KARACHI, Aug 21: Ischemic heart diseases have taken on epidemic proportions in the region urgently calling upon clinicians to understand its management and also be informed about established and new modalities like angioplasty employed in its treatment.

This was said on Saturday by cardiologists on the first day of the "2-day Revascularization Course 2004" being held by the Department of Cardiology, Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi in collaboration with the Pakistan Cardiac Society at the LNH. Cardiologists from India and Bangladesh are also participating in the course.

Prof Mansoor Ahmed, Course Director and head of Department of Cardiology, delivered the welcome address and said according to WHO projected figures, South Asia will have the highest incidence of heart diseases by 2010 and onwards.

He said increased abdominal girth was a very important risk factor in society and this exposed us to diabetes, high blood pressure and heart diseases. "This reflects poor eating habits and lack of physical activities that might be the main cause of heart diseases in our population," he added.

"Physical activities have to be encouraged in the early years of life to avoid abdominal obesity. Unfortunately, most modern schools in our cities and towns are devoid of playgrounds and open places, exposing our future generation to abdominal obesity and heart diseases," he said, emphasizing the need for creating playgrounds and parks in localities.

He said food should contain less fat, and, at a later age, one should walk at least 20-30 minutes every day. "Food products should be labelled appropriately with its ingredients," he said, adding that health awareness be created among the general public.

Prof Brig M.M.H. Nuri, President, Pakistan Society of Interventional Cardiology and Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology, Rawalpindi, in his address highlighted the new treatment of stem cell transplantation for treatment of heart diseases, which is being undertaken in the AFIC.

Prof Shaharyar A Shaikh, President, Elect World Heart Federation, lauded the efforts of organizers.

Prof Nabi Alam Khan, a cardiologist from Bangladesh stressed the need for regional cooperation and also invited Pakistani cardiologists to visit Bangladesh.

Prof Anil Kumar of India said the opportunity for cooperation between the South Asian countries was bright.

Prof Abdus Samad, Secretary, Pakistan Cardiac Society underlined the need to develop indigenous expertise, so as to tackle the spectre of Ischemic heart disease in Pakistan and other regional countries.

Prof Karamat Ali Shah, President, Cardiac Society, NWFP said facilities in the NWFP for cardiac intervention were being developed quickly.

The chief guest, Prof M. Sharif Chaudhry, said that it was very important that cardiologists should be proactive ethically, as credibility was very important and earning respect was more important than earning money.

Dr Salman Faridi, Medical Director, Liaquat National Hospital, said the LNH administration had always helped in the endeavour to expand cardiac services and provide cost effective treatment for the common man.

Dr Abdul Rasheed Khan, Secretary, RCP 2004 emphasized on conducting such courses regularly in various cities of Pakistan. - PPI