Medical students at the Arabian Gulf University (AGU) organised an awareness campaign under the slogan “Heart to Heart”, in partnership with the King Abdullah Medical City University Medical Centre. The campaign took place at Al Liwan and aimed to elevate community awareness regarding cardiovascular diseases, shedding light on associated risk factors as part of the university’s efforts to promote health culture and disease prevention.

The campaign commenced with a notable event, featuring a one-kilometre walkathon around Al Liwan in Hamala area. This event witnessed participation from several consulting doctors, medical students and the public, reflecting the campaign’s message about the importance of physical activity in the prevention of heart diseases.

The campaign activities spread across six main stations, each offering valuable information and workshops. The first station, titled “Know Your Cardiac Health Risks”, aimed to educate visitors about the primary risk factors affecting heart health, including different forms of smoking, high blood pressure, blood sugar levels and cholesterol.

The second station, titled “Measure Your Blood Pressure Safely”, included a training workshop teaching participants how to accurately measure blood pressure at home and highlighted the importance of maintaining balanced blood pressure. This station also featured an interactive segment discussing the impact of diet on blood pressure.

At the third station, attendees learned to “Distinguish between Cardiac Arrest and Angina”, which facilitated the recognition of symptoms and encouraged swift action in emergency situations.

The fourth station, titled “Protect Yourself from Blood Clots”, provided a detailed explanation of blood clots, particularly deep vein thrombosis, emphasising the importance of early diagnosis and immediate treatment upon noticing symptoms such as leg swelling, redness, and severe pain.

The fifth station, “Learn Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)”, offered an interactive workshop aimed at training visitors on how to respond to unresponsive individuals, reinforcing the critical need for CPR in saving lives.

The sixth and final station was titled “Understand Your Heart Rhythm”, where the audience was introduced to the fundamentals of reading an electrocardiogram (ECG) and raised their awareness of heart health indicators through interactive activities.

The campaign enjoyed significant attendance from the university administration, academic staff, students and the community.  

It is noteworthy that the organising committee for the “Heart to Heart” campaign was led by the overall supervisor, student Mahmoud Buhamood Al Qahtani, with contributions from medical students: Nasser Al Binjassim, Mazen Al Zahrani, Latifa Al Ghatam, Nawaf Hantoul, Abdullah Al Ghatam, Shamma Al Fadhil, Noor Hamada, Renad Al Hazmi, Shoog Buhamad, Waheeb Al Sihli, and Aisha Murad.