Lukanisman: More young people now diagnosed with cardiovascular disease

MIRI (July 27): More people are now being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease (CVD) at a younger age, with life-threatening acute coronary syndrome, says Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni.

The Deputy Health Minister said CVD was the leading cause of mortality and ranked fourth for hospitalisation in Malaysia in 2019.

“According to the data collected by studies, CVD kills one person every 30 minutes in Malaysia.

“CVD accounted for 17 per cent of all medically-certified deaths in 2020, thus making it the leading cause of death and disability from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in this country,” he said.

He said this in his opening speech at the Borneo Cardiology Summit 2: Miri Cardiology Symposium here today.

Lukanisman said in combating NCDs in general and CVD in particular, the Ministry of Health (MoH) had issued the Clinical Practice Guidelines on Primary and Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease 2017, as well as developed the Clinical Practice Guidelines on Management of Ischemic Stroke 2020.

“All these guidelines have been continuously reviewed and updated to reflect latest developments in the field and more current global targets set by the World Health Organisation.”

He added that focus should also be given to prevention strategies, by educating the people on healthy lifestyle in every aspect.

Over 260 participants from Malaysia, Brunei and Myanmar are attending the two-day symposium to discuss topics relating to cardiology diagnosis and treatments.

Among those present yesterday were National Heart Institute clinical cardiologist Dr Noor Yuhyi Sulaiman, Miri Hospital director Dr Jack Wong, and Miri Hospital Department of Internal Medicine head Dr Desmond Samuel.