September is Heart Awareness Month dedicated to raising awareness about cardiovascular disease (CVD) in SA and culminates on September 29 with World Heart Day.
Heart disease and strokes are the second biggest killer in SA after HIV/Aids. Half the deaths are people under 65.
When we think of heart attacks and cardiovascular disease (CVD) our immediate assumption is that it’s a male problem but the truth is that it’s the world’s leading cause of premature death and the number one killer of women.
Latest statistics indicate that more than two million women, around the world, die every year due to CVD, which includes both heart disease and stroke.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation in SA said that one in four women will have some form of heart condition before the age of 60 and that once they reach menopause the risk of heart disease increases three times.
“It’s time for us to change the perception around heart disease,” said Dr Bobby Ramasia, principal officer of Bonitas Medical Fund.
“The majority of CVDs are preventable so we need to make everyone, but especially women, more aware of the risks, the symptoms and how to take care of their heart.”
One of the main reasons women are less aware of heart disease is that it usually affects them about 10 years later than men and also presents differently.
Typical heart attack symptoms in women tend not to be the classic tightness, discomfort or chest pain; instead there is a wide range of sensations which could include an uneasy feeling in the chest, abdominal pain, a fluttering heartbeat, shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, dizziness and swollen feet.
Because the symptoms differ they can be easily missed or put down to another illness. Women often wait longer to go to hospital when having a heart attack, which means they are at a higher risk of dying, or being disabled, as a result of a heart attack than men.
Last year during Heart Awareness Month the Heart and Stroke Foundation compared heart disease to our crime statistics and noted that while 49 people were murdered in South Africa every day between 2014 and 2015, a whopping 210 people died from heart disease daily, with women being a large percentage.
CVD is known as a non-communicable disease (NCD) and the World Health Organisation estimates the burden of NCDs in South Africa to be two to three times higher than in developed countries, accounting for up to 43 per cent of total adult deaths.
Of these NCD deaths, a fifth are CVDs.
Locally the proportion of deaths in women aged between 35 and 59 years is one and a half times more likely than that of women in the US.
Globally 80 per cent of CVD deaths occur in low- to middle-income countries.
The Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, said that NCDs are the leading cause of death globally than all other causes combined, most of which occur in low- and middle-income countries.
The national policy on chronic NCD prevention addresses diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and chronic respiratory diseases. Strategies for reduction of major risk factors, namely smoking, alcohol, obesity, unhealthy diet and sedentary lifestyles, are implemented through the existing health network, with the support of both government and non-government organisations in the country.
The fifth World Congress of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Heath held in Mexico earlier this year and attended by health professionals, policy experts and scientists from around the world, was aimed at addressing the CVD epidemic, especially in women.
During the congress a global declaration on heart health was signed as a unified commitment to address CVDs.
Called “The Mexico Declaration for Circulatory Health”, it commits to improving circulatory health and reducing deaths and disability from heart disease and stroke around the world.
These diseases presently represent the biggest health burden worldwide, accounting for over 17 million deaths every year.
“The Mexico Declaration” recognises that unless health professionals, business and the public take urgent action, the number of premature deaths will keep increasing.
It also calls on NGOs to improve national education and training programmes to help improve diagnoses and treatment.
The aim is towards a 25×25 goal: a 25 per cent reduction in premature CVD morbidity and mortality by 2025.
“The tragedy is that the majority of CVDs are preventable,” said Dr Ramasia.
“Preventing and managing CVDs is vital and this means, as well as educating health professionals on what to look out for and treatment, we also need women to realise the severity of heart disease and that it is one of their biggest health threats.
“Now is the time to take action.”
How? Lack of exercise, a poor diet and unhealthy habits all contribute towards ill health.
But you’re never too young – or old – to take care of your heart. Here’s how:
- Get active. For a healthy heart, aim for at least 2 ½ hours of moderate physical activity each week.
- Control cholesterol. We all have cholesterol and there are two types: the good kind (HLD) and the bad kind (LDL). High levels of bad cholesterol can clog your arteries, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke. This is where good cholesterol comes into play: HDL cleans out that bad cholesterol from the arteries.
- Eat better. Eating the right foods can help you control your weight, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. Follow a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other healthy choices.
- Manage blood pressure by managing your stress. Keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range starts with eating a heart-healthy diet and other important factors are exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting salt and alcohol, and reducing your stress levels.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Overweight and obesity are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. 31.3 per cent of adults in SA are obese. Higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with higher risk of type two diabetes.
- Reduce blood sugar. Diabetes is a risk factor. Heart disease death rates among adults with diabetes are two to four times higher. You can minimise the impact of diabetes on your body – and even prevent or delay its onset – by eating right, controlling your weight, exercising and taking medication prescribed by your doctor.
- Stop smoking. It’s time to kick the habit. Going smoke-free can help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, as well as cancer and chronic lung disease.
- Know your family history. A relative, especially a parent or sibling, with heart disease increases your risk of CVD.
- Learn the warning signs of a heart attack and stroke.
