Among the health risks primarily affecting the Jamaican population, cardiovascular or heart disease has become the leading cause of death, accounting for 12 per cent of total deaths on the island.

However, cardiovascular disease does not only largely affect the Jamaican population but is also the leading cause of death worldwide. But what does cardiovascular disease actually mean and why is it important that Jamaica invests in cardiovascular health?

The inaugural Percutaneous Cardiac Interventions Convention hosted in Jamaica on April 29-30, 2022, sought to bring to light the importance of cardiovascular care while underscoring the goal of advancement within the Caribbean region.

Cardiovascular disease refers to a group of non-communicable diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels. Non-communicable means those illnesses are not necessarily caused by an infection and may result in long-term consequences which often will require long-term treatment and care. These consequences may manifest as heart attack, stroke, heart failure, valvular heart disease, heart rhythm disturbances and even sudden cardiac death. Today, these conditions are very common in Jamaica. Additionally, health risks that may further increase your risk of cardiovascular disease are also common across the island’s population.

Cardiovascular risk factors include hypertension, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol and an overall inactive lifestyle. During the novel coronavirus pandemic, patients affected by these health conditions were increasingly at risk and oftentimes this may have led to increasing death rates among these populations. Now, more than ever, as the pandemic continues, but with far better knowledge and resources, patients with cardiovascular disease remain a priority.

This influenced the hosting of the inaugural Percutaneous Cardiac Interventions Convention, a monumental gathering of leading cardiovascular minds in the Caribbean region as well as representatives from the University of Toronto Health Network. Jamaica’s Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton was also in attendance with local, regional and international speakers and audience members.

The Caribbean has a small, but significant, number of physicians specialising in heart disease that have received training from all over the world. Jamaica, in particular, boasts the first female interventionalist, Dr Racquel Gordon; the first female ablation electrophysiologist (heart rhythm specialist), Dr Nordia Clare-Pascoe; as well Dr Deron Reid, the first Jamaican to specialise in adult congenital heart disease, heart disease in pregnancy and cardiac imaging. Additionally, Jamaican physician Dr Tahira Redwood is currently completing training in adult congenital and structural interventions in one of the top programmes in North America, aiming to be the first Caribbean physician trained in this combination speciality.

The future of cardiac health in Jamaica is bright! With the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the convention, its organisers seek to host other stagings to continue the goal of health education through sharing of cutting edge research, networking for health officials and, of course, the overall advancement of cardiovascular health care in Jamaica and the broader Caribbean region.

Through this speciality’s advancement, there will be increased access to quality care for patients diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. Additionally, Jamaica may advance to a key position making its cardiovascular experts attractive outside of the health sector, possibly attracting short-stay medical tourists who are looking for affordable, quality care within these specialities. In an increasingly technological and forever-changing world, the medical field continues to advance and encouragingly, Jamaica’s medical doctors continue to keep up with their global counterparts in these fields.