title: The effect of fasting in Ramadan on patients with heart disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the clinical and biochemical effects of fasting during Ramadan on patients with cardiac disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-six outpatients with heart disease with intention to fast were studied in the month of Ramadan 1996 (1416 H) at the King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Detailed clinical and biochemical assessments were performed within 3 days before the start of Ramadan and then on the last day of Ramadan.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 54 (62.8%) males and 32 (37.2%) females with a mean age of 56.3 years (range, 17-84 ). Forty-six patients (53%) had coronary artery disease, 23 patients (27%) had valvular heart disease, 13 patients (15%) had congestive heart failure and 4 patients (5%) were treated for arrhythmia. Sixty-two patients (72%) were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class I, 18 patients (21%) in Class II, and 6 patients (7%) were in Class III. Seventy-four patients (86%) managed to fast during the entire Ramadan, 9 patients (10.4%) missed the fasting for up to 7 days, and 3 patients (3.5%) could not fast. There were no significant changes in the NYHA Class (p=0.12). No significant changes occurred in any of the hematological or biochemical parameters during the fasting of Ramadan.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effects of fasting during Ramadan on stable patients with cardiac disease are minimal. The majority of patients with stable cardiac disease can fast during Ramadan without significant detrimental effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. drhcpasha@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chamsi-Pasha
authors.forename: Waqar H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Ahmed
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors