It is a fact that the cost of treating heart diseases is beyond the reach of common man in our country. Bypass surgery, angioplasty and the medication required are expensive and beyond the reach of common man. Therefore, prevention is the only option that suits our society.
Providing information and educating people about prevention of Cardiac disease would help a lot to understand the best ways to deal with the disease. Awareness programmes will help significantly for the achievement of prevention of cardiac disease.
The idea of prevention is not new and preaching the benefits of non-smoking, reducing weight, controlling other risk factors to the common people is the only way to address the disease. Our government institutions must activate all available resources to limit the hazards of coronary artery disease.
The government should play an effective role in lowering the suffering of the people facing the problems created by cardiac disease along with the doctors who should enhance the quality of care offered to the patients according to the need of the day.
Our cardiologists are equipped with the state of the art knowledge, technique and expertise of all cardiovascular procedures, may it be clinical, non-invasive or invasive. But the best solution to the problem lies in prevention only.
Doctors consider preventing the development of disease at its earliest stages or early intervention on risk factors to eliminate increased risk in the first place.
The South Asian population is particularly at a high risk. Certain major risk factors that have been identified are commonly present in our community. Our countrymen living in other parts of the globe are showing similar trends.
Identifying and than over come the risk factors that results in cardiovascular disease is the main task. Diabetes, elevated cholesterol, smoking, obesity and high blood pressure are some of the risk factors. But among other risk factors, the metabolic syndrome is the major risk factor for high incidence of coronary artery disease.
Do not let the risk factors develop. Different protective shields have been given to us by the nature and we must use them. Some of them are fruits and vegetables, fresh air, exercise.
Diabetes mellitus and CVD: Patients with diabetes mellitus have a 3-4 fold risk of congestive heart failure. In other words diabetes increases the risk of coronary event 2-fold in men and 4-fold in women. Simple and inexpensive preventive measures like change in dietary-habits, physical exercise, no tobacco use and change in life style will significantly reduce the incidence of disability and death due to cardiovascular disease.
Health promotion, disease prevention and control are the need of the day. The health ministry should design a strategy to control the cardiovascular problem faced by the general population and in designing the strategy ministry should take into consideration the exiting socio-economic and geo-political scenario of our country. It is hoped that in years ahead, the government will improve the quality of health care in the country by creating mutual partnership between the community and the professionals to produce a best possible health care system in Pakistan.
-- Waist circumference Women 88 cm. Blood Pressure 130 mm Hg systolic and/or 85 mm Hg diastolic
-- Fasting plasma glucose 1.10g/L (6.1 mmol/L)
-- Triglycerides 1.5g/L (1.7 mmol/L)
-- HDL cholesterol Men 0.40g/L (1.1 mmol/L)
-- Women 0.50g/L (1.3 mmol/L)
SMOKING: Weight loss in obese patients is a challenging task that will require a complex combination including reduction in calories intake, physical activity and psychological management. Weight reduction and physical exercise are part of the management of coronary heart disease.
Simple and inexpensive preventive measures like change in dietary-habits, physical exercise, no tobacco use and change in life style will significantly reduce the incidence of disability and death due to cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Obesity: Smoking is the largest factor for heart diseases. Giving up smoking can prevent heart disease by 30-40 percent. As the number of cigarettes per day goes up risk of CVD increases and as the number goes down the risk goes down too. Thirty to forty cigarettes a day is very risky and would lead to death by cardiovascular disease.
Medical and lifestyle management: Health promotion, disease prevention and control are the need of the day. The health ministry should design a strategy to control the cardiovascular problem faced by the general population and in designing the strategy ministry should take into consideration the exiting socio-economic and geo-political scenario of our country.
It is hoped that in years ahead, the government will improve the quality of health care in the country by creating mutual partnership between the community and the professionals to produce a best possible health care system in Pakistan.
The doctors prescribe aspirin to the heart patients as it helps prevent heart attacks and stroke by reducing blood clotting.
Many patients especially women do not routinely take the aspirin they need even after their doctors have ordered it. In about 95 percent cases doctors recommend low-dose daily aspirin, which can cut the risk of recurrence by about 25 percent.
Pakistan is the major contributor of cardiovascular disease from South East Asia. As a part of the third world country we should get advantage of routine exercise and make it a habit nationwide.
Media, both print and electronic, should play its role effectively in disseminating preventive measures. Arranging awareness programmes and seminars will help creating an interest and people will understand the importance of prevention.
The South Asian population is particularly at a high risk. Certain major risk factors that have been identified are commonly present in our community. Our countrymen living in other parts of the globe are showing similar trends.
Health promotion, disease prevention and control are the need of the day. The health ministry should design a strategy to control the cardiovascular problem faced by the general population and in designing the strategy ministry should take into consideration the exiting socio-economic and geo-political scenario of our country.
Doctors consider preventing the development of disease at its earliest stages or early intervention on risk factors to eliminate increased risk in the first place.
It is hoped that in years ahead, the government will improve the quality of health care in the country by creating mutual partnership between the community and the professionals to produce a best possible health care system in Pakistan.