HEALTH IN QATAR SAVING HEARTS ONE BEAT AT A TIME The human heartbeat tells you that <strong>life</strong> is just minutes <strong>and</strong> seconds. The heart begins beating seven months before you are even born, <strong>and</strong> with every beat the blood that gives you <strong>life</strong> is pushed through your body, carrying oxygen <strong>and</strong> nutrients to every cell. The heart is the only organ that never calms, never rests, <strong>and</strong> never ceases. And when it does cease, <strong>life</strong> ceases with it. We talked to Dr. Mohammed Al Hashemi to find out more about this complex organ <strong>and</strong> the inner workings of the department of Cardiac Rehabilitation at Hamad Medical Corporation. 4 HEALTH AND LIFE
Q How was the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program founded? The Cardiac Rehabilitation program A was founded in 2011. Dr. Hajar was the head of the Cardiac Department in Hamad Hospital. When he offered me the position to run the program, I hesitated because the program was very specific in its field. It was also the first program dedicated only to heart patients in the Gulf region. Until today, the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program is considered the only encompassing program in the whole GCC, even with other centers <strong>and</strong> programs that are far newer. Around the world, you can probably only find one or two centers or programs dedicated to the heart, even in university towns, so back then it was a challenge. With the help of some staff from the Rehabilitation Department at Rumaila Hospital, we started forming the program <strong>and</strong> rented an area in the Heart Hospital in 2012. It was a small space but it was good enough to start, better than not having a rehabilitation program at all. The program’s activities started before its gr<strong>and</strong> opening <strong>and</strong> we progressed <strong>and</strong> worked on exp<strong>and</strong>ing both our knowledge <strong>and</strong> research, <strong>and</strong> our space. Q Who receives treatment at the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program? The patients that benefit the most A from the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program are those who are going through or have gone through open heart surgery, patients who have suffered from a heart attack, whether mild or serious, <strong>and</strong> patients with a congestive heart muscle. Q What treatment do these patients receive? The treatment is divided in two A phases: the first is to educate the patient to fully underst<strong>and</strong> his health condition, whether before the operation or before a heart attack, or even when the patient is newly diagnosed with heart failure. Unfortunately, many of the patients admitted to the hospital do not have any idea what disease they are suffering from. So they get educated about the disease in detail, <strong>and</strong> are guided to the best ways to treat themselves <strong>and</strong> get treatment, whether it is with medication or changing their <strong>life</strong>style. Usually patients get through this stage with the help of a nurse, <strong>and</strong> are given manuals <strong>and</strong> booklets explaining the disease in full. The booklets come in many languages including Arabic, English, Urdu, <strong>and</strong> Dutch. Q Are the parents or family members educated as well, or just the patient? The priority goes to the patient. If A he is in his right mental state, it is better <strong>and</strong> more important that he knows all the advice <strong>and</strong> recommendations. However, if he is elderly, <strong>and</strong> has other health issues, like strokes, or does not have good comprehension, then the family or those who accompany him get the same education at the same time. Q What is the second phase of the program? A Before the second phase, the patients are classified according to their condition, <strong>and</strong> whether they need to go through the second phase of the program. Patients who benefit from the second phase are those who are able to move, as in have some ability to move their body even if it is just sitting <strong>and</strong> moving their arms. These patients are invited to a session in the rehabilitation clinic usually on Mondays <strong>and</strong> Wednesdays. This is basically a check-up like the ones given in outpatient clinics. The patient’s vitals are checked <strong>and</strong> a blood sugar Dr. Mohammed Al Hashemi test is conducted <strong>and</strong> then the patient gets an ECG. We then make sure that the patient is safely performing the physical activities in the rehabilitation center. After their progress is monitored, the patient is directed either to normal ECG treatment, or ECG with oxygen <strong>and</strong> carbon dioxide testing, where a special prescription is written up specifying how much of the rehabilitation treatment the patient can h<strong>and</strong>le. The patient also gets to see a nutritionist, to make sure that the medication prescribed to them works well with their condition, <strong>and</strong> to make sure the patient underst<strong>and</strong>s the dosage. The medication is adjusted if a patient misses their pick up or their condition does not allow them to get that specific treatment. Q Do all patients in the program receive medications as treatment? A We are talking about patients who suffered from heart attacks or have a severe heart muscle defect, or have had open-heart surgery. Those patients often depend on medication for their heart condition <strong>and</strong> need that support. Q What else does the second phase of the program include? A The patients are educated <strong>and</strong> monitored weekly to check if they are able to perform their day-to-day activities at home safely. However, for those who go back to work, therapy <strong>and</strong> check-in sessions are about 3 times a week, for a period between 6 <strong>and</strong> 12 weeks, depending on the patient’s progress. The sessions usually last about an hour or an hour <strong>and</strong> a half. 5 AUGUST <strong>2016</strong>
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