Scientific Sessions 2012
18–21 April 2012 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates
PRESS RELEASE
EMBARGO: Thursday 19 April 2012: 10.00 (Dubai), 08.00 (Geneva)
Rheumatic heart disease treatment is too late to prevent heart surgery in the Middle
East
Leading Middle East cardiologists call for adoption of rheumatic heart disease screening and prevention
programmes at the World Congress of Cardiology
Dubai (19 April 2012): Patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) are being admitted to hospital too late
to prevent the need for heart surgery, according to a new study carried out by doctors in Yemen and
presented today at the World Congress of Cardiology.
RHD is a devastating consequence of repeated episodes of rheumatic fever. The disease progresses over
time and if it is not caught in the early stages, patients develop heart valve damage and will ultimately need
surgery to replace the damaged valve(s).
A recent study in Yemen showed that 43 per cent (n=89/206) of patients admitted to hospital with RHD had
rheumatic mitral stenosis – a narrowing of the opening of the heart’s mitral value – and more than half were
considered to have severe stenosis. Of those 87 patients followed, 53 per cent were recommended for
percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (BMVP) – where the abnormally thickened mitral valve is dilated; a
further 29 per cent were recommended for valve replacement surgery; while only 18 per cent were entered
into a follow-up programme without interventional therapy of any kind.
“These results clearly demonstrate that RHD patients are seeking treatment from their doctors in the very
late stages of their disease,” said Dr. A. Sharafaddeen, Algomori Hospital, Taiz, Yemen. “But the
management of these patients is costly. This money could be rather used much more efficiently in preventing
and screening for the disease in its early stages.”
Indeed, coordinated screening and control programmes to prevent progression to severe RHD can be
carried out relatively cheaply.
“RHD can be prevented easily using penicillin – a cheap and readily available treatment,” said Dr. Fahad
Baslaib, President, Emirates Cardiac Society. “The funding required is minimal and control could be
achieved by re-prioritizing existing budgets. We therefore have to consider implementing screening
programmes in this region as a matter of urgency.”
RHD in the Middle East
There is a lack of up-to-date information about the prevalence of RHD in the Middle East. But data has
suggested that the UAE has a high prevalence of the disease. In 2008, RHD accounted for 4,099 DALYs in
the UAE, draining vital healthcare resources. This burden is set to remain essentially constant in the longterm unless screening programmes are introduced.
Page 1 of 2
Scientific Sessions 2012
18–21 April 2012 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates
About RHD
RHD is a chronic heart condition caused by rheumatic fever that can be prevented and controlled.
Rheumatic fever is caused by a preceding group A streptococcal (strep) throat infection. Treating strep throat
with antibiotics can prevent rheumatic fever. Moreover, regular antibiotics (usually by injections every three
to four weeks) can prevent patients with rheumatic fever from contracting further strep infections and causing
progression of valve damage.
RHD is a substantial global health problem that can result in irreversible heart damage and death. It occurs
predominately in developing countries and is also common in poorer populations in middle-income countries
(e.g. Brazil, India) and some indigenous populations in wealthy countries (Australia, New Zealand). RHD will
continue to be a global problem unless current prevention initiatives are expanded and sustained.
Previous estimates state that more than 15 million people have RHD and that 350,000 people die each year
while many more are left disabled.i
About the World Congress of Cardiology
The World Congress of Cardiology Scientific Sessions (WCC) is the official congress of the World Heart
Federation and is held every two years. Through the Congress the World Heart Federation offers an
international stage for the latest developments in science and public outreach in the field of cardiovascular
health. The WCC places emphasis on the complementary nature of science and public outreach and strives
to spread the message that through individual, community and patient-care interventions, the growing
epidemic of cardiovascular diseases can be prevented. For more information, please visit:
www.worldcardiocongress.org; keep up with the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #WCC2012Dubai
About the World Heart Federation
The World Heart Federation is dedicated to leading the global fight against heart disease and stroke with a
focus on low- and middle-income countries via a united community of more than 200 member organizations.
With its members, the World Heart Federation works to build global commitment to addressing
cardiovascular health at the policy level, generates and exchanges ideas, shares best practice, advances
scientific knowledge and promotes knowledge transfer to tackle cardiovascular disease – the world’s number
one killer. It is a growing membership organization that brings together the strength of medical societies and
heart foundations from more than 100 countries. Through our collective efforts we can help people all over
the world to lead longer and better heart-healthy lives. For more information, please visit:
www.worldheart.org; twitter.com/worldheartfed; facebook.com/worldheartfederation
- ends For more information please contact:
Rima Taha - Email: rima@figmentcommunications.com - Tel: +971 55 2993234
Joanne Basford - Email: joanne@figmentcommunications.com - Tel: +971 56 6800 234
Charanjit Jagait – Email: charanjit.jagait@worldheart.org - Tel: +41 22 807 0334 or +41 79 625 3296
i
Carapetis JR, Steer AC, Mulholland EK, Weber M. The global burden of group A streptococcal diseases. Lancet Infect Dis 2005;
5:685– 694.
Page 2 of 2