Hypertension has to be controlled in its early stages amongst patients in UAE: Caution leading doctors at the Novartis Symposium “25 years in Hypertension”
Hypertension affects one in three adults and is the cause of approximately 9.4 million deaths worldwide.1A DHA conducted survey amongst UAE nationals reveal that 40.8% of the adult population in the age group of 35-70 years has hypertension.2
- Hypertension is a silent killer and often goes undetected for years in UAE due to lack of visible symptoms
- The two-day symposium saw leading doctors from UAE and abroad stressing on creating awareness on the early detection of hypertension which can help in prevention of life threatening diseases
3 To create awareness on early detection of the disease and find solutions to the challenges of hypertension treatment, Novartis brought together six leading UAE and global doctors as a part of its symposium called “25 years in Hypertension”. The two-day symposium held in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, is a part of Novartis’ 25 years of commitment to controlling hypertension and highlighting it as the key risk factor causing cardiovascular diseases.
“High blood pressure or hypertension can go undetected for years because patients do not face visible symptoms. It can only be detected through regular blood pressure monitoring. Prolonged undetected hypertension causes organ damage,” said Dr. Wael Al Mahmeed- Consultant Cardiologist, President of Gulf Heart Association
Over two-days of dedicated discussions saw the experts share the latest practices in hypertension treatment and share information on the latest research being undertaken to improve patient care. They highlighted that the sedentary lifestyle of people in UAE, combined with widespread consumption of junk food, obesity and diabetes are the factors leading to hypertension.
“If we want to reduce Heart attacks, strokes, heart failures and deaths, we need to control blood pressure. In our study in UAE nationals, only 26% of those treated were controlled. There are several methods which can be used to control blood pressure effectively, one of them is to use a single pill combination (SPM) to make it convenient for the patient,” says Dr. Afzalhussein Yusufali- Consultant cardiologist at Dubai Health Authority(DHA) – Dubai, UAE.
The six experts attending the symposium were:
- Dr. Wael Al Mahmeed: Consultant Cardiologist, President of Gulf Heart Association
- Dr. Omar Al Jabri: CMO at Ambulatory Health Services (AHS) – Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Dr. Azan Binbrek: Consultant Cardiologist at Dubai Health Authority(DHA) – Dubai, UAE
- Dr. Afzalhussein Yusufali: Consultant cardiologist at Dubai Health Authority(DHA) – Dubai, UAE
- Prof. Bryan Williams: Chair of Medicine at University College, London, UK
- Prof. Rainer Düsing: Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Bonn, Germany
This year marks Novartis’25 years of commitment to patient care and research in the field of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Novartis has been championing innovative solutions to unmet needs of hypertension and works with leading doctors globally to provide best possible care to patients.
About Novartis:
Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, eye care, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, preventive vaccines and diagnostic tools, over-the-counter and animal health products. Novartis is the only global company with leading positions in these areas. In 2012, the Group achieved net sales of USD 56.7 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9.3 billion (USD 9.1 billion excluding impairment and amortization charges). Novartis Group companies employ approximately 128,000 full-time-equivalent associates and operate in more than 140 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.
References:
- World Health Organization. A global brief on hypertension. Available at: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/79059/1/WHO_DCO_WHD_2013.2_eng.pdfLast accessed 16 October 2013.
- Hypertension Awareness, Treatment and Control in Urban and Rural Dubai, UAE Population. House to house survey conducted amongst UAE nationals by DHA.
- Mayo Clinic, High blood pressure dangers: Hypertension’s effects on your body
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20045868