Legendry Australian cricketer Shane Warne, one of the finest spin bowlers of all time whose talent and personality transcended the sport, died aged 52 last Friday on vacation in Thailand.
We should find out more about heart related diseases and why cases of heart attack are on the rise.
Heart-related diseases have started affecting an increasing number of people these days. This is primarily because of the stressful lifestyle that we have. Each type of cardiovascular disease has a different kind of impact on the human body.
Cardiovascular diseases
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels. About 32 percent of global deaths in 2019 were due to CVDs. Out of these estimated 17.9 million deaths, 85 percent were due to heart attack and stroke.
In 2020, about 28,579 people in India, for example, died due to heart attacks as compared to the 28,005 deaths in 2019. This marks a 3.2 percent growth in the number of people who died due to heart attacks.
As per reports, out of the 17 million premature deaths (under the age of 70) due to noncommunicable diseases in 2019, 38 percent were caused by CVDs. According to data from the NCRB 2020, nearly 106 people who died due to heart attack were below 14 years of age. People aged 45 and above, but below 60 comprise the highest number of people dying due to heart attacks.
Notably, about three-quarters of CVD deaths take place in low- and middle-income countries, and hence it is important to detect CVDs as early as possible so that management with counselling and medicines can begin.
It is important to detect the cardiovascular disease as early as possible so that management with counselling and medicines can begin.
Types of Cardiovascular diseases
Coronary heart disease – a disease in the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle
Cerebrovascular disease – a disease of the blood vessels supplying the brain
Peripheral arterial disease – a disease of blood vessels supplying the arms and legs
Rheumatic heart disease – damage to the heart muscle and heart valves from rheumatic fever, caused by streptococcal bacteria
Congenital heart disease – birth defects that affect the normal development and functioning of the heart caused by malformations of the heart structure from birth
Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism – blood clots in the leg veins, which can dislodge and move to the heart and lungs
Most cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by addressing behavioural risk factors such as the use of tobacco, following an unhealthy diet, obesity, physical inactivity, and harmful use of alcohol
Comment
I have written frequently of NCD concerns in the Solomon Islands and especially about rheumatic heart disease affecting children at the NRH.
I raise the issues of NCDs once more in the hope that citizens will take notice of the ways to reduce the risk of NCD illness and to ease the burden on the NRH and the over-stretched local health services.
I particularly raise the need for assessment of RHD patients and either cardiology surgery at the NRH for those assessed as being able to benefit from surgery, or for offshore treatment for patients assessed in the same category, but funding for the NRH to have its own independent budget is critical for offshore transfers.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
