Cardiovascular disease committee set up in UAE

Aims to reduce mortality rate from heart-related diseases

The UAE has formed a cardiovascular disease committee which aims to reduce the rate of heart mortality.

The announcement was made by Dr Arif Al Nooryani, executive director and consultant cardiologist at the hospital, on occasion of World Heart Day on September 29.

The committee was chaired by the Ministry of Health and Prevention and included in its membership all health departments across the country.

The aim of the committee is to reduce the rate of cardiovascular disease mortality, Dr Al Nooryani said.

He added that the committee will follow the national index, which will be set up, to reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease over a fiveyear plan up to 2021.

The committee is to also establish a national registry for cardiovascular patients, which will include all the numbers and statistics of cardiovascular diseases in the country, to help develop a strategy for therapeutic and preventive policies.

Cardiovascular diseases include hypertension, coronary heart disease, strokes, peripheral vascular disease, heart failure, rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease and cardiomyopathies.

On the occasion of World Heart Day, doctors at Al Qasimi Hospital will hold a free check-up on Tuesday for blood pressure and blood sugar for residents to create greater awareness of heart health.

Dr Al Nooryani said that around 60 patients visited the hospital per month and 60 per cent of them are smokers, some aged 25.

This World Heart Day’s theme is ’Your heart is at the heart of your health’.