A worrying development in recent years is that strokes in young people are on the rise. Therefore, identifying the causes and developing new treatment methods are receiving special attention from many experts.
This is also one of the main topics that will be discussed in the Science for Life Discussion series of VinFuture Science and Technology Week 2024 organized by VinFuture Foundation on December 5 in Hanoi.
80% of strokes and cardiovascular events occur in low and moderate risk groups.
The discussion will be chaired by Professor Alta Schutte, Head of the Cardiovascular, Vascular and Metabolic Research Group at the University of New South Wales, Australia, and a member of the VinFuture Preliminary Committee. According to her, 1.4 billion people worldwide suffer from high blood pressure, which is the leading cause of strokes.
“ When it comes to preventing stroke and cardiovascular disease, the most important thing is to address the problem of high blood pressure. Despite many advances, we have not been able to significantly improve the problems in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases as well as protecting cardiovascular health ,” shared Prof. Schutte.
Professor Alta Schutte (second from right) warns about the risk of stroke and cardiovascular diseases in young people.
According to Professor Valery Feigin, unhealthy lifestyle factors are often overlooked when assessing the risk of cardiovascular disease. CVDs prevention measures focus mainly on high-risk groups, but up to 80% of strokes and cardiovascular events occur in low to moderate risk groups, precisely because of this group of causes.
“ Overweight, obesity, and low-fiber diets, high intakes of soft drinks and alcohol lead to high blood pressure and metabolic disorders. This in turn increases the risk of cardiovascular disease ,” said Feigin, who is ranked in the top 1% of most cited scientists in all fields and said this is a lifestyle that is common among children and adolescents.
Prof. Alta Schutte, author of more than 400 scientific articles in the field of blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, expressed a similar opinion.
“ More and more children and young adults in their 20s and 30s are developing high blood pressure, which we previously only saw in people aged 60 and over. Having high blood pressure at an earlier age means an earlier risk of stroke, especially if it is not detected and treated with medication or lifestyle changes, ” said Prof. Schutte.
Furthermore, Professor Schutte stressed that high blood pressure often has no obvious symptoms, making it difficult to diagnose and treat stroke early. She pointed out that half of people with high blood pressure do not even know they have the disease and they are at risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and dementia.
“ More than 75% of these come from low- and middle-income countries. This means that we need to improve the situation not only in places with good conditions, but also in countries with more difficult conditions. This change needs to be global, which is why I appreciate the activities of the VinFuture Foundation ,” Prof. Schutte emphasized.
New models and technologies
Professor Schutte noted that scientists have recently come up with some impressive technologies for treating high blood pressure and preventing strokes. Among them, an injectable drug to lower blood pressure is an innovation that has a high possibility of being applied in practice.
At VinFuture Science and Technology Week 2024, Prof. Schutte will share the latest technology applications in stroke prevention and treatment.
“ Each injection lasts for six months and the patient no longer has to take a pill every day, it’s almost like a vaccine. Patients don’t have to buy pills regularly and doctors don’t have to monitor whether the patient is taking the medicine as prescribed ,” she explains. “ Previously, this kind of drug was not possible for conditions like high blood pressure. The fact that it targets siRNA in the liver also opens the door to many other non-communicable disease prevention methods .”
According to Professor Schutte, advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence are and will play an important role in stroke prevention and treatment solutions. This can also become a solution for everyone, including those with low and middle incomes, to access information, raise awareness and receive comprehensive health care.
Prof. Valery Feigin attended for the first time as a speaker at the “Science for Life” panel discussion within the framework of VinFuture Foundation’s Science and Technology Week.
Also at the seminar on December 5, Prof. Feigin, author of more than 850 scientific publications, most of which are on stroke, will introduce the initiative that he and his research team have been implementing over the past 10 years on using health data systems to predict disease risk, as well as the latest evidence on its effectiveness.
“ Based on the data collected, experts can improve health care planning, resource allocation, and set priorities in health care on a global scale, ” said Prof. Feigin.
The talk show “Innovations in Cardiovascular Healthcare and Stroke Treatment” is one of four scientific talks in the VinFuture Awards Week Season 4, alongside talks on the topics: “Materials for a Sustainable Future” (December 4), “AI Implementation in Practice” (December 4), and “Air Pollution and Traffic: Opportunities and Challenges for Vietnam and the World” (December 5).
Time: 13:30' - 14:45';
Date: 12/5/2024
Location: Almaz International Convention Center, Vinhomes Riverside Urban Area, Long Bien, Hanoi
Registration link: Here
Chair: Prof. Alta Schutte, University of New South Wales and The George Institute for Global Health (Australia), Member of VinFuture Preliminary Council
Speakers - World's leading scientists:
- Professor Valery Feigin - Director of the National Institute of Stroke and Applied Neuroscience at Auckland University of Technology (NISAN) (New Zealand)
- Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Quang - Deputy Director of the National Heart Institute, Bach Mai Hospital (Vietnam)
- Prof. Dr. Bui Duc Phu - Director of Cardiology, Vinmec Healthcare System (Vietnam)
- Associate Professor, Dr. Mai Duy Ton, Bach Mai Hospital and Hanoi National University (Vietnam)
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/chuyen-gia-vinfuture-mo-xe-nguyen-nhan-dot-quy-ngay-cang-tre-hoa-ar908694.html
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