surgeon at Berlin Medical University in Germany, has said
cardiovascular diseases would soon overtake HIV infection as a major
killer in Africa if education for prevention were not well
appreciated.
"Without concerted efforts and action to improve cardiovascular
diseases prevention and to develop a sustainable medical-surgical
programme in regional hospitals, cardiovascular disease will undermine
the socio-economic development in our society", he said.
Professor Dr Yankah was speaking on "Acute Coronary Syndrome" at the
Fourth African Heart Seminar in Kumasi on Tuesday.
The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) organised the seminar in
collaboration with the Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital, Cape
Town, South Africa, African Cultural Institute of Berlin and Berlin
Heart Institute.
He said a diagnosis of heart failure signalled imminent death and
that 50 per cent of the victims diagnosed with it would be dead within
five years or earlier.
Professor Dr. Yankah said the incidence of rheumatic and congenital
heart diseases were also alarming stressing that they were higher
among the rural than the urban population.
He said grown-ups with congenital heart disease for example were a
paradigm of poor healthcare programme, medically and surgically in
childhood.
"Those who survive childhood are at a constant risk of developing
heart failure stress and die," he said.
He stressed the need for physicians to repeatedly and categorically
point out the risk for developing heart diseases and stroke and that
people should aim at avoiding fatty foods and making regular exercise
as prognostic factors for good health to reduce the incidence of
cardiovascular diseases.
The seminar, which was attended by doctors from KATH, highlighted the
echocardiography and computer imaging diagnostics, most recent medical
and surgical treatment for cardiovascular diseases and heart failure.
04 April 07
