medication such as statins, though a small group of patients at high risk of suffering from heart attack and stroke are not being treated aggressively enough.

Professor Deanfield suggested a new approach to risk management is to treat earlier, broader and lower targets, the statement said.

Dr Iyad Ksseiry, consultant endocrinologist at The City Hospital in Dubai said that in addition to achieving good glycemic control, it is recommended that reducing cholesterol and controlling hypertension through therapeutic lifestyle changes and medications should be given priority in the management of diabetic patients in the Gulf, who are already significantly at risk for developing diabetes-related cardiovascular disease compared to other populations,

He has presented data on the current issues and approaches for diabetes and the associated cardiovascular risks.

“Many countries in the Gulf are in the top 10 globally with the highest prevalence in diabetes, including UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia. Cholesterol is a modifiable factor.  The results of recent trials suggest that appropriate therapy of elevated cholesterol levels has the potential to significantly reduce the risk of developing diabetes-related cardiovascular disease,” Ksseiry said.

The overall goal of the class is to help physicians apply the proven findings of scientific research into the day-to-day practice of clinical medicine for improved patient outcomes, the statement said.

Other topics discussed at the event, which was sponsored through an unrestricted educational grant provided by Pfizer, include the treatment and management of hypertension, cholesterol management and interactive workshops on how to address cardiovascular risk management in high risk patients.

Pfizer recognises the crucial importance of collaboration amongst the international and local medical community in order to ensure favourable outcomes for patients with cardiovascular disease, especially in the Gulf where there are high risk factors in the population, it said. – TradeArabia News Service