Nearly 40 percent fear dying of heart disease

KUWAIT: Dr Feras Badr and Dr Ahmad Alduaij, of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, and Kuwaiti cardiologist Ibrahim Al Rashdan, MD, discuss the findings of the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi study.

KUWAIT: A new survey of social attitudes toward heart disease in Kuwait has revealed widespread concern about the illness, with leading regional heart doctors calling for greater education on the topic.

The survey which was commissioned by Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, the region's leading heart care hospital, and a strategic GCC medical resource for Kuwaiti nationals, sought responses to a series of questions about heart disease and its root causes.

In total, 39 percent of survey respondents in Kuwait feared dying due to heart disease, with slightly more men (40 percent) than women (37 percent) saying they felt afraid.

Conducted in advance of World Heart Day on September 29, the study revealed a broad consensus among Kuwaiti nationals and residents about the risks of heart disease, with 71 percent of survey respondents saying that they believed people under 40 should be more concerned about the illness. Interestingly, a higher proportion of women (76 percent) than men (69 percent) said that people under 40 should be more concerned with the issue.

Viewed by nationality, significantly more expat Asians (62 percent) and expat Arabs (38 percent) were concerned about dying from heart disease than Kuwaiti nationals (35 percent).

Despite a broad awareness of heart disease among the population, there was less understanding of the factors that influence a person's heart health, particularly among younger people.

Surveyed Kuwaiti nationals and residents between the ages of 18 and 29 were less likely to be aware of the role family history can play in a person's risk of developing heart disease. More than half of young respondents (51 percent) said family history was not a factor in heart health, compared to the 57 percent of people over 40 who thought it were. Experts agree that people with a family history are significantly more likely to develop some form of heart disease over their lifetimes.

Most respondents - across all age groups, nationalities, and income groups - indicated that they felt they could control the health of their heart, with 74 percent of total survey participants responding in the affirmative. Regular exercise and a healthy, balanced diet can significantly reduce a person's risk of developing heart disease over his or her lifetime.

Speaking in Kuwait, Dr Feras Badr, a cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said: "The survey results show that heart disease is a significant area of concern for people in Kuwait and that people understand that they have a responsibility to manage their heart health. However, it also shows that education around the causes of heart disease could be improved.

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is involved at both ends of the effort to reduce heart disease - supporting community education projects and also delivering advanced technologies and sophisticated therapies to support the treatment of patients."

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has played a pioneering role in introducing new cardiovascular treatments to the region, such as catheter-based valve interventions, hybrid coronary revascularization, minimally invasive, and robotic cardiac surgery.

Kuwaiti national Dr Ahmad Alduaij, who works at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, says the hospital has seen a higher volume of patients traveling to the UAE for treatment in 2017.

"Traditionally, a significant proportion of patients have travelled overseas for complex care and advanced treatment. We're seeing a higher volume elect to come to Abu Dhabi with the support of the government or their employers, because we're able to offer a world-class quality of care, closer to home, thus saving time and money, while easing the family burden during the treatment of acute care," said Dr Alduaij.

In 2016, patients from Kuwait represented the highest proportion of international patients received at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, making up 35 percent of visiting patient numbers. The Heart & Vascular Institute received a significant proportion of these patients, as people sought advanced treatments for heart issues.

In the parallel UAE survey, 44 percent of those questioned said they feared dying of heart disease, and 76 percent of survey respondents saying that they believed people under 40 should be more concerned about the illness. The two surveys were conducted between August 21-28, 2017, by YouGov, with a pool of respondents from across the UAE and Kuwait.

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is marking World Heart Day with a month-long campaign 'Love Your Heart,' which includes community health activities, online heart health education resources, and a range of initiatives designed to raise awareness about the advanced cardiovascular services available at the hospital.