Although significant advancements have been made in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), the rising prevalence of risk factors like hypertension, diabetes, and particularly dyslipidemia or abnormally high levels of cholesterol are leading to an increasing trend of serious cardiovascular events like heart attacks, strokes, and fatalities in the UAE.
CVD is a significant cause of death in the UAE which includes atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) – a natural progression of untreated dyslipidemia.
“Dyslipidemia is one of the most preventable risk factors for ASCVD in the UAE. However, ASCVD still accounts for 85 percent of cardiovascular-related deaths,” says Dr. Wael Al Mahmeed, Consultant Cardiologist and Board Member of the Emirates Cardiac Society, UAE.
“This is because there is a significant lack of knowledge of dyslipidemia and ASCVD in the Emirates that even patients who have the disease don’t really know what it is. Around 40 percent of adults are at risk of ASCVD, and yet most are unaware of the risk until they experience more serious events like a heart attack or stroke.”
Al Mahmeed noted that this lack of awareness meant that people who were at risk of ASCVD were not managing their health as well as they should be. He added that many patients only focus on diet and exercise to manage their cholesterol, but it is vital to accompany that with regular check-ups and tests.
According to a study commissioned by Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, despite more than half of UAE residents being affected by heart disease, 53 percent of survey respondents said they had not had their health checked for more than two years.
Mohammed Ezz Eldin, President and Head of Gulf Cluster at Novartis, a leading global medicines company ranked among the world’s top pharmaceutical companies, says: “Because risks to ASCVD are left unmanaged, they often develop into more serious illnesses. This leads to patients with dyslipidemia often making use of more healthcare resources than other patient groups as they require more frequent visits with primary physicians and cardiologists.”
A 2020 study on the impact of ASCVD, linked with untreated cases of dyslipidemia, on healthcare resource utilisation found that, on average, patients with ASCVD had 63 percent more outpatient office visits compared to other patients and were twice as likely to frequent emergency rooms and hospitals.
“This puts significant strain on healthcare systems, resulting in rigidity in health spending, avoidable hospitalisations, adverse drug events, preventable drug interactions, and disruption-prone characteristics that render the healthcare system ineffective and inefficient,” adds Ezz Eldin.
“But these challenges can be tackled through effective prevention, early intervention, and care management strategies that reduce health risks, promote healthy lifestyles and support patients with the services and resources they need most. This requires collaboration between all healthcare industry players within the public and private space.”
As such, rising cholesterol in the UAE has become a public health priority for the country.
“Collaborations like the ones between the Emirates Cardiac Society and the Emirates Medical Association are working towards educational and awareness campaigns through workshops, seminars, and conferences which target both the public and healthcare providers. Additionally, the Department of Health has launched various initiatives that target patient awareness on dyslipidemia,” says Al Mahmeed.
Organisations like Global Heart Hub, work to increase awareness and understanding of heart diseases, and collaborative initiatives like Invisible Nation, aim to make ASVCD a priority in the global public health agenda, and are inspiring positive systemic change.
“The public and private sector’s efforts are vital in helping improve patient outcomes, enhancing quality of life, and optimising longevity for patients, as they aid in raising awareness and promoting early care and management of conditions like dyslipidemia for the prevention of cardiovascular disease,” adds Ezz Eldin.
“Novartis is exploring strategic partnerships tailored to the regions’ needs as we understand the importance of collaboration in supporting better patient outcomes and relieving the burden on healthcare systems in the UAE.”
In collaboration with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health, Novartis is currently developing the Population Health Model which focuses on prevention, early intervention, and care management of cardiovascular disease, as well as meeting key health policy objectives. Abu Dhabi is the first in the Middle East, and second in the world, to adopt this new model of healthcare provision.
The Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DoH) is also working with Novartis to turn the significant amount of data collected in its single patient database, created two years ago to be accessed across all hospitals and clinics in the Emirates, into actionable insights and solutions by leveraging the pharmaceutical company’s data management and analysis expertise to enhance system efficiency. This partnership will see the DoH accelerate its digital transformation journey while focusing on ASCVD.
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