- Heart failure is a progressive and potentially fatal condition that affects over 60 million peopleworldwide and expected to increase as the population ages2
- A nearly three-month virtual educational program will share in-depth insights in managing heart failure, including early intervention strategies and prevention of heart failure in high-risk groups
- The program will provide an opportunity to connect regional cardiologists with international healthcare professionals to create heart failure centers of excellence in the region
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, February 1, 2022: Boehringer Ingelheim, one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, launched a virtual scientific program called MEDEX (‘META Heart Failure Discussion for Experts’) that brings multidisciplinary healthcare professionals across the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (‘META’) region, together with international speakers to discuss the latest updates on heart failure treatment and management. The sessions will run from January 21 to March 31, 2022 and will be conducted on a dedicated virtual platform created for this program which will also host all the meeting recordings for on-demand access.
The three-month program focuses on educating healthcare professionals across the META region about Heart Failure (‘HF’) and its comorbidities. MEDEX has received international accreditations for full attendance equivalent to 28 credit hours from European Board for Accreditation of Continuing Education for Health professional (‘EBAC’), The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (‘AACME’), The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and The American Medical Association (‘AMA’). The weekly virtual sessions will provide in-depth insights on the latest guidelines in HF management and a forum for experts to discuss the rapidly evolving changes in clinical practice. A part of the program will also focus on facilitating the ‘HF Preceptorship Program’ virtually – a program to connect local experts with international cardiologists to get their guidance and support in building local multidisciplinary HF centers of excellence.
Heart failure is the world’s leading cause of hospitalization, affecting more than 60 million people worldwide.2 HF refers to the inability of the heart to pump sufficient blood through the body. Patients with chronic heart failure can present with either reduced (‘HFrEF’) or preserved ejection fraction (‘HFpEF’). HFrEF happens when the heart muscle does not contract effectively, and less blood is pumped out to the body, often related to previous cardiac events, coronary artery disease, and structural damage to the heart. HFpEF occurs when the heart muscle contracts normally, but the left ventricle does not fill with enough blood, often due to stiffening of the heart muscle.
Mohammed Al-Tawil, Regional Managing Director and Head of Human Pharma at Boehringer Ingelheim for India, Middle East, Turkey and Africa (‘IMETA’) region, of Boehringer Ingelheim, said: “Heart failure is a life-threatening disease, and the risk of death rises with each hospital admission.1 At Boehringer Ingelheim, we are committed to developing innovative therapies and strongly believe that collaboration with the healthcare professionals who share our passion for improving the health and well-being of our patients is crucial in tackling the burden of heart failure. Initiatives like MEDEX give us the opportunity to connect with the medical community and foster scientific knowledge exchange that can potentially fill treatment gaps for our patients living with this life-threatening condition.”
“Strengthening emerging medical science to offer new therapies that can significantly improve patient outcomes is key for us at Boehringer Ingelheim. Our patient-centric approach goes beyond delivering novel therapeutic options to the patients. We continue to partner with healthcare professionals across the globe by launching educational programs such as MEDEX that provide a comprehensive scientific curriculum delivered by experts helping us and the healthcare professionals to discover new horizons in the management and treatment of heart failure,” said Dr. Mohamed Meshref, Medical Director for India, Middle East, Turkey, and Africa, Boehringer Ingelheim.
The MEDEX sessions, each over 2 hours in duration, will be held weekly primarily on Fridays starting January 21. The January sessions will focus on defining the global challenge of HF, its burden in the META region and the prevention of HF in high-risk groups, and early intervention.
In February, the sessions will cover excellence in diagnosis and optimization of diagnostic means in the META region, guidelines for the management of HF, and changes in clinical practice. Participants will also discuss SGLT2 inhibitors and new hope in treatment and the management of HF in low resources setup.
A discussion on the Empagliflozin Outcome Trial in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure and a Reduced Ejection Fraction (EMPEROR-Reduced) and related subjects will be held in March in addition to early intervention to prevent HF complications in high-risk patients, the roadmap to setting up center of excellence in HF. Cardio renal link and outcomes, a foundational approach and managing HF in the time of COVID-19 and case studies on the challenges in the management of HF will also be highlighted in March.
Boehringer Ingelheim first launched the MEDEX series in 2019, with sessions first session focusing on cardio-renal metabolic topics. Boehringer Ingelheim continues to collaborate with healthcare professionals to discuss the latest medical solutions for HF across key markets in the META region through standalone meetings.
About Boehringer Ingelheim
Boehringer Ingelheim is working on breakthrough therapies that improve the lives of humans and animals. As a leading research-driven biopharmaceutical company, the company creates value through innovation in areas of high medical need. Founded in 1885 and family-owned ever since, Boehringer Ingelheim takes a long-term perspective. Around 52,000 employees serve more than 130 markets in the three business areas, Human Pharma, Animal Health, and Biopharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing. Learn more at www.boehringer-ingelheim.com.