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More women prone to heart
Hyderabad:Â According to World Health Organisation, an estimated three million women in India, suffer from heart-related complications, a disturbing trend observed cardiologists on World Heart Day, which is marked on September 29.
Most of the affected women are in the prime phase of their reproductive lives. Low oestrogen levels, in combination with rapid adoption of unhealthy lifestyle such as smoking, physical inactivity, improper diet, stress, hypertension and type 2 diabetes are being pointed to as some of the causes.
On the whole, the increasing number of heart problems among women are baffling the medical fraternity, who earlier never considered them to be prone to heart attacks.
Dr Sunil Kapoor, senior cardiologist, explained, âHistorically, doctors have always believed that men are more prone to heart attacks than women. But now, after 25 years, cardiologists have accepted that women too can be vulnerable to heart problems and we need to seriously accept this fact.â
For this reason, the World Heart Day theme is to focus on women and children, as it is believed that healthy women will ensure a healthy family and in turn lead to a healthy society. Hence the need is to ensure that diet and work are regulated, which are important for changing oneâs lifestyle.
Women must be educated on the ill-effects of smoking, sedentary living. They need to concentrate on cooking simple and low-fat foods, which would go a long way in ensuring a healthy heart and a healthy family.
Dietician M. Gayatri of Apollo Hospitals said, âSimple food items like dal, rice, sprouts, five types of grains and green leafy vegetables have become once-in-a-month foods for many families.
This is a wrong trend. These food items need to be an intrinsic part of daily dietary intake and items like biryani, pizzas, burgers and fried food should be consumed once in a while. The reverse order is the reason for the emerging heart problems in both men and women in their mid-30âs.â
With Hyderabad dubbed the diabetic capital of India, the incidence of heart diseases too is very high. Dr Bhaskar Rao, senior cardiologist at KIMS hospital said, âThe lack of exercise is proving to be a big hurdle. An estimated 40 per cent of the population of AP suffers from diabetes. Among these, 10 per cent are prone to heart disease. The overall incidence of heart disease in urban India is 11 per cent, while in rural areas it is 4 per cent.â
The emerging trend of regular check-ups via corporate houses, as well as voluntary check-ups, have shown an increasing incidence of bad cholesterol levels and triglycerides. These two markers are very important as they indicate the amount of fat deposits in the blood. These later form clots and affect the heart.
Dr Anand Agarwal, cardiothoriac surgeon says, âThe subconscious levels of stress in children because of their studies; stress in women for maintaining a âgood status homeâ and in men to achieve the best, has taken a major toll on their health. Ambition, competition and striving to achieve their goals have taken families into a cycle of keeping up their status, which has made them compromise on their health. The effects are being seen now and we need to work towards them.â
Mantra of doctors: âwe are what we eatâ
Hyderabad: âWe are what we eatâ is the idiom the medical fraternity propagates to get people start off on the road to good health and right food habits.
Eat right from childhood by cultivating healthy eating habits, is the message cardiologists are trying to spread.
These messages are propagated at the hospital level as well at the community level where they are targeting women to understand the concept of healthy foods.
Dr Col. M. Sitaram, president of the Cardiology Society of India, AP Chapter, says, âWe are looking at educating women who with whatever time they have at home can cook simple, easy and healthy foods. Indians are genetically prone to heart diseases and the environment, in terms of lifestyle and eating habits, triggers it. We want to control these triggers, and the woman of the house is the best person to handle it.â
The stress, this year, is also on educating children so that they become healthy adults and ensure a healthy society.Â
Cardiologist Dr Manoj Agarwal of Apollo Hospitals says, âWe need to educate children from their teens. Due to pressure, parents succumb to demands of junk food. But these habits stay for ever. They can enjoy life but also ensure that they live long enough to experience the various stages of life. The richness of experience is what they must be educated to look at and not short term happiness that will make them pay frequent visits to doctors.â
