By Robert Andre Emmanuel
Chinese cardiologist Dr Zhang Xingwei delivered a compelling guest lecture at the UWI Five Islands Campus on Thursday, following high-level discussions with the Cabinet about potential partnerships between Antigua’s healthcare system and Hangzhou Normal University.
Dr Zhang, who serves as President of the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, and Director of the Hangzhou Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, addressed students and faculty on cardiovascular health in the under-30 age group at the campus cafeteria.
In a post-lecture interview, the heart specialist, who has performed over 8,000 coronary interventions throughout his career, reflected on the changes he’s observed since his last visit to Antigua seven years ago as a tourist, pointing out a demographic challenge for the island as the current population size poses difficulties in sustaining specialized medical teams.
“Usually, a cardiology team will need at least 300,000 people… only 100,000 people is not enough for a cardiological team,” the expert explained.
Central to Dr Zhang’s recommendations was the establishment of a Chest Pain Centre, with particular emphasis on its catheterization laboratory.
The specialist demonstrated the critical nature of such facilities by sharing a case involving a totally blocked coronary artery, explaining that while medications have their place, catheter-based interventions are often the most effective treatment option.
“The most important part of the Chest Pain Centre is the catheterization lab,” he stated, adding that a coronary care unit is equally vital for managing life-threatening conditions like ventricular fibrillation.
The specialist also emphasized that successful healthcare delivery requires a coordinated effort from “government, hospital clinics, doctors, nurses, technicians, and the whole society.”
The expert outlined three essential steps for preventing cardiovascular disease – regular health monitoring, where he advocated for annual check-ups, including stress tests, which involve monitored exercise on a medical treadmill, while tracking vital signs.
Additionally, Dr Zhang recommended dietary control, emphasizing the importance of nutrition, diets rich in vegetables and protein, particularly fish and seafoods, while limiting fat and salt intake.
Lastly, he advised for regular exercising, stressing the importance of consistent physical activity, recommending exercise at least twice weekly.
He also warned against relying solely on step-counting apps, sharing a personal anecdote about swimming rather than walking for exercise.
Notably, the specialist highlighted that heart disease symptoms can be deceptive, potentially manifesting as throat discomfort or dental pain, particularly when the circumflex artery is affected.
He underscored the importance of having specialized diagnostic facilities readily available.
“I find people working for government are working very hard,” Dr Zhang noted, “and eager to make big progress.”
During his week-long visit, Dr Zhang also explored the establishment of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between Hangzhou Normal University and the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre (SLBMC) with the Minister of Health.
The Minister of Health has reportedly responded positively to Dr Zhang’s recommendations, proposing to equip all clinics with necessary diagnostic tools for examining patients with mild chest pains, while maintaining the hospital as the primary facility for treating heart failure cases, according to the Cabinet notes.