Cardiology symposia in Cuba focus on heart failure and rare diseases

Medical experts in Havana are concluding two major symposia focused on advancements in cardiology, specifically addressing congenital defects, rare cardiac diseases, and channelopathies. The events include the IV Cuban Symposium on Heart Failure and the I Cuban Symposium on Cardiomyopathies and Rare Cardiac Diseases.

Eduardo Rivas, president of the Cuban Society of Cardiology, emphasized the need to improve the quality of life for patients with heart failure. He noted that while global research and new drugs are advancing, patient quality of life remains deficient. Rivas highlighted the severity of cardiovascular issues, noting that over 32,000 Cubans died from such causes in 2024.

Organizers noted that more than 80 percent of heart failure causes are preventable through proper management of cardiovascular risk factors at the primary healthcare level. Discussions also focused on adapting international clinical guidelines to the Caribbean context, noting that European guidelines often omit regional specificities such as Chagas disease and certain rheumatic illnesses prevalent in Latin America.