KT-Thumbay awareness event sheds light on heart health
DUBAI — At least 50 per cent of patients who visit emergency wards in hospitals with chest pains are cardiac patients, said doctors on the occasion of World Heart Day on September 29.
During an awareness session held by Khaleej Times and Thumbay Group on ‘Heart Health and Wellness’, doctors said that it was important to know the types of chest pains.
Dr Mohamed Shehata, consultant interventional cardiologist at Thumbay Hospital, Dubai, said there are many different types of chest pains which can be mistaken for cardiac pains.
“Some pains are due to muscoskeletal reasons, anxiety, gastrointestinal disorders, pulmonary disorders as well as cardiovascular disorders which can be mistaken for cardiac arrest,” he said while speaking to the audience. “However, anyone with any kind of chest pain should head to the emergency as soon as possible,” he said.
Dr Houcem Amiour, specialist interventional cardiologist at Thumbay Hospital, Dubai, said that deaths due to cardiovascular disease, at times, are premature. “These can be avoided if we take simple steps such as taking care of our diet, controlling blood pressure, cholesterol, quit smoking and staying active,” he said.
He also said that heart disease and heart attack occur in a relatively younger population in the UAE. “The Mediterranean diet is ideal since it contains vegetables, fish, nuts, olive oil and fruits. It does not contain much meat and if meat is there, it is mostly white meat,” said the doctor. He said it was all about the food and lifestyle. “If you have a condition, it is recommended that you go for screening.”
Risk factors for heart disease include hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, smoking, family history and sedentary lifestyle. The doctors also cleared doubts of the attendees during a question answer session on cardiac health.