The fifth annual Case Based Approach to Controversies in Cardiovascular Disease Conference began today in Dubai, at Mohammed Bin Rashid Academic Medical Centre in Dubai Healthcare City.

Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and president of the Dubai Health Authority, and supported by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences, the conference is organised by Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic from the US, in collaboration with Emirates Cardiac Society. It will run till October 10.

Humaid Al Qatami, chairman of the board of Dubai Health Authority, visited the conference today and met with the conference’s organising committee and key speakers from Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic. During the visit, he assured attendees that the UAE leadership is highly focused on healthcare services and on providing the UAE with healthcare facilities able to cover all medical specialties comparable to international standards.

“Hospitals and healthcare facilities in UAE have highly qualified healthcare professionals providing specialised care for cardiac patients – including emergency catheterisation, open heart surgeries, and other highly specialised services and procedures – which help decrease the need to send patients abroad for treatment,” he said.

Al Qatami emphasised the importance of prevention programmes that are targeting chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, through organised public health campaigns, medical conferences and efforts to promote healthy lifestyles that limit the chronic disease risk factors.

He also praised the cooperation with international healthcare organisations that helps in managing and operating a number of healthcare facilities in the country and in the field of research.

Al Qatami commended the efforts of Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic on their willingness to share their knowledge with our medical community through scientific meetings and the annual cardiovascular conference in Dubai. “Such efforts encourage interaction and knowledge exchange between healthcare providers, while introducing the latest approaches in cardiovascular medicine,” he said.

He listened to the organisers and faculty of the conference, who spoke about the conference, its topics and various presentations, in addition to real patient cases that will be discussed during the conference.

Wael Jaber, MD, course director and staff cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic’s Heart & Vascular Institute, said: “The conference delivers up-to-date information on a health issue that affects so many people worldwide What makes this conference unique is that we are presenting all topics in a ‘real world’ case-based format, which encourages participation and debate among the faculty and attendees.”

Naser Ammash, MD, course director and cardiologist at Mayo Clinic, said “This conference is addressing one of the most important health issues facing society today. This case-based approach allows us to explore and share the latest, most effective developments in treating patients with cardiac disease.”

Course directors and speakers come from Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic in USA, in addition to some prominent physicians in the cardiovascular field from the UAE, including Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. The conference is accredited for 14 Continuous Medical Education hours from UAE University.

Today’s presentations included sessions on important topics such as coronary artery disease, heart disease interventions, and patient selection and outcomes. Speakers on Friday will discuss patient case studies on heart failure, electrophysiology studies and pacemakers/ICD, vascular disease, and mitral and tricuspid valves.

The last day of the conference on Saturday, will include case presentations about unexplained chest pain, pregnant women with heart problems, and aortic bioprosthetic thrombosis, and will conclude with a satellite symposium on developments for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation.-TradeArabia News Service