Cardiovascular healthcare in the new era
In Vietnam, the burden of disease due to heart failure is increasing rapidly along with the aging population and the prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and chronic kidney disease.
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Against this worrying backdrop, new advances in personalized medicine and digital transformation are opening up a holistic approach that optimizes cardiovascular care for the population.
The 2nd National Heart Failure Conference, scheduled to take place on December 13, 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City, will bring together leading cardiovascular experts to discuss these advances in depth.
Beyond simply updating the latest research findings, the conference clearly reflects a shift in the philosophy of cardiovascular care worldwide . Instead of applying the same protocol to all patients, doctors are now moving towards tailoring treatment to each individual patient.
This is especially important because heart failure is not a single disease but a complex syndrome that can stem from coronary artery disease, hypertension, metabolic disorders, inflammation, infection, or co-existing kidney and metabolic diseases.
Each patient has a unique phenotype, with varying degrees of cardiac damage, treatment responses, and risk of complications. Personalized medicine allows physicians to gain a deeper understanding of the disease mechanism, utilizing biomarkers, advanced imaging, and clinical data to make the most appropriate decisions.
Advances in diagnostics such as next-generation echocardiography, cardiac MRI, multi-slice cardiac CT, and modern biomarker testing are greatly assisting in risk stratification and treatment optimization.
Alongside personalized medicine, digital transformation is revolutionizing the management of chronic cardiovascular disease. With the support of artificial intelligence and big data, physicians can predict the risk of decompensation early, warn of events, and make more accurate clinical decisions.
Many countries have adopted remote monitoring models using wearable devices or implanted sensors, allowing for the 24/7 monitoring of patients' vital signs.
In Vietnam, this trend is being strongly promoted, aiming to build a National Database on Heart Failure. This will be a platform for collecting, analyzing, and standardizing cardiovascular disease records nationwide.
These innovations have practical implications for patients. Instead of multiple hospitalizations, they can receive more proactive management through a continuous care model involving family, community, and hospital.
Early warnings from monitoring devices help reduce the risk of readmission, one of the biggest challenges of heart failure. At the same time, doctors can monitor treatment effectiveness and adjust medication promptly without requiring patients to travel long distances.
The year 2025 also marks a significant shift in treatment recommendations from major cardiology societies such as the ESC and AHA/ACC/HFSA, emphasizing the use of new multi-drug combinations, multi-risk factor management, and enhanced health education for patients. This further necessitates continuous knowledge updates for healthcare professionals as well as increased public awareness of heart failure prevention and management.
With the combined efforts of cardiovascular specialists, the digital transformation of the healthcare sector, and the development of biomedical data science, the landscape of heart failure management in Vietnam is undergoing a dramatic transformation.
Patients benefit more from modern treatments, from continuous and accurate monitoring to personalized care strategies aimed at the ultimate goal: reducing the burden of disease and improving quality of life.
In the journey of cardiovascular healthcare, every scientific advance not only has professional significance but also offers hope to millions battling heart failure. The connection between knowledge, technology, and the dedication of medical professionals is the key to unlocking a new era where patients receive more comprehensive, accurate, and humane care than ever before.
Missing out on early cancer treatment due to taking traditional Vietnamese medicine.
Diagnosed with early-stage colon cancer but refusing treatment for fear that "surgery would spread the cancer," Mr. Minh (55 years old) in Ho Chi Minh City took traditional medicine for six months. When he returned to the hospital, the disease had metastasized to his liver, requiring much more complex and expensive treatment.
When Mr. Minh experienced persistent rectal bleeding starting in late 2024, he visited Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for examination. Endoscopy revealed he had invasive adenocarcinoma of the colon, stage 2, with a very favorable prognosis. Doctors advised surgery to remove the tumor followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, but Mr. Minh refused, believing that "surgery would cause the cancer cells to spread faster" and fearing that chemotherapy would weaken his body.
Trusting the advice he received, he returned home and brewed traditional Vietnamese medicine daily, while also abstaining from foods like chicken and beef. After six months of taking the medicine, his constipation worsened, he lost 15 kg, experienced intermittent abdominal pain, and felt bloated. When bowel movements became almost impossible, his family took him back to the hospital.
The CT scan results shocked the whole family: the tumor had completely blocked the bowel, invaded the bladder wall, and had two metastatic lesions in the liver.
According to Dr. Nguyen Tran Anh Thu, a specialist in Oncology, if Mr. Minh had received treatment earlier, he would have only needed surgery, possibly low-dose chemotherapy, and his health would have stabilized. Delaying treatment caused the disease to progress to stage 4, becoming invasive and metastasizing.
Mr. Minh underwent laparoscopic surgery to create an artificial anus, followed by targeted therapy combined with chemotherapy using the FOLFOX regimen. However, his deteriorating health hampered the treatment process.
Prior to chemotherapy, he had to be treated for E. coli-induced sepsis for 10 days. After the first chemotherapy cycle, the urinary tract infection recurred, requiring antibiotic treatment before continuing with subsequent cycles.
His health gradually stabilized thanks to proper nutrition and a standard treatment plan. After three months, the CT scan showed that the tumor had shrunk. Mr. Minh can now eat and drink, his abdominal pain has subsided, and his colostomy is functioning well. "I regret not listening to the doctor from the beginning," he said.
According to Doctor Anh Thu, traditional Vietnamese medicine can support mental well-being or alleviate symptoms in some cases, but it should only be used when prescribed by a treating physician or traditional medicine practitioner.
Using herbal remedies and decoctions based on anecdotal evidence not only fails to cure cancer but also causes the disease to progress, missing the opportunity for early treatment, the stage with the highest chance of cure.
According to doctors, cancer is currently treated using a multi-modal approach including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, etc., depending on the stage and characteristics of the disease. Surgery does not cause cancer cells to spread throughout the body, as many people mistakenly believe; on the contrary, modern diagnostic imaging technology helps doctors accurately determine the stage and extent of the tumor for safe and effective surgery.
Although chemotherapy can cause side effects such as fatigue, nausea, hair loss, and weakness, these can all be controlled with supportive medications. "Don't let unfounded fears cause patients to miss the golden opportunity for treatment," the doctor emphasized.
According to experts, cancer doesn't wait; the longer the delay, the greater the burden of treatment, the higher the costs, and the more severely the quality of life is affected. The most important thing is still early detection, treatment according to scientific protocols, and adherence to the specialist's instructions.
The risks of eating raw or undercooked food.
A man in Bac Ninh province, who regularly consumed raw blood pudding, undercooked meat, raw fish salad, and raw offal, became co-infected with large liver flukes and roundworms, developing a 5 cm liver abscess that threatened to cause sepsis if not treated promptly.
On December 9th, the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases reported that a 53-year-old male patient was admitted with persistent itching and rashes all over his body for nearly a year, along with intermittent pain in the right lower rib area. Prior to this, he had consulted many doctors but the cause remained unknown, and the vague symptoms made it easy to mistake his condition for a common allergy.
Upon investigating their lifestyle habits, the patients reported frequently consuming raw or undercooked foods such as blood pudding, raw meat, raw goat meat, raw fish salad, animal organs, and raw vegetables. These are all typical sources of infection for many types of gastrointestinal parasites.
Subsequent blood tests and imaging studies revealed the patient was simultaneously infected with the giant liver fluke and roundworms. More seriously, an ultrasound showed a 5 cm liver abscess, at risk of rupture and causing sepsis.
The patient underwent abscess aspiration, was prescribed specific antiparasitic medication and antibiotics to control the infection, and had liver enzymes and inflammatory markers monitored. Following treatment, the patient's condition stabilized.
According to Dr. Vu Thi Thu Huong, Director of the Center for On-Demand and International Medical Examination and Treatment, parasitic infections are common but difficult to recognize because they often begin with very subtle symptoms such as persistent itching, which can be easily mistaken for allergic reactions.
When parasites migrate deep into internal organs, they can cause a range of serious complications such as liver abscesses, encephalitis, seizures, vision damage, or prolonged digestive disorders.
"Unsafe eating habits are the leading cause of parasitic infections. Raw or undercooked dishes pose a risk of containing parasitic larvae or cysts that are invisible to the naked eye," Dr. Huong warned.
To prevent the disease, doctors emphasize the need to maintain the habit of eating cooked food and drinking boiled water, avoiding raw or undercooked dishes, washing vegetables thoroughly before preparation, maintaining personal hygiene, and washing hands with soap before eating and after using the toilet.
Regular deworming and maintaining a clean living environment, especially water sources, are also important factors. If persistent symptoms such as itching, abdominal pain, digestive disorders appear, or if there is a risk of exposure, people should seek medical attention early for timely diagnosis and treatment.
This incident serves as another warning: careless eating habits involving raw or undercooked food can allow parasites to silently attack the body and cause unpredictable and dangerous complications.
Source: https://baodautu.vn/tin-moi-y-te-ngay-1012-cham-care-health-cardiovascular-in-the-new-era-d455713.html
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