Don’t neglect heart care

Cases of heart disease, stroke-paralysis, and kidney disease are rapidly escalating in our state and in the country. India is experiencing what is termed as a “health transition” from communicable diseases (infections, etc) to non communicable diseases (NCD) like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.

The statistics are alarming! Just in the last 2 decades, India has reported a –fold increase of coronary heart disease (CHD). Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is now the number one killer in both urban and rural areas of our country.

Is CVD a consequence of progress? This is critical question.

While it may not be entirely a consequence of affluence, CVD is definitely associated with urbanization and unhealthy lifestyles (sedentary habits, lack of physical activity, fast foods, obesity and consumption of tobacco products). Overweight children with a family history of CVD are a high risk of developing  premature heart disease. Hence, they should be under close surveillance and should be urged to follow a healthy lifestyle-good diet, exercise and stress avoidance. Diet should be high in fibre, low in salt and saturated fat.

High blood pressure (BP) is the leading cause of deaths fron CVD, more than 50% of people in India don’t know that they have high BP until it is checked. Ironically, the progress of developing  countries (like India) has resulted in a more wide spread occurrence of high BP, thus imposing a significant burden on our population.

Real Progress ought to be measured not in terms of economy/ GDP, but the health of populations. We need  a permanent Public Private Partnerships to create sustainable health policies and practices to recognize, treat, and prevent heart disease in the nation. General public, however, need not wait for directives or policies. They should seize upon the various opportunities currently available in the public and private sectors of the health system to learn about risk factors for heart disease and the ways to control them.

Mediciti Hospitals provides a platform for people to opt for a general check up and seek the advice of the cardiologist. People can avail the ‘Regular and Advanced Heart Health’ check up packages, designed at reasonable prices by the hospital. Discounted heart checkups are on till October 28.

 

Thanks

Hyderabad Times