Ammon News - Cardiologist Fakhri Okour said recent statistics show that heart disease remains the leading cause of death in Jordan, accounting for 29 percent of total deaths from non-communicable diseases.

Speaking Sunday on the occasion of World Heart Day, marked annually on September 29, Okour attributed the prevalence of heart disease among Jordanians to smoking in all its forms, high cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, stress, and genetic factors.

He urged the public to pay close attention to unusual heart symptoms and undergo early diagnostic tests such as blood analysis, electrocardiograms, and echocardiography to detect problems that could lead to fatal heart attacks.

Okour pointed to significant improvements in catheterization and cardiac surgery services at Ministry of Health hospitals, highlighting the efforts of Health Minister Ibrahim Badour to upgrade services nationwide.

He also expressed pride in Jordan’s pioneering role in cardiac treatment, noting that heart transplants were performed in the 1980s by Dr. Dawood Hanania, one of the world’s leading cardiac surgeons.

Tomorrow, Monday, marks World Heart Day under the slogan "Don't Miss a Beat," aiming to raise awareness of prevention and the dangers of heart disease amid persistently high mortality rates.