Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death in India. To mark World Heart Day, Pioneer Health draws attention to various aspects of heart diseases and how we can prevent & diagnose them early
India is the ‘cardiac capital’ of the world with a significant increase in heart disease over the last 15 years. “Primary risk factors for heart disease include diabetes, smoking, blood pressure, alcohol consumption, poor diet, deranged blood lipids, physical inactivity, obesity, stress, anxiety & depression. If either of an individual’s parent is suffering from a heart disease, it increases the risk of the individual by 15 to 20% and in case both parents are affected, the risk increases by 30 to 40 per cent. Thus, early screening is crucial for timely detection and treatment,” Dr Naresh Trehan, Chairman, Medanta, Heart Institute, Trehan says.
Dr Shobha Gupta, gynecologist & IVF specialist, Mother’s Lap IVF Centre, points out: “Women with PCOS (poly cystic ovarian syndrome) have a risk of heart attack four to seven times higher than women of the same age without PCOS. Women with PCOS may have a higher rate of miscarriage because of elevated levels of luteinizing hormones, insulin or glucose.”
Prevention
Heart disease can be prevented with lifestyle changes and living healthy. “First of all, quit smoking & tobacco intake. Go for a complete body check up once a year that includes BP, blood sugar, BMI, cholesterol levels & calculate fat in your overall body. Take medication on time. It is important to exercise at least 45 minutes a day — brisk walking, cycling or any other physical activity. Reduce stress levels, talk to your friends & family members,” Dr Anubha Singh, gynecologist from Shantah IVF Centre, advises.
A long & undisturbed sleep is important. “To make up for the lack of time in the day, people have started to cut down on their sleep time. Giving up on sleep to chase one’s ambitions is touted as a motivational boost but it is harmful for your heart. Sleeping for less than 7-8 hours isn’t good habit as it increases the risk of coronary artery disease,” Dr Rajeev Rajput, senior consultant, cardiology, Indraprastha Apollo hospitals, New Delhi, advises.
Treatment
A routine TMT (treadmill test) can only pick up artery blockages beyond 75%. People above 40 must undergo detailed tests such as calcium scoring by CT scan to detect any abnormalities. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) chest compression is done to revive the patient after a heart attack.
Primary angioplasty is the preferred option for heart attack. In this, a balloon is threaded into the affected blood vessel and inflated, pushing the plaque blocking the artery to the sides of the vessel. A stent or wire mesh tube is inserted into the artery to keep it open after angioplasty. Drug-eluting coronary stents can help prevent plaque buildup, promote good blood flow to the heart, and relieve chest pain.
Angioplasty or percutaneous coronary intervention has benefited millions of patients. Angioplasty is a minimally invasive procedure in which the chest doesn’t need to be opened, thus, substantially reducing pain, recovery time, and scarring. Some other options include anti-platelet medications, clot dissolving drugs, and cholesterol lowering medications.
— Dr Vishal Rastogi, Principal Interventional Cardiologist, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre, Okhla Road, New Delhi
High intake of calcium& Vitamin D
Studies suggest a low level of calcium and Vitamin D in the blood increase the risk of cardiac arrest. Research suggests that dietary calcium in the form of supplements but not calcium-rich food might have a harmful impact on the heart.
“Cardiac muscles require calcium to contract and squeeze blood out of the heart and in the arteries. Calcium flows in the muscle cells through tiny channels and works as a switch that allows each heart muscle fiber to slide past each other and shorten to contract. At the end of each contraction, calcium flows out of the channels to let the muscles to relax and lengthen again. As Vitamin D is an important prohormone for intestinal calcium absorption for bone mineralisation, its deficiency also leads to the risk of cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, heart failure & ischemic heart diseases,” Mohamad Yusuf N Shaikh, founder, Kudrati Ayurveda Health Center, says.
Diet
Eat five servings of fruits (bright ones like berries) & vegetables in a day. Limit the fat, sugar and salt in your diet. Intake of plant based diets like legumes & seeds are good as they contain fibre, proteins, good fats & anti-oxidants are good for the heart. Walnut and almonds very healthy but should be consumed in moderation (about 30 gm/day) as they are dense in calories. Tea and coffee consumption is good but should be taken in the overall context of dairy and sugar added to it. Lean meats like chicken and fish are also okay for the heart but should be consumed in moderation. Vitamin B12, if found deficient, should also be supplemented.
Synthetic sugars, aerated drinks, energy drinks, fruit juices without pulp are not good. So also are the processed foods and namkeens including fried foods, especially those made using trans-fat and/or poor quality vegetable oils. Red meat is also high in fat and calories and not heart healthy.
Dietary fats, if consumed in large quantity, lead to increase LDL. Take eggs in moderation. Olive, canola and sunflower oils are heart friendly.
— Dr Vivek Chaturvedi, Senior Consultant Cardiology, Narayana Superspeciality Hospital , Gurugram
Diabetes and Heart Diseases
Heart disease affects people with Diabetes twice as often. More than 65 per cent deaths with Diabetes are attributed to heart and vascular diseases. And most of the times, this is silent.
A diabetic’s blood sugar levels are often high. Too much sugar in the blood damages many parts of the body, including blood vessels resulting in coronary artery disease. Those with diabetes sometimes suffer what is called ‘silent ischemia’ or silent heart attack (without any chest pain), which accounts for 25-30% heart attacks.
— Dr Ameya Joshi, endocrinologist, Novo Nordisk