Exercise, healthy food for heart health stressed

LAHORE:Medical and health experts have stressed balanced diet, regular exercise, avoidance of smoking and regular checkup for a healthy heart and avoiding cardiac diseases.

This was stated by cardiac specialists and medical experts while speaking at a public health awareness seminar on heart diseases which was organised by Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society (Jang Group of Newspapers) with the cooperation of Ferozsons Laboratories Ltd. A large number of people from all walks of life were present on the occasion.

Ferozsons Laboratories Ltd CEO Usman Khalid Waheed, in his opening remarks, said that from 30 per cent to 40 per cent deaths were caused by heart diseases annually. He said heart diseases were preventable through adopting precautionary measures. He said Ferozsons Laboratories Ltd always supported such initiatives like conducting awareness seminars to sensitise people about the prevention, control and treatment of heart diseases.

Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) Executive Director Prof Dr Saqib Shafi highlighted the causes for cardiac diseases, effects and preventive measures against them. He said a number of deaths were being reported due to a cardiovascular disease, a build-up of fatty plaques in human arteries. Plaque build-up thickens and stiffens artery walls which can inhibit blood flow through human arteries to the organs and tissues. He said that atherosclerosis was also the most common cause of cardiovascular disease. "Sudden death due to cardiac arrest is the most dangerous among all the heart-related diseases," he added.

PIC former Head and Pakistan Cardiac Society ex-President Prof Dr Nadeem Hayat Malik said the risk factors related to the heart diseases included smoking, lack of exercise, high blood pressure, diabetes, excessive use of alcohol or caffeine, obesity, stress, excessive use of salt-sodium intake and adulterated food. He said, "Our environment is also a major cause of such diseases." He said that around 17.3 million people died every year throughout the world due to heart-related diseases. "It is the number one killer disease," he said, adding around 80 per cent of total deaths were due to this disease worldwide. He said women and men are suffering due to the disease at a large scale.

"Waist over 36 inches in men and 30 in women is dangerous," he said while explaining obesity as major cause of heart diseases. Shaikh Zayed Hospital Lahore Head of Department of Cardiology Prof Dr Amber Malik said majority of people were suffering from this disease only because of not having enough physical activity. She said healthy food and exercise were necessary for a healthy heart. She said people should focus on eating more fruits and vegetables to avoid heart diseases.

Former Head of PIC Department of Cardiology Prof Dr Shahid Amin said that fast food and fried food increased obesity which triggered heart diseases. "Unhealthy habits like sleeping late in the night and waking up late in the day and excluding physical exercise from daily life are causing heart diseases even among the younger people," he added.

Electro-physiologist Prof Dr Ashraf Dar said that the heart attack, if not treated early, could cost patient his/her life. Therefore, he said, the treatment for heart attack should not be delayed. Besides, a poetess, Rakhshanda Naveed and Geo programme Khabarnaak's jester Ali Mir also spoke. MKRMS Chairman Wasif Nagi hosted the seminar.