Leading scientists, heart disease specialists and more than 500 participants are set to take part in a cardiology conference next week in Bahrain.

The 11th Gulf Heart Association and fourth Bahrain Heart Association Congress, will take place from February 26 to 28 at the Gulf Hotel, under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain.

Dr Abdul Hai Al Awadhi, head of the organising committee, and the former Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health, stressed that this conference features the participation of two societies that are deeply-rooted in the field of cardiology, namely the European Society of Cardiology, and the American College of Cardiology.

Participating doctors, nurses, and other medical staff members will receive 18 training hours that are certified by the European Board, he said.

It will also witness the signing of a co-operation agreement between the Gulf Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology.

The conference will include scientific sessions, workshops, and the presentation of scientific papers about heart disease prevention and treatment. As many as 45 speakers from the US, UK, Egypt, and the Gulf region will discuss 39 topics, including heart disease and its treatment.

According to local statistics, cardiologic diseases are the primary cause of deaths in Bahrain, while cancer-related diseases come in second, said Dr Anwer Jamsheer, consultant cardiologist at the Salmaniya Medical Complex.

He stressed the importance of adopting the European countries’ methods to limit such cases. The European experiment was mainly based on promoting prevention methods through changing life behaviours and habits. The early detection tests to detect some diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes are important, he said.

The conference will work on promoting and fostering a heart disease prevention culture and developing this culture in order to keep up with western cultures, said Dr Jamsheer.

Some topics to be covered at the workshops will include electrocardiography, ultrasound scanning of the heart, the connection between vitamin D and heart disease, the importance of scanning the hearts of patients who suffer from acute heart failure, recent specialised studies on cases of acute heart failure, cardiovascular disease treatment in the Gulf region, and the importance of exercise as a method of preventing and treating heart diseases.

A Bahraini study about high blood pressure, diabetes and heart failure, in addition to recent developments made in the treatment of heart diseases will be presented.

In collaboration with the American College of Cardiology, a session will discuss the importance of ultrasound when replacing aortic valves without surgery procedures, in addition to identifying the right ventricle function via ultrasounds, an analysis of the connection between diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, and the treatment of high cholesterol rates.

The conference will conclude with a focus on cardiac imaging methods, with a focus on the the importance of MRIs for patients with heart failure, CT scanning as a replacement for heart catheters, and 3D echocardiography. - TradeArabia News Service