World Heart Day today

With estimated 60 million in Pakistan facing heart diseases, "World Heart Day," is being observed here like other parts of the world on Thursday (today) with a resolve to continue efforts for creation of healthy society through checking the burden of diseases including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).
To mark the day, various health bodies and NGOs will hold seminars, walks and scientific sessions in a bid to raise awareness among the public about healthy living. In Lahore, Punjab Institute of Cardiology will hold a seminar on Thursday in an effort to sensitise the public about prevention of heart diseases by leading simple life.
In a country where diet management is rarely prioritised, cardiac experts have dubbed cardiac diseases to be the "greatest public health challenge of the time. Considering the increasing incidence of the disease in the country, experts are emphasising on an immediate preventive strategy on a national level to control heart disease. Cardiologists told Business Recorder that simple food, simple life and affability are the most important weapons to avert heart diseases while smoking, obesity, tension, and family history are the main causes of heart diseases.
They said: "About 20 percent heart attack victims die instantly. By using Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) the lives of at least 40 percent of that 20 percent could be saved. In Pakistan, around six million people are the victims of heart diseases and there is a need of creating awareness about heart diseases and its prevention."
Talking about symptoms and signs of heart attack, they said the most important symptom is severe chest pain associated and profuse sweating, dyspnea and vomiting. If so don't wait and rush to the cardiologist for early. 'If we control our weight, do regular brisk walk for 40-minute, give up smoking and control our blood pressure and sugar level then we can control and reduce the risk of heart attack and its complications,' they pointed out.
According to experts, surgery is a convenient and safest option in most cases of heart diseases, but unfortunately in Pakistan, the trend is limited as people fear that it may cause death.
About obesity, experts said the number of obese adults globally has crossed over 300 million. In developing countries 115 million persons suffer from obesity-related health problems, which include heart disease, hypertension, non-insulin dependent diabetes and high levels of cholesterol. Approximately, 22 million children under five years are obese across the world and many more are overweight. Underweight/overweight and general malnourishment coexist in several parts of the world, they added.
They also said that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) cause over 17.5 million deaths every year world-wide and one in three deaths in the world are caused by cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, heart attack or heart failure. Cardiovascular disease is caused by disorders of the heart and blood vessels, and includes coronary heart disease (heart attacks), cerebrovascular disease (stroke), raised blood pressure (hypertension), peripheral artery disease, rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease and heart failure. The major causes of cardiovascular disease are tobacco use, physical inactivity, an unhealthy diet and harmful use of alcohol, they added.
They further said that cigarette consumption constitutes the single most important modifiable risk factor for coronary artery disease and the leading preventable cause of death. Nearly 1 billion individuals now smoke worldwide. Smoking has a particularly staggering impact in the Third World: almost one-half billion individuals worldwide will eventually die of smoking-related complications. Even among non-smokers, we now recognise that inhaled smoke, whether from passive exposure or from cigar and pipe consumption, also greatly increases coronary risk, they added.
According to a recent World Bank report, Pakistan is facing a health crisis with rising rates of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are disproportionately affecting poor families and worsening the poverty situation.
According to the report, Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) currently account for 59 per cent of the total disease burden in Pakistan. Disease burden is the impact of a health problem in an area measured by financial cost, mortality and morbidity among other indicators.