- One-day clinic part of campaign launched by the Ministry and Sanofi-aventis to increase awareness of the devastating disease
The UAE Ministry of Health recently held a one-day clinic in Al Qassimi Hospital in Sharjah to raise public awareness of atherothrombosis. The clinic was part of a series of one-day clinics organized in major hospitals and primary healthcare centers across the UAE to increase awareness about atherothrombotic risk and its complications among at-risk patients.
The clinics are organized as part of the Atherothrombosis SOS program launched jointly by the Ministry of Health and Sanofi-aventis.
Commenting on the atherothrombosis clinics, His Excellency Dr. Ali Ahmed Bin Shakar, Director General of the UAE Ministry of Health, said, “Despite the fact that atherothrombosis diseases are the leading cause of death in the UAE and the world over, there has been insufficient awareness about the risk factors of atherothrombosis and about effective ways to prevent and control the disease. Organizing specialized clinics such as these will help to keep atherothrombotic diseases in check by facilitating early detection and providing access to expert counsel to at-risk patients.”
During the one-day clinics, patients at risk are examined using Doppler machines, supplied by Sanofi-aventis, to help in early detection of atherothrombotic diseases. Patient information leaflets and DVDs in both English and Arabic are also distributed during the clinics. The first atherothrombosis clinic was held in Tawam Hospital in Al Ain, followed by Rashid Hospital in Dubai and Al-Noor Hospital in Abu Dhabi. Several leading hospitals and primary healthcare clinics in the UAE are scheduled to host similar one-day clinics in the coming weeks.
The atherothrombosis clinics will be held again in the same hospitals in November 2008. Sanofi-aventis has informed that more activities are planned in collaboration with the Ministry of Health to assist in early detection and better management of the disease.
The Atherothrombosis SOS (which stands for ‘Screen.Observe.Survive’) program was launched on April 21, 2008 to coincide with the first
‘UAE National Atherothrombosis Day’. The campaign kicked off with a free check-up on blood glucose, blood pressure and waist circumference organized at the Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai to increase awareness about the risk factors of atherothrombosis among the public.
According to doctors from leading hospitals in the UAE, the campaign has been helping to raise public awareness of atherothrombosis and contributing to the early detection of the disease and treatment readiness of hospitals.
“The Atherothrombosis SOS program being an ongoing initiative, it may be several months before we can assess the full impact of this campaign among the medical fraternity and the general public. However, going by our experiences over the weeks since the program’s launch, we can reasonably conclude that the campaign has already made a tangible difference, as more and more people have been coming forward for check-ups and to learn about preventive measures,” said Dr. Haitham Hassoun, Head of Vascular Surgery Department in Tawam Hospital.
Dr. Deena Al Qedrah, Specialist Registrar in Vascular Surgery at the Rashid Hospital in Dubai, expressed similar sentiments, observing that the initial response to the campaign has been highly encouraging. “The need of the hour is to educate the public about the risk factors for atherothrombosis and other cardiovascular diseases and encourage them to lead a healthy lifestyle, and campaigns such as these would go a long way in achieving this goal. The emphasis should be on how best to prevent the disease,” Dr. Deena said. “As for patients with atherothrombosis, it is imperative that they take their medication on time, control their diet, exercise regularly and stay away from smoking.”
Atherothrombotic diseases are the leading cause of death in the UAE. 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 the consequences of an inadequate blood supply, namely poor function, tissue damage or death.
