80% deaths from heart disease can be avoided

[Naveed Yaseen]

Heart disease and stroke are considered as number one killer throughout the world, causing 17.5 million deaths each year and more than two-thirds of these deaths occur in developing countries.

Health experts say that in Pakistan ischaimic heart disease is no more a disease of elderly people as believed in the past. Alarmingly, now it starts affecting the younger population in their thirties and forties, the prime of their life.

At least 75% of deaths from heart disease and stroke occur in the poorer regions of the world, which also face major threats from communicable diseases like Pakistan. These regions thus suffer under the ‘double burden’ of diseases. If preventive action is not taken urgently, heart disease and stroke, which are already major public health problems, would rapidly advance across regions and social classes to reach epidemic proportions worldwide and would kill over a billion people in first half of the 21st century, said Head of Community Medicine at Islamabad Medical and Dental College, Islamabad Professor Dr Muhammad Ashraf Chaudhry while talking to ‘The News’ in connection with World Heart Day which is being observed today (Sunday) around the globe.

The theme of World Heart Day this year is ‘work with heart’ that highlights the importance of workplace health promotion programmes.

“At least 80% of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke could be avoided if the main risk factors, tobacco, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity are avoided,” said Dr Ashraf adding that the high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, obesity, lack of exercise, unhealthy diet (high sugar, high carbohydrate and excess hydrogenated oils) and stress are the main risk factors. “Many of these risk factors result from unhealthy lifestyles.”

To a query, he said that we have a scientific knowledge to create a world in which most heart disease and stroke could be eliminated. Lifestyle has to be modified to make the society as a whole conscious of risk factors.

He added that monounsaturated fats are very useful for us. These are found in olive oil, canola oil, various dry fruits such as almond, walnut, peanuts etc. Trans fats are not useful for us. These are found in French fries, chips, crackers, cakes, biscuits, ‘samosas’, ‘pakoras’, patties, sweets, ‘vanaspati’ ghee and hydrogenated oils. Do not reheat oil in home again and again because in this way it is transformed to trans fatty acid, he explained.

He said to avoid heart diseases, one should avoid excessive use of beef, ‘vanaspati’ ghee, margarine, hydrogenated vegetable oils, refined flour products, instant rice, potatoes and cream. “Eat chicken without skin. Avoid chicken roast. Eat baked or Bar-B-Q fish. Replace high carbohydrate, starchy diet with high protein diet including fish and fish oils. Eat less manufactured foods. Eliminate chips, crackers, snacks and sodas from your diet. Extra-virgin olive oil should be used for cooking.”

He advised that one should eat more vegetables especially leafy vegetables at least 6-8 times a week. Eat more salads after dressing them with olive oil or vinegar. Eat five servings of fruits in a day but avoid fruit trifles. Fruit is more useful than juice. Use more lemon. Use milk and yoghurt without cream. If you purchase milk or yoghurt from bazaar, then purchase skimmed milk and low fat yoghurt. Lassi is also good after extraction of butter, he said.

He said that to avoid heart disease, one should use brown flour/bread. Use simple chapatti and avoid ‘parathas’. Eat pulses at least 6-8 times a week. You can eat one teaspoonful of honey and few dates daily. Use less salt and spices. Use less ice cream and chocolate. Drink more water at least 12-18 glasses daily. All types of beverages, tea and coffee should be used in moderation. Avoid fried things. Eat less food as per teachings of Islam, he said.

“When you go out for fast foods, discard bun and avoid ketch-up and special sauce, which is very high in sugar. Avoid smoking. Do brisk walk for at least 30 minutes daily or at least five times a week. Avoid walk/exercise at least two hours after meal. Keep your Body Mass Index (BMI) < 25 and waist circumference less than 40 inches (males) and less than 35 inches (females),” he said.

He advised that blood pressure should be less than 130/80. For heart patients’ total cholesterol should be less than 150mg/dl, Low Density Lipoprotein (bad cholesterol) less than 70mg/dl and triglycerides less than 150mg/dl. “However, for healthy people, total cholesterol should be less than 200mg/dl, LDL less than 100mg/dl and HDL (good cholesterol) more than 45mg/dl.”

Dr Ashraf said that doing work in a hurry, becoming angrier and sleeping less than 6-8 hours may be harmful for heart. Healthy individuals should get their weight, blood pressure, lipid profile and blood sugar checked at least once a year. However, heart patients get checked these parameters at least 3-4 times a year.

He said that families, schools, communities, health professionals, public health officials and policy makers all need to promote healthy life styles in children and young people. “Unless the spread of risk factors is stemmed, the world faces an epidemic of cardiovascular diseases,” he concluded.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=200286