JEDDAH, 25 April 2007 — Cardiology specialists said on Monday that life’s increasing complications and quickening pace has significantly contributed to the increase of heart and lung complications. In the Middle East — and especially the Kingdom — the rate of coronary heart problems is considerably higher than the world average. Specialists at the Seventh Cardiology Symposium that concluded here on Monday said the Arab world must pay closer attention to what they called the “silent killer”, hypertension.
Dr. Hashim Sharif Hashim, a cardiology specialist at the Jeddah Cardiology Center, said that people should be more aware of the problems associated with high blood pressure. It’s called the silent killer because it doesn’t have specific symptoms, making people unaware of the danger they are facing. Doctors recommend that people undergo regular health checkups, have a balanced and nutritious diet, exercise and generally try to take it easy.
Around 15 percent of the world population is suffering from high blood pressure, which could lead to many complications ranging from heart failure, strokes and to kidney failure.
Hashim talked about the importance of exact diagnosis of the disease, saying that doctors should be completely aware of the various affects of blood pressure medications.
Cardiologist Dr. Hisham Yahya said that arteriosclerosis is one of the century’s increasing heart diseases, because of smoking and high-fat diets.
Dr. Salamah Hijazi, a cardiology specialist, called on the society, and especially those in the work environment, to have some knowledge on the signs of heart and lung failure and should have some experience in CPR.
Dr. Huda Al-Khateeb, another cardiology specialist, added that the symposium came out with a number of papers, research and knowledge exchange that would shed more light and development to the medical society in the Kingdom.
