The rising incidence of heart disease and diabetes in the region will be the main focus for the three-day International Cardiology Symposium opening in Dubai today (May 16).

Endorsed by the Government of Dubai, the Dubai Health Authority and the Saudi Heart Association, the event will feature an extensive programme covering topics on clinical practice in coronary artery diseases, interventions, diabetes, heart failure, and hypertension.

Attendees will avail details on cutting edge treatment choices and recent issues in cardiology across the globe.

“The UAE population has serious, specific health issues that are at critical levels right now,” said Khalid Amin, regional director, Cinfa, a Spanish pharmaceutical company, which is exhibiting at the event.

“The importance of access to high quality, affordable medicines to treat these issues is an important factor in reducing incidence of lifestyle diseases but also in easing the heavy burden on the health care system in the country.”

According to a recent local arm of an international study, 41 per cent of the UAE population aged 30 years and older has high blood pressure (hypertension), significantly higher than the global average of 25 to 30 per cent according to latest data from the World Health Organisation, which has also warned that prevalence will double to 50 to 60 per cent by 2025.

Local experts have found that the majority of patients with hypertension are not at achieving the target blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg, despite taking prescribed medications. The findings indicate that patients require more regular review and medication adjustment.

Blood pressure must be maintained within target levels using the correct medications and a healthy lifestyle to help reduce the risk of hypertensive patients suffering from heart attack, stroke and kidney failure, according to international guidance.

With hypertension prevalence set to rise, there needs to be a concerted effort among physicians to continue to push for regular blood pressure checks in their patients.

The UAE is already seeing a rise in cases of hypertension, especially among a growing number of younger people (under 35), as a result of unhealthy lifestyles including poor diet and lack of exercise. However, because the disease is symptomless, many people are unaware they have high blood pressure and go undiagnosed.

Cardiovascular disease is also a major complication of diabetes, and the leading cause of early death among sufferers of diabetes – according to the American Diabetes Association about 65 per cent of people with diabetes die from heart disease and stroke.

UAE statistics show that as many as 20 per cent of the local population is affected by diabetes, with no signs that this number is decreasing. – TradeArabia News Service