Dr Ezani Taib, who is also CEO of the National Heart Institute (IJN), said this is especially essential for those with a family history of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
“These are the people with the highest risk of CVD. They need to do specialised screening tests, either a stress test, ultrasound or CT scan of the heart,” he told FMT.
CVD accounts for an average of 23.3% of all deaths in Malaysia every year, making it the leading cause of death since the early 1980s, according to health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad.
He cited high cholesterol as a major risk factor for atherosclerotic CVD, which is the build-up of fatty deposits in arteries that can cause a blockage, leading to a heart attack, stroke and aortic aneurysm.
The 2023 national health and morbidity survey showed that 7.6 million people, making up 33.3% of all adults in the country, suffer from high cholesterol, Dzulkefly said.
However, half of them are unaware of their condition given that elevated cholesterol levels often do not present any symptoms.
CVD accounted for 18.4% of medically certified deaths in 2022, making it the leading cause of premature death among those aged 30 to 69. The average lifespan in Malaysia is 75 years.
Degree of probability
Ezani said there are two types of risk factors that can influence an individual’s likelihood of developing CVD: non-modifiable such as genetics and family history, and modifiable such as lifestyle choices and habits.
“The modifiable factors are the ones that you want to address immediately.
“Some people know they have diabetes or high cholesterol, but they still say, ‘It’s okay. I’ll just control my diet’, which never happens. Or they’re smoking and don’t want to stop. Because of that, they will develop CVD over the years,” Ezani added.
Prevention is key
Ezani pointed out that preventive healthcare is essential but it must begin early.
It is essential to engage with the youth through educational campaigns at school, he added.
He said IJN regularly conducts roadshows to promote a healthy lifestyle and to instil the importance of health screening to detect the three causes of CVD, namely hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol.
On the challenge that rural folks face in gaining access to healthcare, he said IJN had, in the past decade, screened more than 70,000 people in 470 locations.
More initiatives are in the pipeline.
Under a memorandum of understanding signed with Putra Specialist Centre in Melaka last month, IJN will expand its cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery services to the southern region.
“Melaka is a good location. It serves the southern region of Peninsular Malaysia as well as Sumatra. This means patients won’t have to come all the way to Kuala Lumpur for their treatment anymore,” Ezani said.
World-class treatment
IJN’s own efforts have also raised its standing at the international level.
Ezani said its transition from a treatment-based approach to one that prioritises prevention, education and advocacy has helped the institute to achieve global standards, comparable with those in the US and Europe.
“We have also published over 1,000 reports in scientific journals that are accessible internationally.
“They not only identify us as a good hospital but also enable others to challenge the outcomes of our study,” Ezani said.
IJN has been ranked among the 1,000 healthcare organisations recognised for their rigorous standard of care by the US-based Joint Commission International since 2009.
International news magazine Newsweek and data gathering and visualisation platform Statista have named IJN as one of the world’s best hospitals in 2024.
A Bernama report recently noted that among patients who have sought treatment at IJN are those from Japan, South Korea and China as well as Denmark, Italy and France.
Ezani said IJN is also a flagship member of the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council and one of four shortlisted in its first Flagship Medical Tourism Programme.
“We hope this will help us attract more patients from abroad,” he said.
Ezani said that as Malaysia’s leading cardiac referral centre, IJN has an “outstanding” track record in managing complex cases referred from private and public hospitals.
He said the institute is also actively engaged in pioneering clinical trials and research on various heart conditions, including pulmonary arterial hypertension, coronary artery disease and congenital heart disease.
Addressing medical talent shortage
Ezani said IJN has been working to address the shortage of healthcare specialists in Malaysia since establishing its college in 2008.
“I don’t think the problem of talent shortage will ease, but the college will help us a lot in terms of addressing those demands and narrowing the gap. This way, we are always generating the next generation of healthcare professionals,” he said.
Last month, the health ministry said 6,417 permanent and contractual medical officers resigned between 2019 and 2023, which is equivalent to an average of three doctors quitting the government service daily.
The ministry also said a total of 1,046 specialists left government service during the same period, with 63 opting for early retirement upon reaching 50.