The Dénia Hospital presents a campaign to raise awareness about heart problems with the first arrhythmic metronome in history

• “Rhythms of Life” is endorsed by the professionals of the Heart Area of ​​the Ribera health group and has musicians, who have recorded compositions to the “rhythm” of this unique metronome, manufactured by Ribera from the heartbeats of Adrián, a patient with cardiovascular disease
• The initiative was presented today at the Dénia Hospital with a round table to talk with specialists about heart care at all stages of life 

El Hospital de Dénia, from the Ribera healthcare group today presented the “Rhythms of Life” Campaign to raise awareness among the population of the Marina Alta about heart problems, with the First Arrhythmic Metronome in History.

The day began with a music therapy workshop, supervised by music therapists Ana Alegre and Isabel Bellver and aimed at Heart Failure patients from the Dénia Health Department. 

Next, a round table was held that addressed a practical case from the Heart Area of ​​the Ribera health group, under the title “Heart care at all stages of our life.” The panel, moderated by the coordinator of the Heart Area, nurse and musician, Vicente Roig, included doctors José Albors, Head of the Cardiac Surgery Service at the Vinalopó Hospital; Alfonso Valle, Head of the Cardiology Service and Ainhoa ​​Larumbe, Cardiology Nurse and Coordinator of the Heart Failure Program, both from the Dénia Hospital. 

At the event, which was inaugurated by the Commissioner of the Ministry of Health, José Félix Quintero and led by the Director of Hospitalization of Dénia, Dr. Patricia Martín Rico, the “Rhythms of Life” Campaign was presented by the Director of Communication of the Ribera health group, Angélica Alarcón. In it, health and music go hand in hand to raise awareness about cardiovascular diseases and the associated risk factors, with a singular and unique element: the first arrhythmic metronome in history. 

Those in charge of cutting the inaugural ribbon of the metronome, located in the main hall of the Dianense center, were the President of the Ribera Health group, Alberto de Rosa and the Health Councilor of the Dénia City Council, Rafael Carrió. The hospital hall has been converted into a stage to also host the live musical performance of ADDA Simfònica de Alacant, which has been divided into different groups and played various pieces in different services of the health center. 

After the performance, the traveling exhibition of the metronome was inaugurated, which today arrives in Dénia, after its official presentation at the Torrejón University Hospital, Madrid. The exhibition, which has also been at the Vinalopó University Hospital -Elche- and the Ribera Molina de Segura hospital -Murcia-, will tour the rest of the group's health centers in the coming months.

Ribera has promoted the construction of a very special metronome, which sways to the "rhythm" of a sick heart, specifically the heart of Adrián, a patient with arrhythmia, and which is the axis of all the initiatives linked to this awareness action and health education: a traveling exhibition of the unique metronome, which will tour all the group's hospitals; musical compositions recorded to the rhythm of the heart, awareness days with patients and healthy tips to take care of the heart, among others.

Ribera has worked on this initiative with Maart Agency, responsible for the creative idea, and with the Espadaysantacruz Studio, manufacturer of the custom start-stop metronome. The creative axis of the campaign is based on a key fact: both the heart and the “tempo” of the compositions are measured the same, in beats per minute (beats per minute or BPM). For this reason, this “special” metronome has been manufactured: it is the means that musicians use to measure tempo. In the same way that the metronome sustains the rhythm of music, the heart sustains the rhythm of life. 

A campaign beyond Ribera

The objective of "Rhythms of Life" is to raise awareness about cardiovascular problems to help prevent them. For this reason, the initiatives included in the campaign are open to all health centers, beyond Ribera's own: the exhibition of the singular metronome will be able to travel to different places, and the compositions created by musicians from different origins, to the rhythm of Adrián's heart. 

Cardiovascular diseases are currently the leading cause of death in the world. More than 17 million people die each year from heart disease and it is estimated that by 2030 there will be 23 million. Specifically in Spain, 350 people die every day from heart disease. That is why those responsible for the Heart Area of ​​the Ribera group, the cardiovascular network for interhospital collaboration made up of professionals from the Vinalopó and Torrejón university hospitals, the Denia hospital and the Ribera Povisa hospital, consider actions related to prevention, education and health care to tackle the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and detect any anomaly in this organ-system in time. Video "Rhythms of Life", here.