World Heart Day observed

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Every year nearly 17 million people from across the globe die of cardiovascular diseases, with 82 percent of deaths occurring in low and middle income countries, medical experts said on Thursday.
Heart specialists expressed these views in a seminar to mark the World Heart Day at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology, with this year’s theme being “one world, one home, one heart”. A walk was also planned to mark the day, however, it was cancelled due to the outbreak of dengue, as not many participants were available for the walk. Doctors said eating a healthy diet, regular physical activity and avoiding tobacco could prevent a majority of these deaths. They said in middle and low income countries about 29 percent of deaths occurred before the age of 60 in 2008, while as population grows total non-communicable diseases deaths were projected to rise to 52 million in 2030. PIC Head Professor Muhammad Azhar said annual cardiovascular disease deaths were projected to increase by 6 million. He highlighted the major causes of heart disease: use of alcohol, raised blood glucose, raised blood pressure, raised cholesterol, insufficient physical activity and obesity were the major causes. Complications of raised blood pressure include heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, renal impairment, retinal hemorrhage and visual impairment. Azhar further said raised total cholesterol was another major cause of the disease in both developed and the developing world, while a third of ischaemic heart disease was attributable to high cholesterol. Insufficient physical activity was the fourth leading risk factor for mortality. Approximately, 3.2 million deaths each year were attributable to insufficient physical activity. Separately, a free medical camp was set up at Shalamar Hospital to mark the World Heart Day. Patients were facilitated with free blood sugar, cholesterol and ECG tests, while free consultation including blood pressure and weight check up was provided to the patients.