khaleej times Wednesday, January 27, 2010

RAKHOSPITAL is a 65-bedded, state-of-the-art multi-specialty healthcarefacility jointly set up by the ETA StarHealthcare and the Ras Al KhaimahGovernment and managed by Son-nenhof Swiss Health (SSH), a leadinghealthcare consulting corporation fromSwitzerland.RAK Hospital is the only hospital in

the Northern Emirates to provide com-prehensive cardiac care. The first Cath-eterisation Laboratory (Cath Lab) andElectro physiology (EP) facility wasinaugurated by Shaikh Saud bin SaqrAl Qasimi, Crown Prince and DeputyRuler of Ras Al Khaimah.Raza Siddiqui, executive director,

ETA Star Healthcare LLC, says: “Thisis a new milestone on the medicalfront for the Northern Emirates. Withthe newly established Catheterisa-tion Lab, RAK Hospital is now fullyequipped to provide complete solutionfor any heart-related issues. With thelatest state-of-the-art technology and ahighly specialised cardiac team at RAKHospital, the region has now becomemore medically efficient and indepen-dent. Our cardiac team at the hospitalis headed by Dr. Rajeev Lochan, chiefcardiologist and Dr. Margit Oremek,medical director, who are both highlyrespected for their experience in thisfield.”Equipped with the advanced cardiac

angiography system from SiemensHealthcare, 64-channel electro physi-ology monitoring with RF ablator andfour channel Cardiac Stimulators byGE Healthcare, the Cath Lab at RAKHospital has ensured that it has the bestof medical equipment at its disposal tohelp better serve the patients.RAK Hospital also pioneers in EP

study for the benefit of the residents inNorthern Emirates. EP study providesinformation that is essential for the di-agnosis and treatment of arrhythmias(problems that lead to abnormal heartrhythms). Although it is more inva-sive than an echocardiogram (ECHO),and involves provoking arrhythmias,the test produces data that makes itpossible to diagnose the source of ar-rhythmia symptoms. EP studies help inevaluating the effectiveness of certainmedications that control the arrhyth-mia. It also facilitates the prediction ofthe risk of a future cardiac event, suchas sudden cardiac death, and helps ac-cess the need for an implantable device(a pacemaker or ICD) or treatment pro-cedure (catheter ablation).RAK Hospital is equipped with 64

slice cardiac CT scanner capable ofperforming 64 slices per rotation atless than 0.4 - 0.7 mm resolution. Suchhigh resolution allows visualisation ofthe entire coronary tree with extremelyhigh accuracy and detail.Patients are treated in RAK hospi-

tal’s most advanced cardiac care unit,(CCU), which offers highly specialisedcare until their condition stabilises.As per Dr. Oremek, “The equivalent

of an intensive care unit (ICU), whichis for critically ill patients with othertypes of conditions, a CCU containsextensive heart monitoring and test-ing equipment as well as a staff trainedand certified in heart conditions andprocedures.”Considering the influx of cardio-

vascular patients in the UAE, it hasbecome highly essential for sufficientfacilities to be available to combat thethreat from these diseases. It has beenestimated that 41 per cent of all deathsin UAE are caused by cardiovascular orheart related diseases.With the availability of such facilities

at RAK Hospital, Ras Al Khaimah hasbecome more self-reliant to treat car-diac patients.RAK Hospital is the only hospital

in the world that has been awardedthe accreditation from both Joint Com-mission International (JCI) and by theSwiss Leading Hospital (SLH Accredi-tation) which is based on EuropeanFoundation for Quality Management(EFQM standards).

By Dr. Rajesh Raipancholia

CARDIOVASCULAR disease remainsthe leading cause of death in menand women worldwide. It is still con-sidered a disease of men and there

has been little recognition of its importance inwomen. Women with heart disease continue tobe under-diagnosed, undertreated and under-researched.Even though cardiovascular disease accounts

for 43 per cent of all female deaths few womenview it as a significant health risk. Many wom-en lack the basic awareness that heart diseaseis their biggest killer with their main fear beingbreast cancer. In fact, breast cancer was the sev-enth leading cause of death for females (4.5 percent).Women with ischaemic heart disease (IHD)

have worse outcomes than men. Of heart attackpatients treated with either clot buster medica-tions or primary angioplasty and stenting, itis noticed that women have higher in-hospitalcomplications than men.Women under 50 years old have been shown

to experience twice the rate of in-hospital deathcompared to their male counterparts. Further-more, women are more likely to die within oneyear following a heart attack compared to men.Serious complications of heart attack, such asshock, heart failure and recurrence of heart at-tack are more frequent in women.

What are the symptoms of coronary artery dis-ease in women?When women have angina, they are more

likely than men to experience “atypical” symp-toms. Many women report a hot or burning sen-sation, or even tenderness to touch, in the back,shoulders, arms or jaw; often they have no chestdiscomfort at all.Heart attacks also tend to behave differently

in women. Frequently they experience nausea,vomiting, cold sweat, indigestion, dizziness,pain or pressure in the back or high chest, painor discomfort in one or both arms, shortness ofbreath or extreme fatigue — but no chest pain.

Unfortunately, these symptoms are easy to attri-bute to something other than the heart. Womenalso are more likely than men to have “silent”heart attacks — that is, heart attacks withoutany acute symptoms, and that are diagnosedonly at a later time when subsequent cardiacsymptoms occur.

Why do women with heart disease have worseoutcomes?The exact reasons for the discrepancy in out-

come remain unclear, but could be explained bythe higher risk profile frequently seen in wom-en. At the time a woman presents with coronaryartery disease she is older and has more risk fac-tors such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hy-percholesterolemia, heart failure and peripheralvascular disease.Until they reach menopause, women are

protected from heart disease by oestrogen. Butwomen, who have an early onset of menopause,or those who have had their ovaries removed,suffer a higher risk for cardiovascular disease.Compared to men, women are less likely to

seek medical help, but more likely to presentlate in the disease process and to have “atypicalsymptoms”. Late presentation delays effectivetreatment. Women have smaller coronary arter-iesmaking themmore difficult to treat bothwithangioplasty and surgically, and this contributessignificantly to worse outcomes.

Does taking hormonal pills increase risk forheart disease?Taking hormonal pills is generally safe for

young, healthy women if they do not smoke.But these can pose heart disease risks for somewomen, especially women older than 35; wom-en with high blood pressure, diabetes, or highcholesterol; and women who smoke.

Dr. Rajesh Raipancholia, ConsultantInterventional Cardiologist,HeartFirst Medical Centre,

Dubai Healthcare City

Female heart is vulnerable tocardiovascular diseaseMany womenlack the basicawareness thatheart disease istheir biggest killeralthough breastcancer may beseen as thebigger threat

More research that involves women

Much of the research in the last 20 years on heart disease has either excluded women entirely or included only limitednumbers of women. The recruitment of women into studies still remains deficient. The need for studies that includemore women remains paramount.

Patient, doctor, nurse and industry awareness

The UK contribution to the international campaigns on heart disease in women, is the “Her at Heart” to raise awarenessas well as the undertaking of new research to study women and heart disease.The European Society of Cardiology’s the “Women at Heart” campaign is mainly aimed at health professionals,

highlighting the under-recognition of women with IHD; and the American Heart Association’s “Go Red For Women”Campaign, has encouraged hundreds of thousand of women to undergo a heart check.All of these campaigns are valuable tools in what remains a difficult task of introducing the concept of heart disease

as the major threat to women into our modern societies. There is no doubt that better education and awareness areneeded to address the issues surrounding heart disease in women. We have crossed the starting line in what seems tobe a challenging marathon ahead.

HeartCare

THE CHALLENGES AND THE ANSWERS

ETAStarHealthcarebringsworld-class cardiocare toRAK

With the newlyestablishedCatheterisation Lab,the hospital is now fullyequipped to providecomplete solutionfor any heart-relatedissues

RAKHOSPITAL

Raza SiddiquiExecutive Director

RAK Hospital is the onlyhospital in the worldthat has been awardedthe accreditation fromboth Joint CommissionInternational (JCI) and bythe Swiss Leading Hospital(SLH Accreditation) whichis based on EuropeanFoundation for QualityManagement (EFQMstandards)

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khaleej times Wednesday, January 27, 2010

By Medha BhaskaranPEOPLE know about the goodness of protein, andfibre in the diet. The Food Research has becomemore intense since the world is drowning in theepidemic of obesity and diabetes. As the new factstumble out, more awareness becomes the key toovercome the new age epidemics related to lifestyle.Glycaemic Index, or GI, refers to how rapidly a foodcauses blood sugar to rise. High-GI foods, like whitebread and potatoes, tend to spur a quick surge inblood sugar, while low-GI foods, such as lentils,soybeans, yoghurt and many high-fibre grains, pro-duce a more gradual increase in blood sugar.It’s the GI of the food. That’s a measure of how

quickly a food is broken down and absorbed by thebody, and it’s the driving principle behind severalweight-loss plans. The quickly absorbed foods spikethe blood sugar instantly, inviting the rush of insu-lin. The massive insulin surge rapidly eliminates theblood sugar by taking it away to the body cells. Sud-den blood sugar decline leads to hunger pangs andenergy loss. Higher the GI Index of the food moreis the “hunger pangs” and food intake. Lower GIIndex foods maintain the blood sugar levels withinlimits, thus subduing the hunger pangs.Knowing that the body converts complex (low

glycaemic) carbohydrates to blood sugarmuchmoreslowly than simple (high glycaemic) carbohydrates,Dr. Kaufman, a US physician specialising in endo-crinology, metabolism and diabetes, hypothesizedthat complex carbohydrates could help people dra-matically reduce blood sugar fluctuations, improvetheir energy level and naturally suppress their appe-tite. She invented Extend Bars — tasty snacks withuncooked cornstarch that releases the nutrients ever

so slowly into the body.Extend Bars will soon be available in the UAE

in selected outlets. They come in five mouthwater-ing flavours like Chocolate Delight, Peanut ButterChocolate Delight, Peanut Delight, Mixed Berry De-light and Apple Cinnamon Delight.

HeartCare

By Dr. Rajesh Raipancholia

AHEART ATTACK results whena heart artery becomes severelynarrowed or blocked. Most of

the heart muscle damage takes placewithin the first one to two hours of theheart attack, so treatment to open theheart artery needs to occur within thistime, to save the heart muscle and pre-vent death.There are two main treatments to

deal with blocked heart arteries: clot-busting medication (fibrinolytic thera-py) and coronary angioplasty/ stent-ing, (also known as primary PCI).These methods have significantly im-proved the survival and quality of lifeof heart attack patients.According to the guidelines of the

American College of Cardiology,American Heart Association and Eu-ropean Society of Cardiology, primaryPCI is highly recommended in heartattack patients who can undergo theprocedure within 12 hours of the on-set of symptoms. The procedure needsto be performed quickly (angioplastyor stent placement or both within 90minutes after the first medical contact)by experienced doctors.Clot-busting medicationSome patients have a reaction to

clot-busting medication. In around 20per cent of patients, the clots do notdisappear. In about 25 per cent of pa-tients there is another blockage of theartery within three months, with re-current heart attack. These limitationsare minimised with the use of primaryPCI.

What is angioplasty?Angioplasty is a method of treating

narrowing and blockage of the heartarteries. The cardiologist will tempo-rarily insert and expand a tiny ballooncatheter where your arteries have nar-rowed, to help widen them and im-prove the blood supply to the heart.What is stenting?A stent is a small coil made of a

fine, wire mesh that is permanentlyplaced inside the artery to help keepthe blood vessel open.Advantages of primary PCIThe survival rate is much higher in

patients treated with primary PCI ver-

sus clot-busting therapy. The rates ofrecurrent heart attack and brain strokeare also far less.Compared to balloon angioplasty,

when patients undergo stenting of theheart artery, the rates of renarrowingand the frequencies of recurrent chestpain and repeated angioplasty proce-dures are lower.Thus, stenting of the coronary artery

is usually preferred. With the adventof medicated stents the rates of renar-rowing are further reduced. PrimaryPCI is expensive, but patients on clot-busting medication have higher costsand longer hospital stays.

Treatingheart attackwithangioplastyandstenting

Scienceof hungermanagementAwareness is the key toovercome new age epidemicsrelated to lifestyle

Atheroma (fatty plaque) A guide wire with a deflated balloon ispassed through the catheter in thenarrowed artery

The balloon is removed and thestent is left in place to keep theartery open

The balloon is then inflated to openthe narrowed artery and the stentexpands around the balloon

artery

BALLOONANGIOPLASTY

How Extend Bars work. The secret is all in the timing.

khaleej times Wednesday, January 27, 2010

HeartCare

CANOLAOIL is the best blend of fats for good health.Trans-fat free and with the lowest amount of saturatedfat of any vegetable oil, canola oil also has the best bal-ance of “good fats” — polyunsaturated and monoun-saturated fats.Your body needs fat to provide energy and help you

absorb fat-soluble vitamins. Certain fats, such as ome-ga-3 and omega-6 fats, are essential for good nutritionandmust be consumed as part of a healthy diet. It is im-portant to choose fats wisely because some are healthierfor you than others. Canola oil provides healthier fatsthan any other popular vegetable oil.Heartlight is 100 per cent pure Canola Oil and is

nature’s healthiest vegetable oil. All vegetable oils arecholesterol free. The only dietary sources of cholesterolare animal products. Cholesterol is not the major causefor heart problems. The enemy number one is saturatedfat, which tends to raise blood cholesterol leading toheart problems.Light and cholesterol free, Heartlight, has the lowest

saturated fat content much lower than corn, sunflower,safflower, soybean or even olive oil.Heartlight has another health advantage; it is richer

than any other cooking oil in alpha-linolenic acid,whichmay help lower blood cholesterol, thereby reducing therisk of coronary heart disease.Heartlight is ideal for cooking, frying, baking and

salad dressings.

THE International Modern HospitalServices (IMHS) in Dubai providesunsurpassed personalised healthcareservices of international standardsusing up-to-date medical technologyand covers most medical specialties.A full range of cardiology services

is offered. It includes invasive rightand left heart catheterisation, coro-nary angiography, angioplasty andstenting. Others are peripheral inter-vention (carotid, renal, lower limbs),valvuloplasty (mitral, pulmonary),pacemakers and ICD implantations.Non-invasive services include ECG,24 hours halter monitor, 24 hoursblood pressure monitoring (ABPM),treadmill exercise test, transthoracicecho, Transoesophageal echo andDobutamine stress echo.IMHS offers new hope for cancer

patients. “Regional Chemotherapy”destroys the tumour with almost no

side effects. There is no more hair loss,no excising organs or disfiguration,no nausea or vomiting, but a more ef-fective treatment. This is performedby Professor Aigner, a visiting doctorfrom Germany, who is a pioneer inthis method.The emergency department serves

children and adults and is open roundthe clock. The clinics of Internal Medi-cine, Obstetric, Gynaecology, and Foe-tal Medicine Services are open dailyfrom 9am to 9pm. All the rooms aresuites including a patient room and alounge for patient visitors at competi-tive private room prices.

By Latha KrishnanTHE REPUTABLE InterventionalCardiology and Cardiothoracic Unitat Welcare Hospital moved to TheCity Hospital — the first multi-disci-plinary hospital in Dubai HealthcareCity — in February 2009. The unitwas first set-up in Dubai by Dr. NitinMandke back in 2002.Dr. AndreWessels, the former Head

of the Heart Transplant Unit in Johan-nesburg up till 2003, heads the cardiacteam at The City Hospital. “We havebeen providing continuous cardiacsurgery service since 2003, initially atWelcare Hospital and now at The CityHospital,” says Dr. Wessels, SpecialistCardiothoracic Surgeon.The move has been beneficial as

The City Hospital has modern the-atres, dedicated cardiac anaesthetistsand ICU staff, as well as supporting

disciplines such as endocrinology,nephrology, physiotherapy, dieteticsand cardiac rehabilitation.“We concentrate on adult cardiac

surgery while providing a serviceon par with the highest internationalstandards. Our fully-fledged interven-tional cardiology division performs alltypes of cardiac treatments includingangioplasty and placement of stents.The City Hospital’s well-equippedcatheterisation lab and 64-slice CTScanner allow the visualisation ofcoronary arteries in real time. Therearen’t many centres which have thesefacilities in the region,” comments Dr.Wessels.The cardiothoracic team publishes

an annual report, which indicatedthe types of surgical procedures per-formed as well as their morbidity andmortality rates. The team has bench-marked its results against acceptedinternational standards. Both the STS(Society of Thoracic Surgeons) of theUnited States and Euro Score of theEuropean System for Cardiac Op-erative Risk Evaluation were used tocompile patients’ data in order to clas-sify them as low risk, medium risk orhigh risk for operative mortality.“According to both STS and Euro

Score, our mortality rates were lower

than the expected benchmark, whichindicates that our unit’s outcomes areon par or even better than the inter-national standards. One distinct ad-vantage of being in Dubai is that thepopulation is predominantly youngand they tend to have fewer complica-tions following cardiac surgery.” saysDr. Wessels.Dr. Wessels and the team look for-

ward to receiving more patients fromall over the region as well as patientsfrom places such as Nigeria, NorthAfrica and Eritrea, drawn to Dubai byits central location. They hope that thecommon perception among residentsin Dubai that “abroad is better” forcardiac surgery and post-surgery carewill change as patients realise theycan get an excellent service and qual-ity care right here in Dubai at com-petitive rates.

Nature’sbounty

State-of-the-art adultcardiac surgery care

Canola oil has the bestbalance of ‘good fats’

Excellent servicesand quality care atcompetitive rates areavailable right herein Dubai

HEARTLIGHT THECITYHOSPITAL

International ModernHospital Servicesin Dubai coversmost of the medicalspecialties

INTERNATIONALMODERNHOSPITAL SERVICES

Rangeof cardiology services

The hospital’s well-equippedcatheterisation lab and64-slice CT Scanner allowthe visualisation of coronaryarteries in real time

Certain fats, such as omega-3 andomega-6 fats, are essential for goodnutrition and must be consumed aspart of a healthy diet

khaleej times Wednesday, January 27, 2010

ByAbdul Haque Chowdhury

THE UAE has emerged as one ofthe fastest growing healthcaremarkets in the Middle East. The

healthcare sector is showing robustgrowth and is poised to attract moreforeign direct investments this year. Ithas grown at double digit rate to keeppace with the rising demand for qual-ity treatment and diagnostic facilities.Driven by various factors such as

rapidly increasing population, risingprevalence of lifestyle diseases, suchas obesity, diabetes and hypertension,and the lack of internationally ac-credited healthcare infrastructure, thecountry has been witnessing a rapid

rise for healthcare services, resulting inincreased healthcare spending.According to the latest research re-

port, “UAE Healthcare Sector Forecastto 2012”, the healthcare spending inthe country is forecasted to grow at aCAGR of more than 13 per cent during2007-2012. This growth will be drivenby the favourable regulatory environ-ment, increasing private sector par-ticipation and the introduction of com-pulsory medical insurance schemestogether with the expected completionof the Dubai Healthcare City by thisyear.The government plays a central role

in providing healthcare services andaccounted for around 70 per cent ofthe total healthcare spending in 2008.However, the government is rapidlypromoting the involvement of privatesector in all areas of medical servicesranging from diagnosis to treatment.Meanwhile, the healthcare sector in

the Arabian Gulf will continue to en-joy high growth this year, despite theglobal slowdown, led by governmentinvestment in infrastructure improve-

ment, according to leading industryobservers.“In spite of significant project delays

in other non-infrastructure sectors, thepipeline of healthcare projects in theregion remains remarkably robust,particularly for the United Arab Emir-ates and Saudi Arabia,” said SimonPage, Director of the Life Science Divi-sion of IIR Middle East, organisers ofthe four-day Arab Health Exhibitionand Congress being held in Dubai.Arab Health, the biggest healthcare

event in theMiddle East, will concludetomorrow. According to a recent re-port fromAlpen Capital, the per capitahealth care spending in the Gulf Coop-eration Council (GCC) countries is ex-pected to continue growing faster thanthe global average.“Growth in income levels as well as

an increase in health insurance cover-age will boost demand for health careservices,” the report said.The report also forecasts the GCC

may need in excess of 25,000 addi-tional beds by 2020 to address growingdemand for in-patient treatments.

HeartCare

By Dr. Girishchandra VarmaCARDIOVASCULAR disease, whichincludes coronary heart disease,stroke, and peripheral vascular dis-ease, is by far the leading cause ofdeath in most of the developed andrecently the developing world.The majority of known risk factors

for cardiovascular disease are modifi-able by specific preventive measures.There are nine potentially modifiablefactors accounting for over 90 per centrisk of a first heart attack.The negative ones that increase

the risk of a first heart attack includesmoking, dyslipidemia, hyperten-sion, diabetes, abdominal obesity andadverse pyschological factors. Thepositive ones preventing a first attackinclude daily consumption of fruitsand vegetables, moderate alcoholconsumption and regular physicalactivity.The following cardiovascular risk

factors are modifiable and shouldbe considered in all adults. They aresmoking, high blood pressure, diet,high cholesterol levels, physical inac-tivity, obesity and diabetes mellitus.Other non-modifiable risk factors

include family history of prematureCHD in a first degree relative (in-cludes parents and siblings). In malesthe first degree relatives of less than55 years and in females the first de-gree relative of less than 65 years isconsidered. Men have a higher risk ofCHD than women at every age. Thereis an increasing risk of CHD with in-creasing age.

There are strategies to reduce risks.Following aheart healthydiet:Diet

counselling is helpful for people whoneed to lose weight or reduce choles-terol levels. A registered dietitian isthe best person to consult about foodsthat are helpful, appropriate portionsizes, total calorie recommendations,and realistic ways to change bad eat-ing habits.Smoking cessation: Cigarette

smoking markedly increases the riskof coronary heart disease and heartattack, and stopping smoking canrapidly reduce these risks. One yearafter stopping smoking, the risk ofdying from coronary heart disease isreduced by about one-half, and therisk continues to decline with time.In some studies, the risk of heart at-tack was reduced to the rate of non-smokers within two years of quittingsmoking.Treatment of high blood pressure

and high cholesterol: Medicines tocontrol high blood pressure and highcholesterol are usually recommendedafter a heart attack if blood pressureand cholesterol are not already con-trolled. It is important to take thesemedications exactly as prescribed.

Hyperlipidemia refers to elevatedlevels of fats, including cholesteroland triglycerides, in the blood.Most people with hyperlipidemia

have no symptoms. However, hy-perlipidemia is associated with anincreased risk of coronary heart dis-ease, a thickening or hardening ofthe arteries that supplies blood to theheart muscle. Coronary heart disease,in turn, can result in angina pectoris(chest pain), a heart attack, or both.Because of these risks, treatment isrecommended for many people withhyperlipidemia.Lipid levels can almost always be

lowered with a combination of diet,weight loss, exercise, and medica-tions. As lipid levels fall, so does therisk of developing coronary heart dis-ease, as well as the risk of sufferinga stroke. It is not too late if coronaryheart disease is already present; lipid-lowering treatment in people withcoronary heart disease can be lifesav-ing.Manage diabetes: People with

diabetes are at an increased risk of de-veloping complications after a heartattack. Tight control of blood glucosecan help to reduce the risk of theseand other types of complications. Itis important for people with coro-nary disease to avoid having bloodglucose levels that are too high or toolow. Tight control can be achievedby losing weight, managing the diet,exercising, monitoring blood glucoselevels regularly, and taking oral hy-poglycaemic medications (for peoplewith type 2 diabetes) or insulin (forpeople with type 1 and sometimestype 2 diabetes).Exercise: Inadequate physical ac-

tivity has been recognised as an inde-pendent risk factor for premature de-velopment of coronary heart disease(CHD). Regular exercise and mainte-nance of ideal body weight contributea long way in keeping heart diseaseat bay.

By Latha KrishnanONEOF the leading private hospitalsin the UAE, Al Zahra has a moderncardiac catheterisation laboratory andwell-equipped specialised intensivecare units. Facilities for investiga-tion include Resting and Stress ECG,Echocardiography with colour Dop-pler, ambulatory ECG and bloodpressure monitoring, Nuclear Medi-cine myocardial perfusion scans, in-travascular ultrasound machine andfacilities for reviewing angiographycine films.Dr Omer A. Elhag, Consultant In-

terventional Cardiologist and Car-diac Electro Physiologist at Al Zahra,informs that the hospital is in theprocess of enhancing the Cath Labby introducing a new cardiac electrophysiology machine to treat peoplewith heart rhythm problems. Withthe help of this machine, the doc-tor can introduce a catheter into theheart and connect the other end to anelectric generator that produces radiofrequency current and will burn a fewmillimetres of the heart tissue. This inturn will rid the heart of the problemof beating irregularly.“It’s a cure forever for peoplewhose

heartbeat is fast and erratic especiallydue to genetic problems or from tak-ing multiple medications. These pa-tients are usually young and do notwant to be saddled with medicationfor all their lives. Al Zahra will be thefirst hospital to have this machine inSharjah,” says Dr. Elhag.Al Zahra Catheterization Lab now

has the intravascular ultra sound ma-chine that can perform virtual histol-ogy and assess the narrowing of theartery from inside the artery via a tinyprobe. It can tell the doctor howmuchof the artery is blocked, what are thecauses for it and what material isblocking the artery.Whereas an angiograph gives a

two-dimensional picture and may notgive the complete real picture, this ul-trasound is able to furnish the actualpicture. A block that appears to be a

50 per cent one in the angiographmayturn out more serious and significantwhen viewed through the ultrasound.It will help the doctor decide on thebest treatment to clear the block. Themachine also helps in physiologicalassessment by measuring the bloodpressure before and after the blockingof the artery. It does that bymeasuringthe blood flow in parts of the arteriesand allows the doctor to see if there isa problem due to narrowing.Aided by all this technology, cardi-

ologists at Al Zahra can get all detailsof the patient quickly in one sittingand provide treatment in the short-est time possible. If the investigationspoint out that the narrowing of theartery is not significant they can letthe patient go home with necessarymedication. If it is significant and lifethreatening, they can go ahead withangioplasty, stent insertion or surgery,as necessary.Al Zahra started cardiac treatment

in 2002 and was the first private hos-pital in Sharjah and Dubai to provideprimary angioplasty service.Dr. Abhay Pande, Consultant In-

terventional Cardiologist at Al Zahra,says: “The most important aspectabout Al Zahra Cardiac departmentis that we do primary angioplasty,which saves time and saves the lifeof the patient. We do not wait to finda convenient time for the patient anddoctor and keep it for later, as webelieve that the earlier the patient’sartery is unblocked, the better it is tosave his/her life. Primary angioplastyis now the standard treatment in lead-ing hospitals around the world anddefinitely more effective than the ear-lier popular thrombolytic treatment.”Dr. Adel Al Eryani, Consultant

Interventional Cardiologist at AlZahra, talks about the new cardiacintensive care unit that was openedtwo months back at the hospital. Ithas new equipment and several staffmembers trained in special intensivecare recruited to provide the best careto the patients. The newmonitors in itare more accurate and will give moreinformation about the patient’s statusas well as his/her vital signs, which inturn will improve the diagnosis andtreatment. Dedicated ultrasound andECG machines have been providedfor the exclusive use of the new Car-diac ICU.“We are continuously updating our

services by utilising new state-of-the-art stents that are approved by theFDA or the European Society of Car-diology. We use the best available inthe world for our patients whether

it is stents, balloons or medicines. AlZahra is very particular about select-ing the right kind of staff, be they doc-tors, nurses or other paramedical staff.These people are backed by the bestin technology. Together we are able todeliver the best service and keep ourpatients always and completely satis-fied,” comments Dr. Eryani.According to Dr. Pande, one of the

main reasons for the success of theCardiology Department ofAl Zahra isthat patients come regularly for con-tinued cardiac care to the hospital. Hesays: “I have patients to whom I havegiven the hundred and fiftieth pre-scription proving that they are comingto us for continued care and regularconsultation and treatment. There is along-standing family-like relationshipbetween the patients, the doctors andthe support staff at the hospital. Theycome to us because they are confidentthat our personalised services are onpar with the best in the world. We areglad that we have been able to main-tain the high satisfaction levels thatour patients have expressed in us.”

Up-to-date technologyfor heart careAl Zahra has amodern cardiaccatheterisationlaboratory andwell-equippedspecialised intensivecare units

ALZAHRAHOSPITAL

BELHOULSPECIALITYHOSPITAL

There are ninepotentially modifiablefactors accounting forover 90 per cent riskof a first heart attack

Prevention is betterthan cure

Dr. Girishchandra Varma, Specialist CardiacSurgeon of Belhoul Speciality Hospital, Dubai,inspecting the Coronary Endarterectomyspecimen (removed block).

The country iswitnessing a rapid rise indemand for healthcareservices, resulting inincreased healthcarespending

NMC Specialty Hospital branches inthe UAE take pride in providing com-prehensive cardiac care. It’s branchesin Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Al Ain areequipped with the latest technologi-cally advanced equipment useful indiagnosing and treating the full rangeof cardiac ailments under the caringsupervision of experts in the field ofcardiac sciences.

NMC Specialty Hospital providesroutineOut Patient Department (OPD)Services including Two Dimensional(2D) Echocardiography, Exercise StressTest, Holter Monitoring and Tilt Tabletesting. It also provides in-patient Ser-vices like CCU, primary and electiveangioplasty/stenting, balloon valvo-tomies, pacemaker insertion, off pumpcoronary artery bypass surgery andvalve replacements.NMC Specialty Hospital believes in

prevention and provides a full gamutof laboratory, radiology and other ser-vices including dietetics and healthcare. Packages for early detection andprevention of progression or reversalof risk factors causing heart diseaseare offered. It also provides CardiacRehabilitation and Social Support Ser-vices.

Comprehensivecardiac care

Robust growth forUAEhealth sector

NMCSPECIALTYHOSPITAL

The new monitors are moreaccurate and will give moreinformation about thepatient’s status as well ashis/her vital signs, whichin turn will improve thediagnosis and treatment