King Faisal Cardiac Center at King Abdul-Aziz Medical City –Jeddah, MNGHA is launching the activities of the 9th annual world heart day campaign to raise awareness of cardiac and aortic diseases with the theme of “Screen your heart, live long" , the campaign will be on Wednesday and Thursday on 28-29 September 2022 corresponding to 2-3 Rabi' al-Awal 1444.
Dr. Mahmoud Alukayli, consultant cardiovascular surgeon and Chairman of the campaign Organizing Committee, indicated that the desired goals of this year's campaign are:
• Raising awareness and educating the community on the importance of early detection of cardiac and aortic diseases and methods of prevention, including lifestyle modification and early treatment, which has an effective role in improving individual's health and quality of life, and prolonging life.
• Awareness and education of the community about the causes and risk factors that lead to aortic diseases and cardiac conditions such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, and arrhythmia.
• Introducing the advanced health and medical services available at King Faisal Cardiac Center and introducing their notable results.
Dr. Alukayli stressed that what distinguishes this year's campaign is highlighting the importance of identifying cardiac diseases through screening and early detection, in addition to educating the public about diseases of the
aorta such as Aortic aneurysm and dissection, it will also include education about the risk factors, methods for early detection and medical/surgical treatment options.
Dr. Jamilah Al-Rahimi, Chairman Department of Cardiac Sciences, King Faisal Cardiac Center, added that awareness and education have an important role in limiting the spread of cardiac diseases, and the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs has been keen to constantly present such important community dedicated campaigns as to result in a healthy society free of cardiac diseases or any risk factors leading to it. Dr AlRahimi added that during the campaign, the center will also present an overview of the tangible progress in the means of diagnosing and treating cardiac diseases available through available diagnostic modalities, options of cardiac catheterization, electrophysiology and open-heart surgery.
Dr. Alukayli explained that the campaign will include several interactive stations with the participation of all cardiac science sections, and multi departments in King Abdulaziz Medical City, with the provision of providing an early examination station for blood pressure and blood glucose level and other risk factors, knowing the age of the heart station, and focused Echocardiogram station to screen diseases of the aorta. Educational materials will be distributed discussing various topics in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac diseases.
The following are the participating departments in the activities of this campaign:
- All sections of cardiac sciences such as: Noninvasive cardiac lab, Cardiac Catheterization Lab, Cardiac Surgery section and Pediatric Cardiology section: the aim is to raise awareness and educate about all diagnostic and treatment methods offered to cardiac patients
- Pharmaceutical care services: to educate the community about cardiac medications
- Nutrition: to educate and correct misconceptions about heart-healthy food
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Social service: to raise awareness of the available support means that cardiac patient may need
- Health promotion Department: for comprehensive awareness of cardiac diseases, its risks, and how to prevent it
- Primary Health Care Center at Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs –WR: to educate about the services.
- Patient experience section to educate about the services available to cardiac patients to improve the level of service provided
- And other departments such as the Department of Rehabilitation Therapy and the Department of Nursing Education
We are also pleased with a valuable participation from King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences in Jeddah, where students from the College of Medicine, the College of Nursing and the College of Applied Medical Sciences are participating to serve the goals of the awareness campaign. In addition, there is participation of the Life Support Training Center to train the public on how to approach cases of cardiac arrest in line with the Cardiopulmonary resuscitation pathway accredited by the American Heart Association.
Ms. Ibtisam Al-Khattabi, World Heart Day team leader, highlighted that working as a team leads to the success of awareness campaigns to provide up to date health education. She praised the participation of some supportive external societies, such as: Kafa Anti-Smoking Association participated in explaining the available means to quit smoking and using illustrative models of the effect of smoking on the heart and lungs, and the Friends of Heart Patients Association to clarify the services provided by them.
In conclusion, Dr. Jamilah Al-Rahimi, thanked all participants in the campaign, and appreciated the effort being made by the medical and operationaldepartments and the external societies, so that this campaign would benefit all visitors to the center, including patients and relatives.
