At the 11th National Interventional Cardiology Conference (VICC 2025) Prof. Dr. Pham Manh Hung - Chairman of the Vietnam Interventional Cardiology Association said that cardiovascular disease is currently the leading cause of death in Vietnam, with about 200,000 cases per year, accounting for nearly 40% of all deaths. On average, 1 in 4 adults suffer from the disease, the trend is getting younger. In the elderly, degenerative and atherosclerosis make cardiovascular disease more complicated, requiring more sophisticated treatment methods.
If it used to mainly appear in people over 50 years old, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, and stroke have now occurred in the 30-40 year old group, even under 30. The main causes are industrial lifestyle: Lack of exercise, eating a lot of fast food, fat, animal hunger, alcohol abuse, tobacco, prolonged stress. Air pollution also increases the risk of disease by 10-20%.
Prof. Dr. Pham Manh Hung added that thanks to modern cardiovascular interventions, tens of thousands of patients each year avoid open heart surgery, shorten recovery time and reduce complications. In particular, many elderly people who have had less treatment opportunities now benefit significantly from less invasive techniques such as replacing major arterial valves through a pineapple (TAVI), repairing double-leaf valves through a pineapple...
From the world's first coronary artery intervention in 1977 to the first intervention in Vietnam in 1995, the intervention cardiology specialty has developed remarkably. From 3 centers before 2000, there are now more than 130 centers nationwide, with more than 500 specialists, performing about 100,000 - 150,000 cases per year. Many units have mastered complex techniques, on par with advanced countries.
"Not only stopping at coronary artery intervention, many modern techniques have been quickly deployed: Intervention of complex coronary artery diseases, replacement and repair of heart valves via cataracts, intervention of congenital heart disease, treatment of heart failure and hypertension with devices via cataracts..." - Prof. Dr. Pham Manh Hung said.
VICC 2025 is not only a place to update knowledge but also a bridge for the world to see the strong progress of Vietnam's intervention cardiovascular system. This is the foundation for strategic development in the next decade, bringing practical benefits to patients.
