Participants at the workshop (Photo: the organiser)Hanoi (VNS/VNA) – Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are on the rise
in Vietnam, especially among the young and people of working age, experts said
at the workshop on “Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and Cholesterol
management in Vietnam” held by the Vietnam Heart Association and Novartis
on December 15.
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), defined as coronary heart
disease (CHD), cerebrovascular disease, or atherosclerotic peripheral artery
disease, is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, according to experts.
Atherosclerosis affects the working population in Vietnam with 49% of patients
with ASCVD in the age group from 15-64. Dyslipidemia (fatty blood) is one of
the leading risks of cardiovascular diseases.
The growing burden of cardiovascular disease in Vietnam is an urgent issue that
requires multilateral cooperation among the government, pharmaceutical
companies, health facilities and the whole society to join hands in the control
and management of the disease.
As a result, the government and policy makers need to take urgent action to
address the alarming situation this disease poses to Vietnamese people. It
includes implementing initiatives to raise public awareness of dyslipidemia,
building screening programmes for early detection and timely treatment,
improving access to advanced medicines with long-term efficacy as well as
strengthening the capacity of the system to provide cardiovascular disease
prevention and control services for people.
Experts agreed that the goal of strengthening control for risk factors,
especially dyslipidemia, should be considered as part of the next National
Action Plan, including promoting measures for prevention, early detection, and
treatment management to limit the increase in the rate of pre-illness, being
sick, disability and premature death due to cardiovascular disease in order to
protect and improve people’s health and the socio-economic development of the
country.
Huynh Van Minh, President of Vietnam Heart Association said that prevention and
treatment of cardiovascular diseases was a comprehensive intervention process
from educating people and patients to improving knowledge about the disease as
well as how to prevent it, helping patients detect, diagnose early and set
goals for individualised treatment for each patient with varying degrees of
risk and with appropriate and adequate therapeutic interventions according to
treatment guidelines.
“This process requires the involvement of health authorities in the development
of clear goals, programmes and action guidelines, and the constant updating of
the latest guidelines on cardiovascular disease management as well as ongoing
clinical research results and innovative approaches. In particular, the
treatment of dyslipidemia plays an important role in the treatment of the
etiology of many , so we believe that focusing on the
management of dyslipidemia will ensure that the health care process of
cardiovascular patients is always safe and effective,” said Minh.
According to statistics in the EvoHealth White Paper on ASCVD in Vietnam, in
2019, there were 2.4 million people with cardiovascular diseases, of which 65%
were due to atherosclerosis. It is also the leading cause of death with a very
high rate of ischemic heart disease and ischemic stroke.
Cardiovascular disease is a dangerous disease and the leading cause of death
globally. In 2012, CVDs accounted for the largest proportion of all deaths in Vietnam,
at 33%./.
Source: VietnamPlus
