Dr. Khaled al-Nemr, a consultant in cardiology, arterial catheter, tomography and nuclear imaging, mentioned that there are cardiac patients who are not recommended to go for pilgrimage and perform the Hajj rituals; namely those suffering chest pain (phases 3 and 4), those suffering chest pains when walking ten meters and less, those with uncontrollable blood pressure, and those with breath shortness (phases 3 and 4) of heart failure, along with leg swelling. That is to be added to patients who have experienced heart attack within a month of its incidence, or patients who have conducted cardiovascular stents, and finally those with severely narrowed heart valves.
Dr. Al-Nemr warned cardiac patients willing to set out for Hajj against shunning crowded areas and peak hours. “This is highly significant for the Hajj performers in general, and cardiac patients in particular,” he affirmed. Similarly, Dr. Al-Nemr recommended keeping away from the highly fatty and salty foods, drinking enough fluids, and avoiding overuse of diuretics. This is due to the fact that the weather is dry, and it is likely to bring about lowering of the blood pressure. Further, he stressed on the significance of having a great deal of sleep, and avoiding staying up late and exhaustion.
Within the same vein, Dr. Al-Nemr gave the cardiac patients wishing to perform the Hajj rites tips to be applied; the most important of which are taking the required vaccinations such as meningitis vaccine and seasonal flu vaccine as cardiac patients, namely those with weak myocardial, suffer more if developed flu, since they are likely to experience heart failure. He went on underscoring that performing the Hajj rites involves hardship, and most of those going for the Hajj rituals are older people, and mostly suffer from cardiac disease. Hence, the cardiac patient should see the doctor; to determine if they can perform the Hajj rituals or not, then making their treatment plan.
This was part of Dr. Al-Nemr hosting at the Media and Health Awareness National Center of the Minister of Health (MOH) on thehealth awareness program: (Pilgrims' Health is Our Concern), launched by the MOH for the eleventh consecutive year. The Program is meant for educating the Hajj performers, mostly cardiac patients and older people, receiving their questions and answering them in a way that is related to their health condition, and whether they can perform the Hajj rituals or not. Questions were received via the toll-free number: 8002494444, designated by the MOH for the public and its Twitter account: @saudimoh.
All the more, Dr. Al-Nemr recommended that the cardiac patients set to perform the Hajj rituals not be hesitant to visit the doctor when experiencing any cardiac-related symptoms: pains, shortness of breath, fainting, and giddiness. As regards the symptoms entailing immediately seeing the cardiac doctor when experienced, he summed them up in chest pains, breath weakness, fainting, and beating, and the doctor is to be visited before such symptoms appear. He also emphasized that the cardiac patient set to go for the Hajj rituals should take amounts of medicines sufficient until they finish the Hajj rituals, make point of taking them regularly, and not stop taking them whatever the reasons are, only if the doctor prescribed otherwise.
On Tuesday 21/9/1435, corresponding to 16/9/2014, from 1 to 3 pm, the Center is to host the therapeutic nutrition specialist Maha Al-A’saf. She is to provide the Hajj performers with healthy, balanced nutrition system while performing the Hajj rites, which can help them avoid a lot of health issues such as food poisoning, constipation, and indigestion among others. Such issues could cause inconvenience on them and prevent them from performing the Hajj rites in a smooth and easy way.