According to Dr. Waleed Al-Habib, president of the Saudi Heart Association, heart illnesses, particularly atherosclerosis and heart attacks, are to blame for 45 percent of deaths in the Kingdom.
He said in an interview with Okaz/Saudi Gazette that more than 30% of Saudis are at danger for heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of mortality in the Kingdom, and Saudi Arabia is one of the nations with the highest risk. This forced the Saudi Health Council to establish new guidelines in order to reduce the number of heart disease patients, he said.
High cholesterol, obesity, smoking, diabetes, and a lack of physical activity are the main causes of heart disease, according to consultant cardiologist Dr. Al-Habib. “Heart attacks are a common cause of death for young people. Users of social networking sites frequently discuss such incidents, he claimed.
In addition to ailments that were not found in the patient, Dr. Al-Habib said that the rising incidence of deaths among young people is due to disruptions in the ECG. “Undiagnosed disorders in the heart muscle are one of the reasons why strokes happen to athletes. Therefore, we urge athletes in training to pay attention to this.
Dr. Al-Habib stated: “Personally, I do not advise the patient in his final stages to quit smoking, as this has no effect by that time.” in reference to the need for patients to stop smoking.
Dr. Al-Habib added that the “Protect Your Heart” project, which focuses on the age groups most at risk for heart disease, aims to conduct medical tests for one million nationals and foreigners living in the Kingdom through strategic alliances with the health and nonprofit sectors. This is done through a variety of channels, such as the rapid check-ups offered inside of large shopping malls and parks dispersed around different cities of the Kingdom by the health campaign team and its mobile clinics.
In a press conference organised as part of the promotion of the initiative, which is the largest awareness campaign in the Kingdom dealing with cardiovascular disorders under the direction of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Al-Habib provided an update on the project. The Volunteer Health Association is partnering with specialised pharmaceutical firms to carry out the campaign.
Senior medical experts with expertise in heart health and other specialties, media professionals, Ministry of Health staff, and representatives from volunteer health organisations are all participating in the campaign.
