A subsidiary of PPC Limited, PPC Healthcare, while giving a statement during the commemoration of the World Heart Day 2022, urged Nigerians to take good care of the health of their hearts by ensuring the practice of a healthy lifestyle to enable the improvement of their heart conditions. The company also emphasized on the importance of educating people on the proper ways to maintain a healthy heart so as to bring about a reduction to incidents of sudden death.
Also, cardiovascular diseases – conditions which affect the heart or blood vessels and are usually associated with a build-up of fatty deposits inside the arteries (atherosclerosis) with increased risk of blood clots. These conditions are said to be one of the leading causes of deaths across the globe and are responsible for the deaths of over 18 million people, annually. Research has also proven that four out of every five cardiovascular deaths are caused by heart attacks and strokes.
WHO says Coronary Heart Disease causes 4.14% deaths in the country.
According to a 2020 data of the World Health Organization (WHO), deaths which are caused by Coronary Heart Disease – a disease caused by plaque buildup in the wall of the arteries that aids the supplication of blood to the heart, known as coronary arteries – in Nigeria amounts to about 61.374 or 4.14 percent of overall deaths across the country. The Head of Medical Devices at PPC Limited, Bamidele Nse-Jacobs, also spoke on the importance of cardiac checks.
The HMD stated that the early detection of the various life-threatening cardiac diseases is possible through either regular or frequent cardiac checks or with the usage of personal health monitoring devices. She added that Bittium Faros, an ultra-slim personal cardiac monitoring device, has been proven to be effective in the detection of arrhythmia; an irregular heartbeat or heart rhythm problem which occurs when the electrical signals that enable the coordination of the heart beats do not work properly.
Exercises improve cardiovascular health reducing the risk of heart disease.
Nse-Jacobs further explained that Buttium Faros has the capability to detect, record, wirelessly transmit fully recorded ECG information, notwithstanding the time or place, or cardiologists for analysis and interpretation. There was also an identification of some early symptoms of heart failure which include, shortness of breath, persistent cough, discomfort in the ankles, feet, the whole of the chest, chest pain, palpitations, swelling of the legs, fatigue, rapid or irregular heartbeat, reduced ability to exercise and swollen abdomen.
Besides these symptoms, it was mentioned that Chronic Mental and psychological stress are also predisposing factors that increase the risk of experiencing a heart attack. Given that the everyday lives of so many require stress, it is best advised that regular exercise, meditation, and quality sleep become a necessity as they can help to lower stress levels. Exercise aids in the improvement of cardiovascular health as it controls weight and improves cholesterol levels in the blood and lowers blood pressure; when it is done on a regular basis can suppress depression, a major factor that increases the risk of heart disease.
Good nutrition and regular heart checks also keep the heart healthy.
People who have high risks of heart disease as a result of vigorous stress or family history are advised to practice regular checks and seek immediate medical assistance. In addition, good nutrition such as reduced salt in food, low fat, high fiber, adequate water intake, fruits and vegetables could also keep the heart healthy. Regular heart checks for the early identification of cardiac problems are also encouraged in order to give room for prompt medical intervention.
Related Link
World Heart Federation: Website
