In the last three decades, there have been a lot of changes in the lifestyle among populations in Saudi Arabia. In any kind of program for CAD prevention, the primary care physician should play a major role in identifying persons at risk and screening them for risk factors and work on risk factor modification. We should direct attention to work on changing the passive attitude of many physicians and health policy makers regarding prevention, not only of CAD but of many of today's diseases which are potentially preventable. In Saudi Arabia in the last 20 years, cardiac care has advanced to a great extent, like many other specialties. There are many cardiac centers delivering full cardiac care including interventional cardiology procedures and cardiac surgery.
Cardiac transplant is performed at three centers.
Due to increasing numbers of patients requiring cardiac care, there is a plan to expand the present centers' facilities and to open new cardiac care centers. During the process of achieving the goal of establishing good facilities for delivering cardiac care, we should not neglect working on prevention of CAD, especially in light of increasing numbers of patients with CAD and the escalating cost of health care. Let us work on CAD prevention now before it is too late. Professor of Medicine and Consultant Cardiologist President, Saudi Heart Association References American Heart Association 1991. AHA publication No. 55-0379.