Cardiovascular diseases, “if they are not prevented, they become massive”

“Any therapeutic progress is good, but prevention is always better than cure. We must focus on prevention. Although technologies in terms of devices and new treatments are being developed, cardiovascular disease (CVD) will spread without proper prevention,” warned Dr. Enrique Malca.

“While technology in terms of devices and new treatments is under development, without proper prevention, cardiovascular disease will spread.”HENRY MALKA
CARDIOLOGIST

The specialist takes a break during a congress organized by the Costa Rican Heart Association in conjunction with the American College of Cardiology (ACC) in Costa Rica, and through Zoom shares with this tool the problems, achievements and prevention of cardiovascular disease. “We want to avoid the mass of sick people and have healthy people. This is the main direction,” he said.

According to a report released by the organizers of the congress, the majority of patients with cardiovascular disease suffer from heart failure (HF), or heart failure, a degenerative disease that affects about 64 million people worldwide.

In addition, the document states that it is estimated that half of the patients die five years after diagnosis, which is one of the most important public health problems that is constantly growing due to the high costs associated with patient care and control over them. with this disease.

“The first hurdle is timely attention in terms of attention time. Secondly, the cost of medical care in private organizations, given the late care in public hospitals. Subsequently, speaking of therapy itself, sometimes the inability to rely on the entire therapeutic arsenal in state institutions creates a huge barrier to cure or control of the disease, ”explained Malka.

During the congress, experts call for joint efforts of the public and private sectors to solve problems that will help improve the health of the population with patients with CVD, as well as develop strategies aimed at solving the problem of treating this pathology to improve health outcomes in the region.

Participants emphasize that millions of people still lack access to comprehensive health services at present; and how, through collaborative strategies, more and better alternatives can be provided not only to vulnerable populations, but to all people in need of care and treatment due to their condition, and thereby improve the patient’s life.

“The problem of cardiovascular disease has evolved from being more prevalent in developed countries to being one of the leading causes of death in the world. In all countries of Latin America, chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer are the leading cause of death, displacing infectious diseases, which until a few years ago were the cause of the largest number of deaths, ”adds the expert.

PREVENTION, THE BEST CURE
Dr. Malka describes in detail the various points that he considers important for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
Avoid Sedentary Lifestyles: The Sports Medicine Association recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity cardiovascular activity as a preventive measure for cardiovascular disease. For example, walking at a speed of 5 km / h for 30 minutes from Monday to Friday, we stop leading a sedentary lifestyle.
Control your intake of unhealthy foods: fats, refined flours, carbonated drinks, and others. Improve your diet, eat more vegetables, and consume natural sources of omega-3s such as salmon, trout, and tuna.
Avoid smoking: Develop a policy that includes not only medical personnel and the public, but also the government, through laws that ban smoking in public places.
Annual medical visit: From the age of 20, people should visit a doctor once a year, among other things, to check their blood pressure, blood sugar or glucose levels, and cholesterol levels.

Latin American Congress of Cardiology 2023

The event was educational in nature from the point of view of various experts from Latin America. It was based on the search for strengthening everyday medical practice. The issues of innovation and various ways of positive and complex impact on the lives of patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) were considered.

“As professionals, we face everyday challenges, so in this space we focus on these practical solutions with tools that test knowledge. It also gives us the opportunity to have collaborative debates that provide two-way learning,” said Melissa Rodriguez, President of the Costa Rica Association of Cardiology.

In addition, the congress showcased actions that enhance the transformation of patient communities through clinical trials, updated guidelines and equity, and differences in access to healthcare services. In addition, advances in electrophysiology, heart failure and cardiomyopathies, interventional and coronary heart disease, multimodal imaging, prevention and health promotion.

“We invite our guild to join the vision of optimizing available resources, knowledge and innovation to better understand patient diagnostics. It is important that, as healthcare professionals, we participate in educational forums that help us expand our knowledge of treatments that benefit the entire healthcare system, facilitate its process and approach, and provide a channel for collaboration in the early diagnosis processes for conditions such as heart disease. failure,” Rodriguez concluded.