Heart diseases in the country is emerged as the top killer in the recent past, said Dr Satish Kumar Cardiologist of Bokaro General Hospital.
Heart disease is no longer restricted to urban areas and has now hit the rural populations too. Jharkhand also witnessed unchecked rise in cardiac patients in the recent past; about 35 percent of the State’s population are suffering from high blood pressure which leads to heart disease, he said.
“Earlier Rheumatic Heart Disease (due to infections) were seen among the patients but now there is rampant rise in Coronary Artery Disease patients which are only due to stress, long working hours at the desk, little physical exercise, lifestyle, unhealthy eating habits and adopting Industrial culture”, added Dr Satish.
A large percentage of these heart attacks are attributed to smoking and junk food, he said. Smoking is the biggest cause of heart attacks among youngsters. No physical exercise and alcohol intake further increase the risk. High cholesterol levels, diabetes and hypertension are also some of the factors, added Dr Satish.
As World Health Organisation estimated that heart related disorders will kill almost 20 million people by 2015, Dr Satish advised every one for 40 minutes brisk walk daily which will keep them fit and healthy. “lifestyle modification with regular exercise for at least 40 minutes a day, is important for prevention of heart disease. Doctor urges the mass to keep it (exercise) up in their daily routine”.
The age of getting heart attacks has fallen from 40 to 30 in the past 10 years, he said. “Not only youths but females also are in its grip. Even working professionals who adopted the ways of the modern lifestyle are in the grip of such heart diseases”, he said.
Elaborating he said: A heart attack happens when the flow of oxygen rich blood to the heart gets blocked and angioplasty is the ideal remedy.
“Do not ignore any chest pain”, advised Dr Satish.