Heart attacks can be preventable

The good news is that heart attacks are preventable but the bad news is that people are not taking steps to prevent them, heart doctors said Thursday. They were speaking to the media on the opening of a three-day cardiology forum here yesterday. It was opened by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and President of Dubai Health Authority (DHA). Experts have gathered to discuss why cardiovascular disease is so common in the region and ways to stop it. Specialists said it was very expensive to treat. "It's better not to get the disease," said Dr Khalifa Mohammad, cardiologist at Rashid Hospital, noting more numbers of people are affected by it despite numerous awareness programmes. Dr Fahad Omar Baslaib, president of the Emirates Cardiac Society, said the DHA receives 3,000 inpatients of which 60 per cent are heart attack cases. He said in this region, the high incidence of diabetes, obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol and tobacco use are major triggers that lead to heart attacks. Qadi Al Murooshid, Director-General of the DHA, added in the UAE, one in four deaths is attributed to cardiovascular disease. "It is a known fact 80 per cent of these deaths are preventable through lifestyle modification." Breast Cancer Arabia will lead an attempt to form the largest human breast cancer awareness ribbon and create a new Guinness Record at Meydan Grandstand this morning. For registration log on to www.breastcancerarabia.com or www.facebook.com/breastcancerarabia.