"Know your Heart" to avoid Cardiovascular Disease

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi Launches Awareness Campaign to Mark World Heart Day

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is launching a month-long awareness campaign to educate UAE residents about cardiovascular disease, in advance of World Heart Day on September 29.

Based on the theme of ‘Know Your Heart’, the initiative will share practical measures that people can take to reduce their risk of developing cardiovascular disease, which accounted for 37 percent of all deaths in Abu Dhabi in 2016, according to the Department of Health. 

Experts will speak at education and screening events at major Abu Dhabi government institutions and businesses throughout September as part of the campaign. 

Dr. Feras Bader, Staff Physician, Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said: “Cardiovascular disease is a major challenge for the community and one of the key issues that Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi was established to help manage. As well as providing cutting-edge treatment for patients suffering from heart and vascular diseases, we are also supporting a range of community campaigns to help people reduce their risk factors. In this way, we want to create a ‘virtuous circle’ where healthier lifestyles mean people stay fit for longer and don’t require surgical intervention.”

‘Know Your Heart’ will focus on key factors in heart disease, including family history, nutrition, exercise and smoking cessation. It will also stress the importance of regular screening. 

To help the community to make better informed decisions, the campaign website features a heart age calculator, enabling visitors to get a clearer picture of how their lifestyle has affected their heart health and what they can do to improve it. It will also feature heart healthy recipes and exercise tips. 

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute is home to some of the region’s top cardiologists and diagnoses and treats patients suffering from range of cardiovascular conditions. The institute has performed a number of regional firsts, including robotic mitral valve repair, totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass, as well as advanced surgeries to remove heart tumors and implemented the region’s first remote heart monitoring program.

People who want to know more about their risk of cardiovascular disease, and the steps they can take to reduce that risk, can visit the ‘Know Your Heart’ microsite at knowyourheart.clevelandclinicabudhabi.ae . 

As part of its ‘Know Your Heart’ campaign, physicians at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi are encouraging patients with heart murmurs to see a specialist and receive an echocardiogram, in case it is an indicator of a more serious condition.

The ‘Know Your Heart’ campaign is a month-long initiative designed to help patients reduce their risks of cardiovascular disease, ahead of World Heart Day on September 29.

A heart murmur occurs when there is turbulent or abnormal blood flow across the heart valve or an abnormal connection and can be present at birth (congenital) or develop later in life. They can be harmless and do not need treatment, but some heart murmurs may require special tests to ensure the murmur is not caused by a serious underlying heart condition. 

Potential serious causes include cardiac shunts resulting from a hole in the heart, heart valve abnormalities, and infections such as endocarditis.

“When doctors listen to the heart using a stethoscope, a normal heart beat has two sounds created by the heart’s valves opening and closing as blood is pushed through the heart chambers. Heart murmurs make a slightly different noise, which can indicate an underlying issue,” explains Dr. E. Murat Tuzcu, Chief Academic Officer & Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cardiology, Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. 

“We are asking patients who have previously been diagnosed with heart murmurs to see a cardiologist and possibly undergo an echocardiogram , even if it is thought as benign. This is particularly important if the patient is experiencing other symptoms, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations or lightheadedness,” he added.

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute’s Heart Valve Disease Program specializes in disorders in which heart valves are either too narrow or are leaking, with a dedicated multi-disciplinary team offering the latest methods for diagnosis and treatment. 

Equipped with different imaging techniques such as ultrasound, X-ray and CT, physicians can detect valve problems and plan the course of treatment accordingly. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, the unparalleled extension of the United States’ number one hospital for cardiology & heart surgery for the 24th consecutive year – Cleveland Clinic, also offers minimally invasive procedures for valve repair and replacement, resulting in less trauma and faster healing for the patient. 

Patients who wish to book an appointment can visit: https://www.clevelandclinicabudhabi.ae/en/patients-and-visitors/forms-and-documents/pages/request-an-appointment.aspx .