Technology

‘Cath Lab’ extends tertiary care services at affordable costs

Aster Hospital, Mankhool recently opened its state-of-art Cardiac Catheterization Lab or ‘Cath Lab’ – a specialized unit that provides services for patients with various heart conditions, affirming foray into tertiary care services in the UAE as cardiovascular disease remains among the leading causes of death.

Cardiovascular  diseases  describe  a  range  of conditions that affect our heart. These diseases include blood vessel diseases, such as coronary artery disease; heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias); and heart defects (congenital heart defects), among others. In other words, cardiovascular diseases refer to narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina) or stroke. Other heart conditions, such as those that affect our heart’s muscle, valves or rhythm, also are considered forms of heart disease.

Around 20 per cent of the adult population in the UAE smokes, making it one of the biggest contributing factors to cardiovascular risk among people from the Arab region. At the same time, people from the Indian subcontinent and the UAE are already more prone to cardiovascular diseases, being afflicted a decade earlier than their Western counterparts, according to a medical expert.

The UAE’s record with cardiovascular disease mirrors global trends, with more than 17.5 million people dying each year across the world from cardiovascular diseases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). But it is not just the known fatalities that should ring alarm bells in the UAE. Experts believe that up to 70 per cent of the population either has some form of cardiovascular disease, or is at risk. The risk of cardiovascular diseases arises due to unhealthy lifestyles, as well as the high prevalence of diabetes, obesity, hypertension, hyper cholesterolaemia and smoking in this Gulf country.

Furthermore, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the UAE, accounting for over two-thirds of all deaths, according to a new study called ‘Life expectancy and main causes of mortality in the UAE: A systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990 – 2016’.

The presentation showed there had been 350,411 cases of cardiovascular disease in the UAE in 2016. The mortality rate had been 340 per 100,000 cases – double the mortality rate in Germany, even though Germany has almost identical prevalence of cardiovascular disease as the UAE. After cardiovascular disease, the other main causes of death in the UAE are cancer, diabetes and traffic accidents.

The cardiovascular disease market, which includes hypertension, dyslipidaemia and thrombotic events, is set to grow from $129.2 billion in 2015 to $146.4 billion by 2022, at a very modest compound annual growth rate of 1.8 per cent, according to business intelligence provider.

“A healthy lifestyle can help prevent heart failure, including a well-nourished diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins coupled with regular exercise. Getting enough sleep every night and avoiding smoking can also help prevent heart failure.” – Dr Naveed Ahmed, Specialist Interventional Cardiologist, Aster Hospital Mankhool, Dubai

GBI Research

The company’s latest report states that this relative stagnation can be attributed to major product approvals coinciding with key patent expirations. Within cardiovascular disease there are a number of blockbuster products that have recently gone off patent, and others are expected to in the coming years, many of which belong to significant players.

The Global Interventional Cardiology Devices Market size was valued at $15.14 billion in 2013 and is anticipated to reach $25.16 billion by 2020. This market is expected to experience brisk growth due to rise in heart related problems across the world over the forecast period. Increase in disposable income is presumed to complement the intervention cardiology market growth over the next eight year period.

Early symptoms

As explained above, high prevalence of diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and smoking leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in the UAE. Low levels of good cholesterol or high-density lipoprotein (HDL) are also a threat, as they should be maintained above 40 milligrams per deciliter. In many patients with heart disease, however, experts see this level at less than 30. People should also pay attention to signs of extreme exhaustion and feelings of weakness. A cough that produces white or pink mucus could also be a sign of heart failure.

“Some of the early signs of heart disease do not come with clear warning signs and can be difficult to identify. Signs such as chest discomfort (most common symptom of heart problem), can include feelings of pain, tightness, or pressure in the chest. Less obvious signs, like nausea, indigestion, heartburn, or stomach pain, are more common among women and can be indicative of a bigger problem. Though these signs may simply be related to an upset stomach, it’s good to be aware of these signs as heart problems don’t always come along with chest pain.

“A healthy lifestyle can help prevent heart failure, including a well-nourished diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins coupled with regular exercise. Getting enough sleep every night and avoiding smoking can also help prevent heart failure,” explained Dr Naveed Ahmed, Specialist Interventional Cardiologist, Aster Hospital Mankhool in an interview with MediWorldME.

Cardiac Catheterization Lab

Aster Hospital, Mankhool recently opened its state-of-art Cath Lab with advanced cardiovascular diagnostic facilities, affirming foray into tertiary care services in UAE. The Cardiac Catheterization Lab or ‘Cath Lab’ is a specialized unit that provides services for patients with various heart conditions, including the treatment of cardiac emergencies.

“Aster’s state-of-the-art Cath Lab allows residents to access high-quality cardiac services in Dubai, providing tertiary care services to meet the needs of the local population. Services, such as angioplasty, are among the most important procedures for treating heart disease. With cardiovascular disease a leading cause of mortality in the UAE, the Cath Lab provides medical support and care that respond to an increased level of care need in the country,” noted Dr Naveed.

Around 20 per cent of the adult population in the UAE smokes, making it one of the biggest contributing factors to cardiovascular risk among people from the Arab region. Experts believe that up to 70 per cent of the population either has some form of cardiovascular disease, or is at risk. The risk of cardiovascular diseases arises due to unhealthy lifestyles, as well as the high prevalence of diabetes, obesity, hypertension, hyper cholesterolaemia and smoking in this Gulf country.

Cath Lab procedures include diagnostic tests, such as angiogram of the heart and other blood vessels of the body. Cath Lab enables Aster Hospital to perform procedures like angioplasty, a process that opens up the arteries, and initiate the placement of stent during a heart attack or angina. The Cath Lab also allows for treatment of Cardiac Rhythm Abnormalities, including pacemaker implantation and similar devices.

Biggest contributing factor

One of the biggest contributing factors is smoking. In fact, in the UAE, 20 per cent of the adult population regularly smokes, resulting in the onset of heart disease occurring at a younger age than the global average. Between the UAE & Arab population, the biggest known risk factor is diabetes. In the UAE, people from the Indian subcontinent are most prone to heart disease. While the onset of heart disease usually occurs among those in their 60s and 70s in the West, very high incidences of heart disease have been reported among Indians in their 40s and 50s across countries including US, Canada, Europe, & Singapore, according to Dr Naveed.

“Introducing more fruits and vegetables into a diet can also help lower the level of bad cholesterol in the body. Smoking, in all of its forms, including cigarettes and shisha should be avoided. Those who still smoke should stop sooner rather than later to help reduce the risk of heart disease. At Aster Hospital Mankhool, doctors are able to diagnose patients who may be unsure if their symptoms are a sign of something more serious. The Cath Lab provides the local population with diagnostic testing for any predicable heart conditions. Cardiac catheterization is a general term for a group of procedures that are performed in the Cath Lab, such as coronary angiography. Once a catheter is in place, it can be used to perform a number of procedures including angioplasty, PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention) angiography, transcatheter aortic valve replacement, balloon septostomy, and an electrophysiology study or catheter ablation. Devices such as pacemakers may be fitted, or rotablation to remove plaque can be performed in the Cath Lab”.

Dr Naveed added that Aster Hospital Mankhool is also equipped to diagnose cardiovascular disorders including hypertension, arrhythmias, disorder of the coronary circulation, disorders of the myocardium/ pericardium/heart valves and diseases of blood vessels. The introduction of the Cath Lab at Aster Hospital Mankhool indeed extends tertiary care services to the local population at an affordable cost. With the incidence of heart disease on the rise in the UAE, the Cath lab offers services that meet the complex cardiac needs of a local population suffering from this health complication.

“Aster DM Healthcare continually seeks to provide primary, secondary and tertiary care services to the communities it serves. The healthcare organization has recently opened its doors in Al Qusais, Dubai to provide residents in the surrounding area with accessible healthcare services,” concluded the Specialist Interventional Cardiologist.