Boehringer Ingelheim, a leading research-driven biopharmaceutical company, hosted a dedicated event to improving outcomes for people living with heart failure across the region. The two-day event drew over 300 cardiologists from India, the Middle East and Africa, and was held on March 10th and 11th at the Conrad Hotel in Dubai. This year’s event combined two meetings, ‘Heart Talks’, the second annual heart failure expert engagement forum, and ‘MEDEX’, a heart failure scientific meeting for healthcare professionals.
Heart failure is a progressive and potentially life-threatening condition. In the Middle East, the condition affects over 3.75 million people.[2] In India, heart failure is responsible for 1.8 million hospitalizations every year.[3] Until recently, a type of heart failure called ‘heart failure with preserved ejection fraction’ (HFpEF) was considered a major unmet medical need[4] based on prevalence, poor outcomes, and absence of clinically proven therapies. However, extensive research and development efforts have led to promising treatment advances. Demonstrating a statistically significant risk reduction in cardiovascular death and hospitalization for heart failure, empagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, is the first clinically proven treatment to result in improved outcomes for patients across the full spectrum of heart failure, including both HFpEF and ‘heart failure with reduced ejection fraction’ (HFrEF).[5]
The ‘Heart Talks’ meeting, now in its second year and accredited by the American Association of Continuing Medical Education®, the British Academy of Continuous Medical Education and the Dubai Health Authority, took place on March 10th. A panel of international speakers presented patient case studies and discussed the latest guidelines to illustrate how SGLT2 inhibitors can be incorporated into clinical practice. The agenda was designed to facilitate the exchange of ideas and best practices between international experts and cardiologists from the region.
‘MEDEX’ [India, Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (IMETA) Heart Failure Discussion for Experts] took place on March 11th. The medical education platform was first launched in 2019 and has been gathering experts on a yearly basis for the past four years to take a deep dive into the latest advances in heart failure treatment and drive excellence in patient care across the region. This year, the meeting also shined a spotlight on the importance of early intervention to prevent heart failure complications in high-risk individuals. In addition to featuring three international experts from the United States and Europe, a patient was also invited to share her perspective and heart failure journey with cardiologists from the IMETA region.
Mohammed Tawil, Regional Managing Director, and Head of Human Pharma at Boehringer Ingelheim for the India, Middle East, Turkey and Africa (IMETA) region, said, “Heart failure is a serious condition that can make everyday activities such as walking or climbing stairs very challenging for patients. At Boehringer Ingelheim, innovating to improve outcomes for patients is the driving force behind all our actions. ‘Heart Talks’ and ‘MEDEX’ are forums of crucial importance, as they gather leading experts in the cardiology field and facilitate scientific discussions around the latest developments in heart failure management. These meetings reinforce our commitment to bridging medical gaps across the region by helping improve patient outcomes and alleviate the disease burden on healthcare systems.”
Dr. Mohamed Meshref, Medical Director, Boehringer Ingelheim, IMETA, commented, “Data from recent clinical trials involving an SGLT2 inhibitor has been raising the bar and transforming heart failure treatment. Our efforts to enhance patient outcomes go beyond delivering novel therapeutic options for patients. We remain committed to fostering a collaborative network involving the regional medical community by launching educational meetings that provide updated scientific data and guidelines to eventually improve patient outcomes. This year, we took a step further and invited a patient to ‘MEDEX’ who graciously shared her perspective and valuable insights with healthcare professionals to help optimize the patient journey across multiple touchpoints.”
Dr. Hani Sabbour, Consultant Cardiologist and Clinical Assistant Professor of Cardiology at Brown University Rhode Island USA, applauded the dedicated focus on heart failure management. “In the Middle East, the average age of heart failure patients is at least ten years younger than in Western counterparts.2 Early diagnosis and intervention to prevent or manage the condition are key to improving quality and length of life for patients. Gathering some of the foremost experts in cardiology, meetings like ‘Heart Talks’ and ‘MEDEX’ empower regional cardiologists with the latest advances in the field, where significant headway is being made to improve the lives of high-risk patients and those living with all types of heart failure.”
As a leading research-driven biopharmaceutical company, Boehringer Ingelheim seeks to create value through innovation in areas of high unmet medical needs. In addition to constantly working towards developing breakthrough therapies for heart failure, the company continues to collaborate with the wider healthcare ecosystem to raise awareness about the condition and share the latest medical advances to help improve the lives of the millions of patients affected.
