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Extreme heat can have serious implications for heart health, especially in people with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions.

As we come to the end of another hot summer across the Gulf, on World Heart Health Day, Sept. 29, we must be conscious of this link when delivering healthcare — now and in the future.

Every year, the heat amplifies the strain on people with underlying cardiovascular risk, leading to a spike in acute episodes. For clinicians, it is a predictable surge. For too many families, it is a life-changing shock.

But behind these seasonal emergencies lies a more persistent challenge: cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death across the GCC and the world, accounting for more than a third of all fatalities.

It is a silent burden, made worse by the fact that many people are only diagnosed after a crisis — often the first and only sign of something wrong.

We can and must do better.

Today, science allows us to identify heart risk, and particularly heart failure, long before symptoms surface, but this potential is often missed.

Despite numerous treatment options, the trajectory for people with cardiovascular and metabolic disease has not changed significantly, and the impact of these conditions on society continues to grow.

Cardiometabolic health is not a single condition — it is a spectrum, starting with poor diet, sedentary habits, and insulin resistance.

These can progress to type two diabetes, metabolic syndrome, coronary heart disease and heart failure.

“Today, science allows us to identify heart risk, and particularly heart failure, long before symptoms surface, but this potential is often missed.”

The body sends early warning signals, but without diagnostic tools in place, they are too often ignored.

By using specific biomarkers, healthcare professionals can predict future probability of an incident and even help identify patients at risk of hospital readmission or death.

At Roche Diagnostics, we believe heart health must be approached as a continuum — from early detection to ongoing management.

Roche is proud to deliver lab-quality insights at the point of care and bring early detection closer to patients.

But to truly shift outcomes, we need to look outside of the emergency room. A timely diagnosis can guide lifestyle changes, prompt treatment, and dramatically reduce the risk of future hospitalization.

The stakes go far beyond cardiovascular health. There is now a growing link between cardiovascular health and cognitive decline.

Poor circulation, arterial damage, and high blood pressure have all been associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

In other words, recognizing the signs of heart trouble early may not only save a life — it could preserve a lifetime of memory and independence.

Working with partners across healthcare systems is central to Roche’s approach to improving outcomes, especially in patients with coexisting conditions such as diabetes, which already affects millions across the GCC and brings significant cardiovascular complications.

But much more is needed. Cardiovascular and metabolic diseases now affect more than half the global population. Their burden is growing faster than our current systems can handle, and they remain underdiagnosed, undertreated and under-prioritized.

This summer must be a wake-up call. The heat may be seasonal, but heart disease is not. If we continue to treat cardiovascular risk only after symptoms appear, the human and economic cost will keep rising.

What we need is a shift — from reactive to proactive, from hospital-focused to community-embedded care.

Better testing, earlier intervention, and smarter public-private collaboration can turn the tide. With the right tools, used in the right places, at the right time, we can catch risk before it becomes crisis.

Let us not forget the pressure heat puts on the heart, and the opportunity we have to change the story, long before the emergency.

World Heart Day is an annual global campaign to raise awareness about cardiovascular diseases, which are the world’s leading cause of death, and is organized by the World Heart Federation.

• Crista Bassil is chapter lead for medical affairs, access and policy at Roche Middle East