Raising atherothrombosis awareness

The UAE Ministry of Health and Sanofi-aventis, in association with the Emirates Cardiac Society and Emirates Neurology Society, have launched the Atherothrombosis SOS campaign.

Quarterly meetings and regular symposiums targeting leading UAE physicians will be organized, providing insights into the understanding and early detection of the disease and to discuss the latest treatments available.

The program will witness the distribution of dopplers to 50 doctors across the UAE. One-day clinics will also be organized in major public and private hospitals across the UAE where doctors will screen the general public for signs of the disease.

"Atherothrombosis is devastating disease that progresses gradually without the patient's knowledge.

According to statistics from the American Heart Association, Atherothrombotic diseases Claimed 869,724 lives in 2004 (final mortality) (36.3 percent of all deaths or 1 of every 2.8 deaths) in the USA," said Ali Bin Shakar, undersecretary of the UAE Minister of Health.

"Our studies have also revealed that Atherothrombotic diseases CVD continue to be the leading cause of death in the UAE. Acute myocardial infarction represents 28%, cerebrovascular 16.2%, hypertensive disease 13.0%, and 12.3% were due to ischemic heart disease.

The sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy dietary habits prevalent, especially among younger generations of nationals and expatriates in the UAE, have caused an increasing incidence of the disease.

We are confident that the SOS program will assist in the early detection of this disease, and help us to save many lives in the years to come."

Caused by thickening of the artery walls, atherothrombosis is an underlying common cause of heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular deaths - conditions that affect millions of people worldwide.

Over time, cholesterol and other fatty materials form plaque on the walls of blood vessels. This build-up leads to a hardening of arteries, making it difficult for smooth blood flow.

Atherothrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms on the plaque in the wall of a blood vessel, reducing or completely blocking the flow of blood to specific parts of the body. Blood clots formed in arteries leading to the heart or brain, can cause heart attacks or strokes.

The disease, named from a derivative of atheroma, the fatty deposit in the blood vessel, and thrombosis, the formation of a blood clot, most commonly affects the heart, brain and legs. The parts affected by the disease suffer from poor function, tissue damage or death.