DALLAS and Al Mubarraz, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, September 7, 2023 — Almoosa Specialist Hospital, in Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia has been recognized by the American Heart Association, the world's leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, as a the first Comprehensive Chest Pain Center in the country. This designation signifies the hospital's status as a critical element in the kingdom's effort to create a system of healthcare that seeks to save lives in Saudi Arabia by closing the gaps that delay heart attack patients from timely access to appropriate treatments.
In 2020, approximately 19.1 million deaths were attributed to cardiovascular disease (CVD) globally, and CVD prevalence was high in the Middle East and North Africa.[1] One in four adults in Saudi Arabia are likely to have a heart attack within the next 10 years.[2] The growing global and regional burden of cardiovascular disease and its associated disability indicates the importance of healthcare professionals' commitment to continual improvement in STEMI treatment.
Almoosa Specialist Hospital is the first to receive this certification in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The certification recognizes centers that meet or exceed scientific evidence-based quality of care measures for people experiencing the most severe type of heart attack, ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). STEMI occurs when blood flow is completely blocked to a portion of the heart.
The Comprehensive Center certification identifies healthcare facilities that meet specific scientific criteria for promptly diagnosing and providing advanced treatment for heart attacks. A Comprehensive Chest Pain Center is determined to be well-equipped to receive and treat STEMI patients and has the equipment, expertise and facilities to administer percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), one of the most effective means of timely treatment for heart attack patients. Comprehensive Centers also must document and demonstrate how their organization has committed to providing quality care for chest pain patients.
"Worldwide, heart disease remains the leading cause of death — when someone suffers a heart attack, time is critical," said Peter Panagos, M.D., vice chair for Academic and Faculty Affairs, professor of Emergency Medicine & Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo. and American Heart Association volunteer. "Hospitals and healthcare providers need to be prepared to coordinate care quickly and efficiently. We developed Comprehensive Chest Pain Center certification to help hospitals create an integrated and collaborative approach to cardiovascular care to improve outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease by providing certified care to patients with STEMI and Non-STEMI heart attack."
The American Heart Association's goal for the certification initiative is to help hospitals significantly reduce cardiac death in patients by teaching the public to recognize and react to early symptoms of a heart attack, reduce the time it takes to receive life-saving treatment and increase the accuracy and effectiveness of treatment.
"Almoosa Specialist Hospital is thoroughly committed to providing our patients high-quality cardiac care centered on current scientific research," said Abdulla Al Ali, M.D., chest pain program director at Almoosa Specialist Hospital. "The American Heart Association's Comprehensive Chest Pain Center certification has highlighted our accomplishments as we strive to improve the overall treatment and care for our patients."
Learn more about the Comprehensive Chest Pain Center certification from the American Heart Association. Follow the American Heart Association on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
