Monash Cardiovascular Summit 2023 convenes top experts in heart health
Dato Sri Professor Dr Sim Kui Hian inaugurates the event by striking the ceremonial gong.
The Monash Cardiovascular Summit 2023 brought together the best minds and hearts in cardiovascular medicine and surgery. This two-day event was jointly organised by Monash University Malaysia and the Victorian Heart Institute, Monash University in Australia, and marked the beginning of the 25th Anniversary Celebrations at Monash University Malaysia.
The Victorian Heart Institute is a research and education institute embedded within the Victorian Heart Hospital, Australia's first standalone cardiac hospital dedicated to heart health in the Southern Hemisphere.
In his opening remarks, Professor Matthew Nicholson, President and Pro Vice-Chancellor of Monash University Malaysia, emphasised that Monash University is deeply committed to using research and education to tackle the most pressing challenges of our time. He highlighted the crucial role that universities play in providing innovative ideas and practical solutions to these challenges. "The Monash Cardiovascular Summit sits at the nexus between the need for greater understanding and the need to catalyse solutions. I see great potential for change, new knowledge, collaboration, solving intractable problems, and improving the lives of others."
At the Summit's opening ceremony, the Deputy Premier of Sarawak and a distinguished Monash alumnus, Dato Sri Professor Dr Sim Kui Hian, inaugurated the event by striking a ceremonial gong three times. Dr Sim's notable accomplishments include completing his medical degree and cardiology fellowship at Monash University and the Monash Medical Centre, making his attendance at the Summit a significant and memorable occasion.
The primary aim of the two-day Summit was to convene clinical and scientific experts from various industries, government bodies, and colleagues to present a highly relevant program that focused on current and future therapies. The Summit was designed to offer specialist healthcare professionals in Malaysia an opportunity to increase their knowledge of heart failure, interventions, prevention, inflammation, arrhythmia, diabetes, and other related topics. Attendees had access to prominent speakers from Australia and Malaysia, who exchanged updated information and were available for in-depth discussions.
Professor Steve Nicholls, Director of the Victorian Heart Institute at Monash University, stated that the goal of the Summit was to establish a strong Monash relationship between Australia and Malaysia to improve the treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD). He emphasised the importance of building a long-term relationship and addressing CVD as a significant public health challenge. Professor Nicholls outlined five grand challenges that align with the university's core principles and future innovation needs in CVD: women's heart health, underserved populations, living well, personalised medicine, and new technologies.
30-minute panel discussion on the rising burden of cardiovascular disease in Malaysia. From left: Azrul Mohd Khalid, Professor Wan Azman Wan Ahmad, Dr Kar Chai Koh, Dr Sim Kui Hian and Professor Steve Nicholls.
Dr Alan Fong, Consultant Cardiologist at the Sarawak Heart Centre in Kota Samarahan and the Head of the Clinical Research Centre at the Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching, captivated the audience with his presentation on coronary disease at the Summit. Dr Fong's talk, titled "Malaysia's National Cardiovascular Disease Registry: Observations and Insights from a 15-year Journey," shed light on significant aspects of cardiovascular disease in the country. During his presentation, Dr Fong highlighted the staggering financial impact of CVD on Malaysia's healthcare system. Treating CVD alone incurs an annual cost of RM3.9 billion, accounting for more than 40 per cent of the total direct healthcare expenses related to non-communicable diseases. Furthermore, CVD is responsible for an estimated RM4 billion in annual productivity losses, indicating its far-reaching consequences beyond healthcare expenditure. He cautioned that the burden of CVD is predicted to increase in the coming decade, and existing research suggests that the mortality rate will also rise.
The Practical Pearl sessions were designed to be interactive and encourage audience participation. Attendees were divided into smaller groups and placed in breakout rooms where they worked through two-three case scenarios on various topics. These included new approaches to dyslipidemia, the role of ablation in atrial fibrillation, and the relationship between diabetes and the heart.
The Sudden Death session was centred around the assessment of patients who had encountered unexplained cardiac arrest. Dr Hui-Chen Han, a cardiologist and electrophysiologist who contributes to the education portfolio of the Victorian Heart Institute, presented a case study on a patient who had undergone out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
Other notable Summit speakers and facilitators include:
- Dr Robert Gooley - Head of Interventional Services and Consults at the Victorian Heart Hospital.
- Professor Sophia Zoungas - Head of Monash University's School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.
- Datin Dr Ong Mei Lin - Interventional Senior Cardiologist at Gleneagles Hospital, Penang.
- Professor Dr Sazzli Kasim - Consultant Cardiologist, Professor of Medicine, Hospital Director, University Teknologi MARA (UiTM).
- Professor David Kaye - Director of the Department of Cardiology at The Alfred Hospital and the Head of the Heart Failure Research group at the Baker Institute.
- Dr Ma Soot Keng - Council Member of the National Heart Association of Malaysia and Consultant Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist at the Loh Guan Lye Specialist Centre.
- Dato' Dr Azmee bin Mohd Ghazi - Clinical Director Heart Failure and Heart Transplant at the National Heart Institute.
- Dr Abdul Raqib bin Abdul Ghani - Consultant Cardiologist and Cardiac Electrophysiologist at Serdang Hospital Selangor.
- Dr Nor Hanim binti Mohd Amin - Consultant cardiologist, Head, Department of Cardiology based at Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun, Perak.
- Professor Shaun Lee - Professor in the School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia.
- Dato' Professor Dr Wan Azman bin Wan Ahmad - Professor and Senior Consultant Cardiologist at the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).
- Azrul Mohd Khalib - Chief Executive of Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy.
The Monash Cardiovascular Summit 2023 served as a platform for healthcare providers, researchers, and experts to engage in fruitful discussions and share their expertise, contributing to the advancement of cardiovascular medicine. Throughout the Summit, attendees had the opportunity to delve into the latest clinical research findings, explore cutting-edge technologies, and explore innovative approaches to diagnosing, treating, and preventing cardiovascular diseases. By fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange, the Summit strengthened professional networks and ignited a collective commitment to improving patient care and outcomes.
As the Summit came to a close, participants left inspired and armed with new insights, strategies, and connections that will undoubtedly shape the future of cardiovascular medicine. The Monash Cardiovascular Summit 2023 stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and knowledge-sharing in driving continuous progress and innovation in the field, paving the way for a healthier future for individuals affected by cardiovascular diseases.
We express our heartfelt gratitude to our industry partners, Novartis Malaysia and Medtronic Australia, whose generous support was instrumental in making the Monash Cardiovascular Summit 2023 a remarkable success. By sponsoring the Summit, they played a pivotal role in fostering collaboration and facilitating the exchange of knowledge and innovative ideas among experts in the field.