World Heart Day 2024
- 29th September -

Dr Kshetrimayum Kala Singh *

“Cardiovascular disease is public health enemy number one”
“Each year 18.6 million people die of cardiovascular disease in the developing world”
This year also World Heart Day is observed on 29th September 2024 all over the world. The theme for 2024 is “USE HEART FOR ACTION”.

We must love our heart. With the help of our heart contraction we are surviving. For every second the heart is contracting and giving blood to the brain and other parts of our body. Once the heart contraction is stopped the body will not be able to get blood and our life will be finished.

So “SURVIVAL OF OUR LIFE DEPENDS ON THE CONTRACTION OF OUR HEART”. So for a happy and comfortable life we must use our heart. If we are not aware of our heart, the heart may become passive or inactive.

The theme for this year is USE HEART FOR ACTION. This theme is very very important for us. It is supporting individuals to care for their heart and empowering them to urge leaders to take cardiovascular (Heart and Blood Vessels) health seriously by providing a global platform for action.

The action is to deliberate and impactful execution of efforts. It highlights a shift from awareness to empowering with a clear purpose and goal. There is also the two way nature of action: Efforts to influence policies and advocate for behavior change and physical activity. It reflects the requirement for sustained efforts and collaboration.

For a healthy heart regular exercise, a balanced diet and lifestyle modification (particularly avoiding smoking, alcohol, pan, talab, khaini), maintaining body weight, no alcohol, control BP, control blood sugar, avoiding tension and regular exercise are highly essential.

This awareness is given to them and efforts should be maintained whether they are maintaining or doing this awareness. Great work and efforts particularly warning and instruction should be given to the public through media and other civil society organisations.

The public must also know something about the heart. It is a very powerful muscular organ inside the chest lying on the left side. We must remember that keeping a good heart is highly essential for the survival of our life. If the heart is sick or physically inactive, we will not be able to survive for long. So, everybody must know the value of heart in our life.

Each year 18.6 millions people die of cardiovascular disease in the developing world. As a way to fight this, the World Heart Federation created World Heart Day w.e.f. 24th September 2000, but later on it changed to 29th September for every year.

Fortunately the main causes of cardiovascular disease are modifiable factors which include lack of exercise, smoking and a poor diet. Economic systems of countries are also majority impacted by cardiovascular disease. The cost of treatment is high and failure to treat the disease results in loss of productivity and long absences from work.

Some of the important and burning heart diseases are Hypertension, Ischaemic Heart Disease (Heart attack), Heart Block, Heart failure, cardiomyopathies and Rheumatic Heart disease.

On the other hand the important blood vessel diseases are Atherosclerosis, Thrombosis, Embolison, Stroke and Aneurysm etc.

Many Government and Non- Government Organizations celebrate World Heart Day in different forms like.

o Health Checks
o Sports events, including Walks, runs and fitness sessions.
o Public talks and Sciences forms.
o Stage shows and concerts.
o Exhibitions.

India is faced with 3 important causes of heart disease

1. Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) which presently has disappeared in western countries but is still rampant among children here.
2. High blood pressure and
3. Ishaemic Heart Disease (Heart Attacks and Stroke). The last is assuming frightening proportions all over India.

In India, every year 2 millions of people die from heart disease. Also out of the 100 patients admitted in the Hospital there are 10-15 patients suffering from heart disease.

So, it is high time for us to give a message and awareness to the public for the prevention of Heart Disease particularly Rheumatic Heart Disease, Hypertension and Ischaemic Heart Disease and Cardiomyopathy.

The following precautions to be taken by us for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

1. Diet: A good diet, containing unsaturated fats, low sugar and high protein should be taken. With plenty of fruits. Fats like butter, ghee, dalda, coconut oil, mutton, beef, pork, bacon, egg yolk etc. to be avoided. Green vegetable salads, green leafy vegetables, vegetable soups, lime & tomato juice to be taken frequently.

2. Smoking: To be completely avoided. It is injurious to the heart and lungs. Different types of cancers may arise in our body after smoking.

3. Hypertension: Its is a silent killer. We should maintain our BP 120/80 mmhg. Taking excess salt, fatty diets, stress and strain to be avoided.

4. Dyslipedemia: High level of Cholesterol and Triglyceride may cause Heart attack at the early of life. Excess of taking fresh meat, fish and saturated oils to be avoided.

5. Diabetes: High level of sugar in Blood will cause Heart attack, Retinophy, Nephropathy and Neuropathy. So, sugar to be avoided if the Blood sugar is high. People living with diabetes are twice as likely to develop and die from cardiovascular disease.

6. Alcohol: Excess use of alcohol will cause Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Cirrhosis. So, it should be avoided in our life.

7. Abdominal Obesity: The more obesity of the abdomen will cause Metabolic syndrome. So, control of diets containing saturated fats has to be done.

8. Stress & Strain: The more stress & Strain in our life, the more risk for Heart Disease. So, it should be controlled or avoided.

9. Sedentary lifestyle: Precaution should be taken, Regular exercise and control of diet to be done.

“IT IS NEVER TOO EARLY AND NEVER TOO LATE TO START TAKING CARE OF YOUR HEART"
LOVE YOUR HEART, HEART IS YOUR LIFE”