Pharmacists play a vital role in cardiovascular risk assessment- say experts at GMU Conference.

“Cerebrovascular disease is the third most common cause of death in the developed world after cancer and ischaemic heart disease, and is the most common cause of severe physical disability”.

College of Pharmacy, a constituent college of Gulf Medical University organized a Seminar on Pharmacotherapy in the Prevention and Management of Cardiovascular Events on the 24^th of February 2012 at GMU Campus, Ajman. The event accredited by the Ministry of Health was attended by over 100 professionals from all over UAE.

Experts further felt that various groups of health care professionals can address the issue successfully only through a collaborative approach. Prospects for primary and secondary prevention are good if public health measures, health education, and preventive medicine are implemented based on existing knowledge of correctable or avoidable risk factors.

The lectures provided an insight into the causation, mechanisms and prevention of various risk factors that predispose the patients to cardiovascular complications. Various models that are currently used for risk assessment, their advantages and disadvantages were discussed by Dr. Kishore Gnana Sam, Assistant Professor at College of Pharmacy, GMU.

Dr. Moh’d Abu Elkhair, Advisor; Drugs & Medical Products Health Authority of Abu Dhabi spoke about Drug induced cardiovascular diseases. He highlighted on the JNC7 and key factors in early detection of patients with pre hypertension and management of early HT.

Dr. Lana Hammad, Director, Pharmacy services, Rahba Hospital, Abu Dhabi  gave a very informative and enriching talk on reducing CVS diseases through management of dyslipidemia with suitable case presentation. She also stressed on strategic approaches for effective management of dyslipidemia by eestablishing appropriate goals of therapy based on ATPIII Guidelines.

Dr. Ehab Esheiba, Cardiologist, GMC Hospital, Ajman elaborated the Clinical Management of Primary Hypertension in Adults through a lucid and educative presentation.

Prof. Shaik Altaf Basha Professor and Head Dept of Internal Medicine, GMC Hospital Ajman emphasised on the Pharmacotherapeutic management of cerebrovascular disease. He mentioned that stroke is the most frequent clinical manifestation of diseases of the cerebral blood vessels, although cerebrovascular disease may present, particularly in the elderly, as a dementia. Risk factors for stroke can be subdivided into nonmodifiable, modifiable, and potentially modifiable. The risk factors for ischaemic stroke reflect the risk factors for the underlying vascular disease. About 5% are due to rare causes, including vasculitis, endocarditis and cerebral venous disease.

A role play was enacted by the students of Level VIII demonstrated by using the Framinghams risk assessment index, the role of the pharmacist in cardiovascular risk assessment.