Keeping your heart healthy
The HSFSA has partnered with Dis-Chem pharmacies to ensure you take care of your heart.
Every minute, 33 people around the world die from heart disease, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation SA (HSFSA).
Heart disease refers to any disease or condition that affects the heart and limits its ability to function properly.
HSFSA spokesperson Nuraan Cader said: “Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), are estimated to account for 43% of total adult deaths in South Africa alone.”
Cader said the cause of the deaths were due to people’s lack of knowledge.
“Every hour, at least five South Africans have a heart attack. Many people are unaware of their risk for heart disease. Fifty percent of South Africans do not know that they have high blood pressure, which is the main cause for strokes in South Africa.”
ER24 is urging people to live a healthier lifestyle to reduce their chances of developing heart disease.
ER24’s Dr Vernon Wessels said the heart functions as a pump that circulates the blood through the lungs to receive oxygen and then return it to the heart.
Wessels said sometimes however, the coronary arteries that supply the heart muscle with oxygen rich blood narrow.
“Should this narrowing completely close off, the patient will suffer a heart attack (myocardial infarction). A patient suffering a heart attack often goes into cardiac arrest which requires cardiopulmonary resuscitation to be performed to keep the person alive until hospital treatment can be provided.”
Wessels said there were a multitude of other diseases that could also affect the heart.
“Most of them will eventually lead to the heart becoming ineffective and the patient suffering heart failure.”
Wessels said some of these conditions were present at birth and may be due to an abnormality in the development of the foetus but the majority of conditions that eventually lead to heart failure were often unnoticeable to the patient.
“Many of these conditions can be prevented or limited.”
“Other conditions that can cause heart disease are infections that affect the internal lining of the heart (endocarditis) and the valves, as well as the outer lining of the heart (pericarditis).”
What signs to look out for
Wessels said depending on the underlying cause, heart disease will often present with tiredness, shortness of breath (especially when climbing stairs or participating in other exercise), and chest pain (which may be absent).
“There are also other signs that develop with heart failure that may not be attributed to the heart by the patient. These include swelling of the ankles and tenderness of the liver due to congestion.”
Risk factors
Bad lifestyle habits like smoking, obesity, lack of exercise and excessive salt intake all contribute to heart disease.
“Hypertension is often not identified until a person’s blood pressure is taken. It is therefore advised that people have regular medical check-ups, especially if they also have some of the other risk factors.
Wessels said hypertension was treatable but if left unmanaged it could cause severe debilitating complications such as heart failure and stroke.
He warned that a healthy lifestyle was critical.
“Stop smoking and reduce alcohol intake. Maintain a healthy weight and get regular exercise (even regular walking is better than nothing). Eat healthy food and avoid excessive salt intake. Moderate exercise is good but excessive exercise in someone who is not used to it can overload the heart and potentially lead to a heart attack or heart failure. If unsure, seek advice from a healthcare professional.”
Get tested
The HSFSA has partnered with Dis-Chem pharmacies. The public can get their blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure tested for free at Dis-Chem until 8 October.
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