People dying or getting disabled at the prime of their lives are a relatively common occurrence. Doctors are teaming up to lick the problem.
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases and its risk factors like hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol problems and smoking remain a formidable foe, said Dr. Nelson Abelardo, president of the Philippine Lipid and Atherosclerosis Society (PLAS).
Together with the Philippine Society of Hypertension (PSH), the PLAS has organized their 13th joint annual convention on Feb. 11-13 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
“So many remarkable clinical trials and researches were completed and published in the last 12 months. It’s very important for physicians attending to patients with heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol problems and other risk factors to gather once again and discuss how application of the new knowledge from these clinical trials and other researches can benefit their patients,” said Dr. Rafael Castillo, PSH president.
The joint PSH-PLAS annual convention is a highly informative forum for relaying new information and exchange of ideas among some of the country’s top medical specialists.
“Some doctors normally spend several thousand dollars to attend foreign conventions and learn these updates. Attending local conventions like the PSH-PLAS scientific sessions can serve the same purpose at much less the cost one will have to shell out abroad,” Castillo said.
Dr. Elizabeth Pacheco, who chairs the scientific committee, said top international experts like Professors Venkata Ram of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Carlos Bernal-Mizrachi of the Washington University School of Medicine, and Om Ganda of the Harvard Medical School will share their expertise with local physicians.
Delivering the keynote speech during the opening ceremonies of the convention is Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dr. Esperanza Cabral, who is also a past president of both the PSH and PLAS and “remains very supportive of all the twin societies’ activities,” Pacheco said.
An important pre-convention activity on Feb. 8, 1 to 4 p.m., also at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, is the lay forum intended for those with risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol problems, obesity, smoking, and stress.
Patients and relatives of those with known heart disease, previous heart attack and stroke, and peripheral arterial disease of the legs are also welcome so they can get life-saving pointers from local experts like Drs. Abelardo, Rosa Allyn Sy, and Elaine Cunanan on how to control their cardiovascular problem and prevent serious complications.
The organizers have also arranged for some basic blood tests such as blood sugar and cholesterol to be done for free for the participants.
Interested physicians and other allied healthcare professionals may call the secretariat at 631-7970 or text 0917-6255810.
Registration, including the snacks, blood tests and giveaways during the lay forum, is free but on a first-come, first-served basis.