HEART DISEASE TOP KILLER IN MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 (Bernama) -- Heart disease and diseases of the
pulmonary circulation are the top killers in government hospitals.

For instance, 16.5 per cent of the 45,936 deaths in government hospitals in
2008 were due to heart disease, said Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai.

"This is a big number and we want to get the support of all sectors to look
into ways and means to reduce heart disease, which is on the rise," he told
reporters after the opening of the Heart House, National Heart Association of
Malaysia (NHAM), here, Sunday.

He said it was estimated that in the country, coronary heart disease
afflicted 141 persons per 100,000 population each year, which meant that for
a population of 27 million, about 38,000 new cases of coronary heart disease
were expected each year.

"It is a heavy burden for our healthcare system. About 60 per cent of these
cases will be managed at the ministry's coronary care units, while the rest will
seek treatment at private and non-MOH cardiac facilities," he said.

To reduce this burden, Liow advised the people to watch out risk factors for
heart disease, including high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, smoking,
diabetes, physical inactivity and poor nutrition, and seek early treatment.

"One of the ways is carrying out prevention programmes. We have to launch
more of such programmes to encourage people to have a healthy, active lifestyle
and eat a healthy diet," he said.

As for treatment, Liow said two more cardiothoracic centres would be built
-- in Kuantan for the East Coast and Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, an East Malaysia
state -- to provide
comprehensive cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery and cardiac anaesthetic and
perfusion services.



Liow said the government also would train more cardiologists to meet the
need.

"Currently, we have 24 cardiologists in the ministry's hospitals and another
15 doctors are undergoing training in cardiology. We take five or six new
trainees each year for the three-year cardiology fellowship programme," he said.

-- BERNAMA