Coronary artery disease rapidly increasing in Pakistan

Coronary artery disease is recognised as the number one killer world-wide and is rapidly increasing in countries like Pakistan. This was stated by Dr Fateh Ali Tipoo Sultan, Consultant Cardiologist and Senior Instructor, Department of Medicine at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH).
During the Signs, Symptoms and Care programme organised by Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery, Aga Khan University (AKU). An AKU press release issued here on Monday said Dr Fateh Ali in his presentation "Prevention of Heart Disease" stressed the need for adopting preventive measures to avoid heart diseases as the treatment is too expensive for most people in Pakistan, who are unable to afford it.
He said that prevention is possible and not difficult, though one should be aware of the risk factors that can lead to heart diseases: high cholesterol levels, obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, high blood pressure and diabetes.
The golden rule is to follow the four simple rules to help prevent any probable coronary disorders, he said and suggested increasing the intake of fruits and vegetables in diet thereby avoiding foods rich in saturated fats and transfats.
Walking regularly for 30 to 45 minutes daily, cessation of smoking, and regular monitoring of blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol levels were enumerated as other relevant preventive measures. Dr Hasanat Sharif, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon and Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, AKUH in his presentation "Advancements in Heart Surgery" described the heart as a pump and said that lack of blood supply during a major cardiac event can cause the affected portion of the heart muscle to die.
"This can lead to death of the individual or weakening of the muscle of the heart hence the time in seeking immediate medical attention is of critical importance," the surgeon said. Referring to various therapies available in Pakistan (including AKUH) he said Emergent Bypass Surgery is performed for the myocardium at risk of dying from a heart attack.
Beating heart surgery was recommended for complex and critical patients for whom physicians do not recommend conventional cardiac surgery; arterial revascularisation, for limiting morbidity and increasing durability of grafts leading to better clinical outcomes after bypass surgery, and bloodless surgery, which limits the deleterious effects of component therapy in both the short and long term.
The presentations were followed by an interactive question and answer session, with AKUH's Dr Sajid Dhakam, Associate Professor and Head of Cardiology and Dr Shahid Sami, Associate Professor and Head of Cardiothoracic Surgery participating as panellists.