Heart disease increases among young people in Vietnam

Speaking at the event, Tran Van Thuan, Deputy Minister of Health, cited World Health Organization data as showing 20 million deaths worldwide each year from cardiovascular diseases, accounting for 32 percent of global fatalities.

In Vietnam, heart-related illnesses cause more than 60,000 deaths annually.

“Risk factors such as lipid disorders and obesity are rising sharply, and the average age of patients is getting younger,” Thuan said.

He added that Vietnamese doctors have reached regional and international levels in treating cardiovascular conditions, particularly in minimally invasive heart surgery, neonatal cardiac surgery for low-birthweight infants, and even fetal cardiac interventions.

The conference gathered 1,500 doctors from the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Germany, Japan, and other countries.

Key discussions included the use of artificial intelligence in cardiology, endovascular interventions, hypertension and kidney disease, infections and nutrition in cardiovascular patients, and new techniques in coronary interventions.

This year’s event also centered on building a multi-level cardiovascular care network that connects specialized heart centers with grassroots medical systems to ensure patients have comprehensive and timely access to treatment.

In other news, at the 17th annual meeting of the ASEAN Arthroplasty Association (AAA) held in Malaysia from Thursday to Saturday, Vietnamese doctor Tang Ha Nam Anh was elected AAA president for the 2025-26 term.

AAA, established in 2007, connects Southeast Asian doctors in the field of joint replacement.

This is the second time in 17 years that a Vietnamese doctor has held the position.