• Rabab Al Tajir, the first Emirati woman international and national car rally driver and navigator, advises young UAE residents to adopt an active lifestyle to beat heart diseases
• On World Heart Day, Diabetes Center to provide complimentary heart screening and free seminar by leading Cardiologist on “How to prevent a heart attack”.

Dubai, UAE, September 27, 2016:  On the occasion of World Heart Day, the newly-opened RAK Diabetes Center in Jumeirah, Dubai, will kick off a massive awareness campaign to address the increasing rise of heart attack cases among the UAE population. The month-long drive will be launched by Rabab Al Tajir, the prominent UAE sportswoman and the first Emirati woman car rally driver and navigator, on Thursday, September 29 at the Diabetes Center. 

Highlighting the steps needed for heart attack prevention, particularly among the youth, the Diabetes Center will also be holding complimentary heart screening camp at their facility on the same day from 9am to 5pm; the screening will include free ECG, Blood Sugar and Blood Pressure checks followed by a free Cardiologist Consultation. Moreover, there will be a free seminar between 6pm – 7pm by Dr Mukesh Nathani, Senior Cardiologist at the Center on “How to prevent Heart Attack”.The complimentary heart screening and mass education drive will continue for a month starting, World Heart Day and in the due course the Center would also be launching many other initiatives to serve the cause.

Commenting on the campaign launch, Rabab Al Tajir said: “It gives me great pleasure to be a part of this campaign since we need to develop this awareness among the UAE residents, particularly among the younger generation. As a sportsperson, I feel that the RAK Diabetes Center’s initiative to prevent and curtail incidences of diabetes -- that can lead to heart diseases – will certainly add value in spreading the message. My advice to the youth is to get involved in an active, sporty lifestyle and maintain a nutritious diet for a happier, healthier future”.

“About 65 percent of the people with Type 2 diabetes die of heart disease or stroke. They are two to four times more likely to die of heart disease than people without diabetes”, said Dr Nathani. 

“Heart diseases are striking 20 years earlier in the UAE and I think it won’t be wrong to attribute this to the high number of diabetic population as a staggering one-fourth of the population suffers from diabetes. What is astonishing is that the global average age of a person getting heart attack is 65 years, whereas people as young as 35- 40 years are the first-time heart attack patients here”, added Dr Nathani. 

Dr Raza Siddiqui, CEO Arabian Healthcare Group, the holding company of RAK Diabetes Center said, “Our main aim of the exercise is to draw public’s attention towards other diseases such as obesity, diabetes, stress and blood pressure that are precursors of heart diseases, and nipping these in the bud will actually save hundreds of lives.

“We are running an intense drive focusing on educating public on the different aspects of cardiac-related issues. We hope to reach out to as many people as possible with the belief that every little contribution counts towards creating a healthier population,” added Dr Raza Siddiqui. 

Advising on the strategies to prevent heart diseases Dr Nathani recommends keeping tabs on the blood pressure. If it’s too high, the risk of a heart attack and disease goes up. Stress management, a healthy diet and regular exercise can help one manage blood pressure. Over time, high blood glucose levels damage nerves and blood vessels, leading to complications and heart disease, thereforework with your doctor to control your levels.  That may lower your chance of having a heart attack.

The RAK Diabetes Center focuses on providing complete medical care, education and support. The Center offers comprehensive and holistic diabetes care by providing access to a multidisciplinary team including cardiologists, ophthalmologists, endocrinologists, diabetes educator, dietician, podiatrist, internist and general practitioner all under one roof.