World Heart Day: Global spotlight on cardiovascular health and new heart treatment method in Kazakhstan
September 29 marks World Heart Day, a global event aimed at raising awareness about cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), the leading cause of death worldwide. On this day, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports on global statistics, the importance of heart health, and Kazakhstan’s advancements in cardiac treatments.
CVDs claim an estimated 17.9 million lives annually, accounting for 32% of global deaths, according to the WHO. These diseases encompass a range of conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels, including coronary heart disease, stroke, and heart failure, with over 80% of CVD-related deaths resulting from heart attacks and strokes. Notably, a third of these deaths occur prematurely in individuals under 70 years of age.
Heart attacks and strokes are often the first signs of underlying blood vessel disease, which may have no prior symptoms. Heart attack symptoms include chest pain or discomfort, pain in the arms, left shoulder, jaw, or back, along with shortness of breath, nausea, and lightheadedness. Stroke symptoms commonly involve sudden weakness or numbness in the face, arm, or leg, often on one side of the body, along with confusion, difficulty speaking, vision problems, dizziness, or severe headache. Immediate medical care is crucial for both conditions.
The primary causes of CVDs, such as an unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, smoking, and harmful alcohol use, are largely preventable. Addressing these risk factors, along with improving environmental conditions like air quality, can reduce the danger of cardiovascular diseases. Kazakhstan has taken important steps towards advancing cardiovascular health, one of which is the introduction of new medical technologies.
Recently, the Ministry of Health announced that Kazakhstan became the first country in the CIS to implement the latest technology for treating heart arrhythmias. Specialists at the UMC Heart Center successfully introduced Farapulse electropulse ablation, which is a highly safe and effective technology unique for reducing patient recovery time to just 1-2 days.
Omirbek Nuralinov, head of the interventional arrhythmology department at the UMC Heart Center, highlighted the benefits of this method: “The technology allows us to target arrhythmia zones without affecting healthy tissue, which makes the treatment as safe as possible for the patient.”
Professor Serge Boveda from Clinique Pasteur in France conducted a masterclass on the new technology with eight procedures performed during the session. Professor describes the method as minimally invasive: "A catheter is inserted through the femoral vein and directed to the heart, where it affects only pathological tissues using electroporation. The entire process takes no more than an hour, and patients can return to normal life in a couple of days".
It is important to note that the government of Kazakhstan is offering these procedures at no cost to those in need, making life-saving treatments more accessible to all.
“In Kazakhstan, about 1,000 patients require treatment for atrial fibrillation every year, and thanks to the state quota, they will be able to receive this high-tech care free of charge,” UMC Chairman of the Board Yuri Pya said.
