51st Cardio conference held at Khyber Medical University.

PESHAWAR -- The 51st Cardio Conference organized by Pakistan Cardiac society was held at Khyber Medical University (KMU), here, on Friday with participation by renowned cardiologists including Dr. Saleem S. Virani, Dr. Khurram Nasir, and Dr. Naeem Tahirkheli from the USA .

According to a press release issued here, the vice chancellor of KMU Prof. Dr. Zia ul Haq, ex-vice chancellor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Hafizullah, Prof. Dr. Sheryar A. Shaikh, Prof. Dr. Sohail Aziz, Prof. Dr. Kiramat Ali Shah, and Prof. Dr. Sahibzada A. Waheed also addressed the conference.

The experts said that across four studies involving 55,685 participants, genetic and lifestyle factors were independently associated with susceptibility to coronary artery disease.

Indo-Pakistani populations have one of the highest risks of coronary artery disease (CAD) in the world. Apart from smoking, women had more CAD risk factors (diabetes, hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia) than men, they added.

Definite CAD (history and Q waves on ECG) was more prevalent in men than in women (6.1% vs 4.0%). The findings indicate that one in five middle-aged adults in urban Pakistan may have underlying CAD. Women are at greater risk than men.

A US-based study revealed that South Asians had a higher prevalence of T2D 23 % compared with other ethnicities (6% in Caucasians, 13% in Chinese Americans, 17% in Hispanics, and 18% in Blacks). South Asians have increased visceral fat in the abdomen liver and around the heart.

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