SCALE Heart symposium highlights the invaluable role of emergency response for heart attack patients

Dubai: To raise awareness on the critical need for timely intervention in cases of heart attacks, a large-scale, full-day symposium was held in Dubai on Friday.

Held for health care professionals, the STEMI symposium, now in its third edition, focused on the preventive value of emergency responses in heart attacks. STEMI or ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction, is a very serious type of heart attack and is identified as one of the biggest killers.

The symposium, under the auspices of SCALE (STEMI Care for All in the Emirates), was held in association with Emirates Cardiac Society and is accredited by the Ministry of Health and Prevention.

A large number of field experts from the UAE, and outside, participated in SCALE Heart to share information and knowledge.

Dr Brajesh Mittal, chairman of SCALE and consultant cardiologist and head of cardiology department, Al Garhoud Private Hospital, Dubai, said: “SCALE was launched two years back with the sole mission of educating health care professionals and the society at large on the need for timely intervention for heart attack patients. Currently there is a big gap in ‘what can be done’ and ‘what is actually done’. This gap has to be narrowed down. Education has power. Educating for early recognition and early treatment of this major killer can make a major difference.”

According to World Health Organisation, heart attack deaths are likely to rise to 23.6 million by 2030.

Dr Mittal quoted data from Dubai Health Authority and Health Authority — Abu Dhabi, which suggest that at least one in three patients die of heart-related diseases; heart attacks being the number one cause.

SCALE Heart was held under the patronage of Sami Al Qamzi, Director-General of Dubai’s Department of Economic Development.