PhD Degree Awarded to Mr. Muammar Al-Assadi in Cardiology

Mr. Muammar Yahya Mohammed Al-Assadi was awarded a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree in Cardiology for his dissertation titled: Gender-Related Differences in Presentation, Management, and Outcomes among Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome in Yemen, which was submitted to the Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences – Sana’a University. The dissertation defense was held on Thursday, February 12, 2026.

The PhD Viva-Voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:

The dissertation aimed to:

• Clinically compare differences in symptoms and types of myocardial infarction among men and women in Yemen.

• Analyze risk factors by assessing the impact of traditional factors such as diabetes and hypertension, alongside local factors such as Qat chewing and smoking, on both genders.

• Measure the treatment gap in access to cardiac catheterization and stent placement among men and women.

• Evaluate clinical outcomes by comparing in-hospital mortality and complications, as well as one-year post-discharge outcomes.

The study yielded several key findings summarized as follows:

• A mortality gap was found, with in-hospital mortality higher among women than men (12.6% vs. ‎‎6%).‎

• A treatment disparity, as women were less likely to receive cardiac catheterization and ‎stent placement compared to men.‎

• Differences in risk profiles: diabetes and hypertension were the most prominent risk ‎factors among women, whereas smoking and Qat chewing were the leading ‎contributors among men.‎

• Woman who survived the acute phase had survival rates ‎comparable to men at one-year follow-up.‎

In light of these findings, the researcher recommended the following:‎

• Ensuring therapeutic equity by providing women with equal and timely access to cardiac catheterization and stenting procedures.

• Raising community awareness of atypical heart attack symptoms in women, such as shortness of breath and fatigue.

• Strengthening control of chronic diseases, particularly diabetes and hypertension among women, to reduce sudden cardiac events.

• Combating smoking and Qat chewing through awareness campaigns to reduce early-onset cardiovascular disease among youth and men.

The defense session was attended by Assoc. Prof. Adel Al-Ghaili, Vice Dean of the ‎Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences for Academic Affairs and Postgraduate ‎Studies, and Prof. Ahmed Al-Mutarrib, Head of the Cardiology Department, along ‎with a number of academics, researchers, students, interested attendees, the researcher’s ‎colleagues and family members.

  To watch the video of the judgment announcement and discussion, go to this link.