- Obesity being the major factor
Cardiovascular diseases, particularly heart attack and strokes, have become the world’s largest killer as it is claiming around 17.5 million lives every year around the world.
The coronary artery disease is the most common cause of heart disease and the leading cause of death among men and women around the world.
Talking to APP here on Wednesday, Eminent cardiologist and Consultant Dr Zaman Baloch informed that 14 million adults suffer from heart disease every year in the US alone. Similarly, he said one heart attack occurs every minute globally and one of every five deaths is because of heart disease.
He informed that in Pakistan about 30 per cent of total population of 140 million is suffering from different types of coronary disease, he added.
He said that the obesity is one of the major factors in causing cardiovascular diseases.
The health expert advised the parents to help children in controlling weight by making them eat healthy food and exercise regularly so as to avert major risk factor for heart diseases. There are 155 million overweight and obese children globally, he informed.
Dr Zaman said that heart disease and stroke is preventable if the main risk factors, including high blood pressure, high level of cholesterol and blood glucose, tobacco use, inadequate intake of fruit and vegetables, overweight, obesity and physical inactivity could be reduced.
Regular physical activity help to slow down narrowing of the heart’s arteries and brain encourages the body to use up excel store fat which can help to reduce high blood pressure, improve good cholesterol level (HDL cholesterol) and maintain normal glucose level, Dr Zaman said.
People need to live healthy lives, adding, although the causes are not always known, the heart attack often runs in families, which indicates a strong genetic component.
Dr Zaman Baloch advised medication for the patients with lower blood cholesterol level. A low dose of aspirin, on daily basis, can also help in reducing the risk of the blood clots forming in the blood vessels which cause stroke and heart attacks, he added.
Cardiovascular disease is a life long illness, however, with a change in lifestyle and compliance with medication, the patient can live a normal life, concluded the medical expert.