'Active life and healthy living keep cardiovascular disease at bay'

By Mahima Devkota, Kathmandu, Sept. 29: World Heart Day is observed each year on September 29 with an objective to raise awareness about the rising concerns of heart health and cardiovascular disease and ways to prevent them. The theme of this year is 'Use Heart for Every Heart.' 

Dr. Om Murti Anil, DM Cardiology, Cardiology Consultant at National Cardiac Center, said that unhealthy life and inactive lifestyles are the reasons for increased cardiovascular disease in Nepal. 

The first 40 years of lifestyle decide whether a person will have disease-free aging or not, however, the majority of people fail to understand and indulge in activities like sedimentary lifestyle, intake of unhealthy foods, and consumption of substance abuse which leads to contraction of chronic diseases. 

In Nepal, many people neglect health care and consequently invite diseases like heart blood pressure, sugar, cholesterol, and heart disease. Therefore, investment in oneself in the first 40 years of life, that is following a healthy diet, exercising, and avoiding alcoholic beverages needs to be practiced well to avoid health issues in the future. 

There are different requirements to maintain a healthy heart and they need different strategies for various age groups, people under 20 should be cautious about exercising, avoiding fast foods and engaging in excessive screen time, and maintaining weight as it is the foundation of future health status. People between the ages of 20 and 40 ought to check if they are or not maintaining weight, avoiding substance abuse, running a healthy lifestyle, and active living. They should go for early screening if symptoms are observed. This will prevent cardiovascular disease while aging, according to Dr. Murti. 

Likewise, people above 50 need to be cautious and mindful in maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle and should do regular screening as early detection will help in the early cure of the disease. If people are mindful of these factors, then sudden cardiac arrest and brain hemorrhage can be avoided. 

He stressed that food is itself a medicine and a well-balanced diet food keeps diseases at bay. 

He viewed that extra oily food, food with a high level of sugar, and alcoholic beverages need to be avoided in Dashain while the focus should be on eating healthy food. 

Sticking to a healthy lifestyle for a prolonged period of time will lead to active life and healthy living, he said. 

Dr. Chandra Manu Adhikari, Director of the Shahid Gangalal National Heart Center, said that the most common heart problem in Nepal is high blood pressure, heart arrhythmia, blockage of heart veins, heart attack, and heart valve disease. People are hesitant to use a medicine, however, early use of medicine helps in the early recovery of cardiovascular diseases. 

According to the report of STEPS, 2019, 7.4 per cent of the total population does not indulge in physical activity. Physical inactivity refers to a lack of physical activities for 150 minutes per week. The highest inactivity is recorded in the Bagmati Province which stands at 10.3 per cent, followed by Gandaki Province (10.1 per cent), Sudur Paschim Province (9.4 per cent), Madhes Province (8.5 per cent), Lumbini Province (7.2 per cent), Karnali Province (4.2 per cent) and Province 1 (3. 6 per cent). 

Dr. Phanindra Prasad Baral, Chief of the NCD and Mental Health Section of Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD), said that changing age structure, increasing sedentary behavior, tobacco and alcohol use, and unhealthy diets are the main causes of the rise in non–communicable diseases. 

Nepal’s burden of diseases conducted in 2017 shows two in every three deaths in Nepal are caused by non–communicable diseases, such as heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, low respiratory infection, and stroke.