IN Egypt, the average cardiac patient is aged between 30 and 40, while in the West such patients are normally aged 70 or 80. Many young Egyptians and Arabs complain of valve and coronary artery disorders, say Egyptian cardiologists. Meanwhile, 16 per cent of Egyptians over the age of 40 also have diabetes which often causes coronary artery disease, while smoking, pollution and lack of exercise also contribute to this. These facts were revealed by Egyptian cardiologists during the 17th Annual Conference of the Egyptian Cardiothoracic Society, held in Cairo last week. The purpose of the conference was to transfer knowhow to young Egyptian cardiologists. It also allowed Egyptian and Arab cardiologists to compare notes, which is important, because cardiac patients in Arab countries are also very young and they tend to have the same nutritional habits as Egyptian patients, explained the well-known Egyptian heart specialist Dr Mohamed Nasr. "Coronary artery disorders are widespread among women who smoke sheesha. Heavy smokers are 45 times more likely than non-smokers to suddenly develop heart problems," added Dr Nasr, the Chairman of the conference. "Meanwhile, the incidence of rheumatic fever has fallen in Egypt in the past few years,“ he said, attributing this to greater awareness. Dr Nasr pointed out that Egypt is now manufacturing surgical requirements such as tools, syringes and stitches, which it exports for prices lower than the global average. Dr Mortagi Negm, the Secretary-General of the General Organisation of Teaching Hospitals and Institutes, stressed the importance of exchanging viewpoints and experiences, especially as the conference hosted representatives from the US and Europe. According to Dr Negm, cardiac disorders have become widespread, while pollution, smoking and poor nutrition all contribute to arteriosclerosis. “Around 10 per cent of diabetics suffer from arterial disorders. Anybody can suffer from hypertension, which affects the heart muscles, due to the stress and tension of everyday life, but the patient can protect his heart by controlling the hypertension,” he stressed. "There two methods for protecting heart muscles. The first involves reducing weight, doing jogging, quitting smoking and cutting down on the amount of salt in one's food. The second method is to take medication regularly to control hypertension.” Dr Negm said that 60 per cent of all the operations performed at the National Heart Institute (NHI) are for rheumatic fever and valve disorders. The other 40 per cent are concerned with coronary arteries disorders and congenital heart defects. "These defects can be caused by environmental pollution or maybe a pregnant woman has taken drugs without consulting a gynaecologist during the first trimester of her pregnancy,” he said. Dr Negm stressed that it is best to treat children with congenital heart defects before they are 12 months old, adding that the conference devoted a session to highlighting surgery for complex congenital heart defects and repairing valves. The conference also underlined the importance of early detection, which is obviously in the patient's interest and saves a lot of money. Meanwhile, a number of valve repair operations, being performed live at the NHI, were telecast in the conference hall. Dr Magdi Gomaa, the head of the Cardiac Surgery Department, Qasr Al-Aini Medical School, Cairo University, has noted that, in Egypt, valve disorders are widespread among children aged between five and 15. It is at this age that they are also vulnerable to rheumatic fever. Valve disorders are caused by damage hit to the valve. If the damage is mild, the valve can be treated by medicine; if severe, then the valve may need to be repaired or replaced,” according to Dr Gomaa. He said that, if the patient has to have the valve replaced, he needs to take what are called anticoagulants (bloodthinning medicines) for the rest of his life. But this can lead to bleeding complications, especially in women after delivery or post menopause. “Anticoagulants can also cause foetal deformities,” warned Dr Gomaa, stressing that it's better if the cardiologist can repair the damaged valve instead of replacing it. “In fact, there aren't always symptoms of heart valve damage, depending on its severity. People with such damage might experience chest pain or feel palpitations from an irregular heartbeat. They might feel tired or dizzy or have difficulty catching their breath.”
