HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Heart disease is the leading cause of death on Guam, accounting for 33.9% of total deaths in 2015. Getting those numbers down is a collaborative effort, one that was recognized by the Guam Legislature on Monday.
“For the cardiovascular health, … 33% is a big number. About a third of our island is afflicted with this disease, with much more that’s not diagnosed,” Dr. Edison P. Manaloto, Guam Regional Medical City chief medical officer, said during a resolution presentation on Monday.
Heart disease is so common on Guam that Manaloto stressed, “There’s probably no one … listening in the audience that does not know of any person that’s been afflicted by this. It has touched each and every one of our member of our community.”
Manaloto said GRMC is striving to become “the center for cardiovascular care.”
GRMC has brought on two interventional cardiologists to expand cardiovascular care on the island.
“What we envision is to push the envelope further and maybe bring back (cardiothoracic) surgery, everything related to the spectrum of cardiovascular disease, triple-A repairs, things that our people are afflicted with that have to go off island and to kind of remove that burden,” Manaloto said.
Dr. Mahesh Golla, director of GRMC’s cardiovascular center and an interventional cardiologist, reviewed the data on heart attacks and related deaths.
“Apart from mortality, … compared from 2000 to 2019 statistics in Guam, there’s a 59% hike in cardiovascular mortality-related deaths. If you look at any state in the mainland, disease, infections or noninfectious disease, this is an extremely high rate,” Golla said.
He said people need to be knowledgeable and get screened.
“So we can catch these cardiovascular diseases earlier so we can treat it with preventive measures,” Golla said.
Those who smoke, are obese, have high blood pressure, have high cholesterol or have a family history of heart attacks should get screened for heart disease, according to the doctors.
Dr. Alessandro Giambartolomei, a Guam Memorial Hospital cardiologist said, “In terms of prevention, I think the major issues are diet, which is (a) chronic issue, and the second issue is drugs, which is actually relatively no issue. We have (a) meth epidemic that we’ve had now for nine, 10 years, and it’s getting worse.”
Speaker Therese Terlaje recognized the teamwork needed to address cardiovascular disease on the island.
“I know that all of you are serving the same population in general and that you have seen these significant challenges. So I thank you for pointing out in particular for Guam on how we can help and help educate,” the speaker said.
Terlaje presented the health care professionals in cardiology with Resolution 312-37 commending them for their continued efforts to provide care for the community, in honor of American Heart Month.
The Guam Memorial Hospital Authority cardiac team, led by Dr. Alessandro Giambartolomei and Dr. Hugo Koo in February 2022.
