HYDERABAD - At least 12 Pakistanis die every hour due to heart attack while one third of all deaths in Pakistan are caused by cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), making it the leading non-communicable disease in the country, said Dr Muhammad Kashif Shaikh.
Talking to APP here on Monday Director Interventional Cardiology Isra university hospital Dr Muhammad Kashif Shaikh said that the CVDs are a group of disorders of heart and blood vessels. Heart attacks and strokes are usually acute events and are mainly caused by a blockage that prevents blood from flowing to the heart or brain, he added.
Hypertension is the leading risk factor for CVD and is associated with 7.6 million deaths globally while in Pakistan, Kashif Shaikh said, prevalence of hypertension found in 19% population over 15 years of age. Citing a number of different studies, they highlighted the prevalence of obesity in up to 45% of the urban population of Pakistan as another major risk factor for CV.
Perhaps even more worrisome is that up to 25% of children in Pakistan are either overweight or at risk of being overweight,” said the cardiologist.
Dr Kashif Shaikh further said that over 60% of Pakistan’s population was under 25 years of age and the burden of CVD in Pakistan was likely to increase phenomenally with aging of youth over next 10-15 years as chances of heart disease increase after 40 years of age while women suffer heart attack after the age of 55.
We can save them from this disease as around 80 percent heart disease are curable, he said suggesting that balance diet and exercise can save us from cardiac diseases.
Dr Kashif Shaikh said that we should lead simple life to avoid diseases. In western states, the diseases have decreased to 40 percent because they have adopted simple lifestyle. He elaborated that the responsibility of the patients to take care of themselves. Doctor could only advice them and we should enhance usage of green tea, coffee and tea to avoid heart diseases.
He also stressed on the importance of reliable and high-quality diagnostic and treatment facilities for those suffering from cardiac ailments.