The world heart foundation organizes world heart day, an international campaign held on September-29 to inform people about cardiovascular diseases and stroke prevention which are the biggest cause of death on the planet. The day promotes preventative measures to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Every year over 17 million people die from heart diseases.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have many causes from smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity, to air pollution and rare and neglected conditions such as Chagas disease and cardiac amyloidosis. In the time of covid -19, CVD patients are faced with a double edged threat.
Risk factors:
- Increasing age
- Raise blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose level
- Tobacco smoking and drinking alcohol
- Inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables
- Obesity and being over weight
- Physical inactivity
- Symptoms of unhealthy heart:
- Aching in the shoulder and chest
- Snoring and sleeping problems
- Difficulty with sexual function
- Irregular heart beat
- Sore gums and jaw mouth problems
- Puffy legs and feet
- Shortness of breath and fatigue
- Felling light headedness
- Persistent cough
- Random bouts of cold sweats
Prevention of cardiovascular diseases:
- Quit smoking
- Consider medication to help control blood pressure
- Proper dieting
- Increase physical activity, which helps maintain a healthy weight
- Decreasing alcohol consumption