The Council on Preventive Cardiology is an integral part of the PHA whose focus is curbing the ever-rising prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in our country through population-based strategies. Its range is broad and encompasses all other aspects of cardiovascular health care. Programs advocated by the council are more geared towards primary prevention through promotion of a healthy lifestyle. Such lifestyle recommendations include smoking cessation, healthy heart diet (Pinggang Pinoy), regular exercise and stress management as well as controlling known risk factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus.
The council was founded by past presidents Dr. Adriano Dela Paz and Dr. Romeo Divinagracia in 1982 with its pioneer chair Dr. Jose V. Yason.
Chair 2023-2026: Karen F. Caudor, MD
Past Presidents:
Eddieson M. Gonzales, MD
Elmer Jasper B. Llanes, MD
Adriel E. Guerrero, MD
Noel L. Rosas, MD
J. Antonio L. Bautista, MD
Eduardo Vicente S. Caguioa, MD
Eugenio B. Reyes, MD
Cesar S. Recto II, MD
Annette P. Borromeo, MD
Emelyn A. Rivera, MD
Jose V. Yason, MD
ACTIVITIES and ADVOCACIES
- The council has actively supported the 52100 program which encourages everyone to do the following: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily; not more than 2 hours of video time daily/not more than 2 gms of added salt daily; 1 hour of physical activity daily; 0 sugared beverages and 0 Smoking as non-pharmacologic approach to prevent cardiovascular disease.
- For a long time the PHA with the council on preventive cardiology, has been continuously campaigning against smoking that includes any form of tobacco consumption. There are newer forms of smoking such as vaping, E-cigarettes and electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) whose companies are trying to promote as substitute or as a bridge to smoking cessation for which the council strongly recommends against the use of these products for these purposes. The PHA as well as other medical societies are currently lobbying the passage of a law banning the use and advertisements of all of these tobacco products.
- The council, in cooperation with PSEDM, recently released the Evidence Based Consensus Statements on the approach to lower the cardiovascular risk of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus headed by past PHA president Dr. Jorge A. Sison. The technical working group (TWG) composed of 5 members (Dr. Jorge A. Sison, Dr. Cecile Jimeno, Dr. Bien Matawaran, Dr. Eddieson Gonzales and Dr. Imee Caole-Ang) convened last 2019 and have just finished up with the consensus statements which are yet to be published. The TWG utilized the ADAPTE process to evaluate recommendations about antidiabetic medications while adaptation of existing Philippine guidelines was done for recommendations of treatment of hypertension and dyslipidemia among diabetic patients. These consensus statements will be presented during the upcoming 51st PHA Annual Convention (May 2021).
- The PHA represented by the council of preventive cardiology together with Philippine Lipid & Atherosclerosis Society (PLAS), Philippine Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (PSEDM), Philippine Neurological Association (PNA), Philippine Society of Nephrology (PSN) and Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) has recently published Executive Summary of the 2020 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Dyslipidemia in the Philippines. The full article can be viewed here in this link: https://www.asean-endocrinejournal.org/index.php/JAFES/article/view/927
- The council has actively campaigned in taking precaution in the use of the popular fad diets namely: ketogenic and intermittent fasting diets for weight reduction. Together with nutritionist, dietician, endocrinologists and lay health advocates it has come out with Philippine Consensus Statements for the use of Ketogenic and Intermittent Fasting Diets for weight reduction on the overweight or obesity individuals: 1) without pre-existing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), 2) diabetes mellitus and 3) with ASCVD. The full article can be viewed here in this link: https://pcp.org.ph/images/PJIM/2020/4thQ/1-Philippine-Concensus-Statement.pdf
- Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) Champions: The PHA together with PLAS teamed up to form this group of doctors from almost all regions of the country whose purpose is to become experts and primary referral physicians in their respective regions in treating these individuals with FH who are very high risk of developing premature cardiovascular disease. The group was formed by past PHA president Dr. Rody G. Sy who recognized challenges in establishing this FH network in this country. Soon there will be a registry of these FH individuals in order to do cascade screening of their family for early identification and treatment.
- Life Course Study in Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology (LIFECARE): This is the first of its kind study in the Philippines funded by the PHA, a prospective cohort of adults aged 20 to 50 years old without pre-existing cardiovascular disease. It is a multi-country study which includes Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines with Dr. Rody G. Sy as our principal investigator for our country. Its aim is to look into the trajectory of development of cardiovascular disease among these participants and identify factors that are unique to the Filipinos. This study will potentially lead up to the development of our own cardiovascular risk calculator. Currently, it is still an ongoing study.
