A leading cardiovascular practitioner has advised on the critical need to manage the cardiovascular epidemic on World Heart Day today with this year's theme being “Know Your Risk!”

Heart disease and stroke is the world's largest killer, claiming 17.5 million lives each year. The aim of World Heart Day is to create public awareness of risk factors for heart disease and stroke and to promote preventive measures, Dr Majid I. Al Fayyadh said.

'If cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are not addressed in time, they will become one of the most expensive problems faced by healthcare systems in the region. Today approximately 5 per cent of the population in the Middle East region is over the age of 60 compared to 17 per cent in the US and Western Europe,' he noted.

He cautioned on the need to control the risk factors in time, through lifestyle management, initiating prevention programs and earlier diagnosis. 

Dr Fayyadh is the director of Invasive Cardiology Lab Cath Lab and chairman of Electrophysiology Program at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Saudi Arabia.

He was a keynote speaker at the recent GE Healthcare Middle East Media Summit in Dubai which put spotlight on the emerging trends and healthcare challenges.

Dr Fayyadh said: 'What we are seeing today is the tip of the iceberg in terms of cardiovascular disorders across the region. We have to actively look for patients who are at risk if we are to save their lives.'

'For example, out of the 23 million people living in Saudi Arabia, today 80 per cent are under the age of 40. What this means is that in 20 years, many of those people will be 60. We can expect to witness a surge in the incidence of deaths from cardiac diseases,' he cautioned.

CVD are the leading cause of mortality worldwide, and have a major impact on life expectancy, significantly contributing to morbidity and the overall deterioration of quality of life.

Some of the major risk factors such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cigarette smoking, obesity and lack of physical activity are modifiable.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco will kill over 175 million people between now and the year 2030. Smoking prevalence across the world is on the decline, but is rising in the Middle East.

Dr. Al Fayyadh said the prevalence of diabetes in the region was greater than 20 per cent and this statistic was only going to get worse.

'There are some things we can change, proven beyond reasonable doubt that they are the causes of disease conditions. We need to control risk factors, initiate cardio prevention programs and increase early detection of cardiac diseases.'

According to WHO statistics, in 2004 ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease, two common types of cardiac disease, were the leading cause of death at 21.9 per cent. By 2030, this is expected to have risen to an alarming 26.3 per cent.

In Saudi Arabia, according to statistics, cardiovascular disease amounts for 22 per cent of deaths each year. ICDs (Implantable Cardioverter-defribillators), an advanced version of the pacemaker, can reduce mortality by 30 to 50 per cent, but only 8 per cent of eligible patients worldwide actually receive an ICD.-TradeArabia News Service