Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences, 4TS International Conference 2017 will take place on 16th February at Conrad Hotel, Dubai.

The 4TS International Conference is being organized in collaboration with the International Society of Endovascular Specialists and the American College of Cardiology Chapter in the UAE (Emirates Cardiac Society). The conference has attracted more than 100 heart experts from around the world and has been accredited for 16 CME hours by the European Board of Accreditation in Cardiology (EBAC).

The Middle East region continues to witness infectious diseases over the past half century, the country is now dealing with the increase in crisis of chronic conditions and their risk factors. Obesity is a well-known health burden and about 70 per cent of men and 67 per cent of women aged 15 years and older in the country are considered overweight. This, in turn, has led to the change of lifestyle disorders including type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease placing upward pressure on the country's health-care system.

It is estimated that almost nine out of ten people in the UAE are at risk of heart disease and one out of three of them are unaware of the fact. Diabetes, hypertension, smoking, high cholesterol, obesity and a family history of heart disease are all risk factors. Heart disease and strokes are a leading killer across the world claiming 17.3 million lives annually and the UAE is no exception.

Abdullah bin Souqat, a member of the Board of Trustees of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences, said that the medical award supports the 2nd International Conference of Top to Toe Transcatheter Solutions (4TS) for the third year running, which is considered one of the prestigious medical events hosted by the Emirate of Dubai. The conference brings together a number of prominent medical specialists from around the world who come to exchange their innovative experiences in the field.

He also added that this conference and other high-profile ongoing medical education events and activities constitute pillars for the success in the medical sector, given the crucial role they play in updating specialists on the latest therapeutic and surgical breakthroughs and techniques adopted around the world.

Therefore, the award and other medical institutions' support for ongoing medical education has contributed enormously to achieving this quantum leap in cardiac and vascular medicine and surgery at the state level over the past few years.

Bin Souqat also said that numerous groundbreaking surgeries are being carried out with unparalleled success at the local medical practices in the medical field in question, despite being performed for the first time in the region.

This has helped with saving millions of dollars that were spent in the past on treating various medical cases abroad. Moreover, it has strengthened the position of the Emirate of Dubai on the regional map of medical tourism.

Led by Dr Omar K Hallak, Chief of Interventional Cardiology and Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, American Hospital Dubai, the conference focuses on the multidisciplinary team approach to treating heart diseases. Dr Omar stated that the facilitating of such a medical occasion validates the UAE's driving position as one of the key destinations for transcatheter operations, having scored one of the highest success rates in the world.

The conference offers an interactive platform for the exchange of scientific expertise and medical knowledge in the area of Transcatheter solutions. The conference will focus on Catheters which are fine tubes inserted into the body to treat heart diseases. This process uses minimal surgical method through the catheters and allows specialists to perform a range of procedures effectively.

The conference is expected to attract more than 100 distinguished heart experts and about 500 participants from across the globe.

The conference is a worldwide gathering that has been particularly intended for doctors who work in interventional cardiology, vascular surgery, and interventional radiology, and in addition colleagues, inhabitants, and other healthcare professionals. The three-day meeting will be comprising of workshops, presentations, live cases, vascular sessions and ISEVS symposium.

For more information, please visit www.4tsconference.com