October 11, 2002	Friday	Sha'aban 4, 1423

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ABBOTTABAD, Oct 10: The use of Aspirin can reduces the chances of a heart attack by 50 per cent, said medical experts at the one-day seminar organized by Pakistan Aspirin Foundation in collaboration with the department of cardiology, Ayub Medical College here at a local hotel.

A large number of doctors from all over the country, and officials of Pakistan Aspirin Foundation attended the seminar.

Professor A. Samad MD, President of the foundation and professor of National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Karachi, spoke at length on the causes of heart attack and pointed out that beside other preventive measures, Aspirin is the most effective drug. If used at the early stage can stabilize the patient and save him from total collapse.

Talking in detail about the use of Aspirin, Dr A. Samad said that it is the most researched drug to date and every day some new indications for its use are being established by the researchers.

Aspirin, which completed 100 years of its use in clinical medicine last year, continues to amaze all concerned as a miracle drug since newer indication continue to emerge.

While, giving a word of advise to health care professionals, president of the foundation asked them to use Aspirin without any hesitation and doubts in its well-established indications as long as there are no contra-indication, though Aspirin is still underused even in the developed countries due to lack of awareness.

Shaukat Ali Jawed, General-Secretary of PAF, spoke about the awareness campaign and research carried out by the Pakistan Aspirin Foundation in the country. He said that PAF has planned to hold seminars in almost all major cities, with the 3rd National Conference in 2003 at Islamabad.

Dr Waqar Mufti, head of cardiovascular department of AMC said that a number of cases of heart attack in Hazara Division in particular and the country in particular, are on the rise, especially in the rural areas, for which he named a number of reasons.

Waqar Mufti disclosed that the number of beds in the CCU at the AMC have been increased to 50 from 8, and latest surgical equipment is also being installed.

He said that cardiac tests can be carried out locally and open-heart surgeries are performed in Abbottabad at lesser costs for which he praised the efforts of the chief executive of the AMC.

Others who spoke on the occasion are: Dr Maqbool H. Jafary, Dr M. Ishaque, and professor Dr A.K. Saeed.

Prominent among those who attended the seminar were: Dr A. J. Khan, former D.G Health, Ashure Khan, M. Lateef Sheikh Agha Medical College, Professor Ejaz Ahmed Zai-ud-Din Medical University,, Dr Rasheed National Medical College.