Fiji has four times the prevalence incidence of coronary artery disease than the Australian population, says cardiologist Dr Vijay Kapadia.
He said comparing the statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) and studies in Australia, Fiji stands at a much higher rate compared with Australia.
“It’s far more than Australia,” Dr Kapadia said.
“Many of our patients with severe heart disease are in the 30s and 40s, which is much less common in Australia. Seeing patients in their late 20s is also not rare in Fiji.”
He said that up to 80 per cent of heart disease exists in developing countries.
“Roughly 80 per cent of people in developing countries do not generally have access to good medical care.
“This situation could apply to Fiji because Fiji is also a developing country.”
