RIYADH: Some drugs have been withdrawn from the market because of the increase in deaths due to heart diseases from 40 to 55 percent, according to heart specialists.

“The withdrawal came a little bit late though because the number of deaths due to cardiovascular diseases has increased significantly by 15 percent,” they said.

Dr. Tawfiq Khoja, director general at the Office of the Executive Council at the GCC’s Ministry of Health, said the increase in the death rate requires the issuance of a series of decisions based on evidence and community studies in the field of cardiovascular health.

“There’s an urgent need to ensure the safety of drugs and medicines being prescribed to heart patients,” he said.

Dr. Abdul Rauf Hamrani, a cardiologist and consultant, said the statistics issued during the 27th annual conference of the Saudi Heart Association cause anxiety.

He pointed out that during the conference, it was not mentioned that there have been drugs in the GCC market for years which were not subjected to laboratory tests to determine their effects.

He mentioned though that drugs are currently being tested for safety and effectiveness in coordination with the General Authority for Drug Administration (GADA).

He also warned that there are drugs that could give temporary relief, particularly among heart patients, but eventually cause death in the future.

“As a result, a number of warnings and alternatives in the use of medicines have been issued,” he said.

Dr. Mustafa Hisham, also a heart specialist, said that the drug benefits outweigh the harm, adding that medicines for heart patients normally undergo tests to verify safety and effectiveness to avoid possible sudden death.