September 29,2023 is the 24th World Heart Day, which was determined by the World Heart Federation(WHF) and established in 1999. The last Sunday in September every year is World Heart Day. Since 2011, it has been changed to September 29th every year. Its purpose is to spread knowledge about heart health worldwide and make the public aware that life requires a healthy heart.
Theme for 2023 is "Use heart, know heart". It is aimed at drawing people’s attention to heart diseases and the range of associated cardiovascular disease.
About Heart Disease
Did you know that the heart is the size of the fist and the strongest muscle in the body? It started beating about three weeks after you were conceived. If you live to be 70, it will have beaten two and a half billion times. However, although impressive and strong, the heart can also become vulnerable from habitual risk factors like smoking, diabetes, cholesterol, eating an unhealthy diet, or living with high blood pressure. The system can also be weakened from a pre-existing heart condition and other physiological factors, including hypertension or high blood cholesterol. When the heart’s functions become compromised, this is known as cardiovascular disease, a broad term that covers any disorder to the system that has the heart at its centre.
When the hear's functions become compromised, this is known as cardiovascular disease,a broad term that covers any disorder to the system that has the heart at its centre.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) was the leading cause of death worldwide in 2021, with four in five CVD deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Deaths from CVD jumped globally from 12.1 million in 1990 to 20.5 million in 2021, according to the new report—World Heart Summit, launched in 2023 from the World Heart Federation (WHF).
Professor Fausto Pinto, co-author of the report and former WHF President, said: “The data doesn't lie. This report confirms the serious threat that cardiovascular disease poses all over the world, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Up to 80 per cent of premature heart attacks and strokes can be prevented.”
There are a number of types of heart disease with multiple causes.
Types of Heart Disease
Coronary Artery Disease(CAD)
Coronary Artery Disease, or CAD,is the most common type of heart disease. It is caused by atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries carry blood to the heart. When plaque in the arteries makes it hard for blood to move through them, a heart attack can happen. CAD is the most common cause of heart attacks. It can also lead to heart failure.
Diagnosis of CAD
Depends on the symptoms and what condition the doctor thinks you may have. A doctor will examine the medical and family history, the risk factors, and conduct a physical examination like imaging studies. When necessary, they will combine their findings with results from a range of laboratory tests and procedures.
Some of the common tests used to diagnose cardiovascular diseases include:
Blood test
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- Stress test
- Chest x-ray
- Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG)
- Echocardiogram (Echo)
- Computerized tomography (CT) scan
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
- Electron-beam computed tomography (EBCT)
- Cardiac catheterization and coronary angiography
Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure is a serious and long-term condition that gets worse over time. Heart failure does not mean that the heart stops working completely. It means that the heart no longer works as well as it should.
To make up for this, the heart may start pumping faster and get bigger. It becomes larger by stretching out to pump the blood harder and develops more muscle to help it beat. Eventually, the heart can’t keep up, and the person may feel really tired or have a lot of trouble breathing.
Heart Valve Disease
The heart has four valves that keep blood moving in the right direction. As the heart muscle beats, the valves open and close. Heart valve disease happens when one or more of the valves in a person’s heart do not work how they should.
Some of the things that can cause heart valve disease are:
- Stenosis: The flaps of the heart valves become too thick or stiff and do not open right which makes it hard for blood to flow through.
- Regurgitation: The flaps of the valve do not close right. This causes blood to leak backward into the heart.
- Atresia: Instead of the opening and closing of the valves, a solid piece of tissue blocks blood flow.
Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy is a type of heart disease that can cause the muscle tissue to become weak, making it harder for the heart to pump blood in the right way. Cardiomyopathy may cause you to have heart valve problems and/or heart failure.
Heart Arrhythmia
Heart arrhythmia is when the heart doesn’t beat as it should – either by beating too fast or too slow. It is normal for your heart to slow down during rest and speed up during stress. However, there are other cases where an unusual heartbeat may be a more serious problem. Some people are born with this condition while others can develop it over time. Untreated arrhythmia can result in cardiac arrest and/or stroke.
Diagnosis of Heart Arrhythmia
Diagnosing heart arrhythmia might be challenging because the episodes of irregular heartbeat oftentimes come and go and do not last long enough to be observed during a doctor's visit.
Nevertheless, besides a thorough physical examination and collection of medical history, a cardiologist will use a number of tests to confirm the diagnosis. They may include an electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, stress test, or cardiac catheterization.
Know the risk factor for Heart Disease
The most important behavioral risk factors of heart disease and stroke are:
- Unhealthy diet
- Physical inactivity
- Harmful use of alcohol
- High blood pressure
- Tobacco use
- Air pollution
- Elevated LDL cholesterol
The effects of behavioral risk factors may show up in individuals as raised blood pressure, raised blood glucose, raised blood lipids, and overweight and obesity. These"intermediate risks factors"can be measured in primary care facilities and indicate an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure and other complications.
Prevent Heart disease
Cessation of tobacco use, reduction of salt in the diet, eating more fruit and vegetables, regular physical activity and avoiding harmful use of alcohol have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Identifying those at highest risk of CVDs and ensuring they receive appropriate treatment can prevent premature deaths.
Time Saves Life. If most of people know how to prevent heart disease, up to 80 per cent of premature heart attacks and strokes can be prevented.
