WORLD HEART DAY

World Heart Day is a global reminder to take care of your hearts. Cardiovascular disease is the world’s number one killer. According to the World Heart Federation, conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels such as heart attacks, stroke and heart failure kill more than 20.5 million people every year.

World Heart Day is observed on September 29 every year to raise awareness about heart disease and preventive measures that can help prevent and manage cardiovascular diseases. The theme for the World Heart Day 2023 is “Use Heart, Know Heart.”

Use heart ♥?: use the heart emoji to promote the theme and significance of the day. The World Heart Federation mentions that emojis are one of the most popular forms of communication today that can help retain people’s attention and transcend language barriers.

Know heart: to empower individuals to take control of their well-being as knowledge about heart health is limited. So, when you know your heart more, you can take better care of it.

Factors that can help you know if you have a healthy heart.

Signs of a healthy heart:

1.      Healthy blood pressure- High blood pressure is a common issue that can increase the risk of heart failure. Therefore, checking your blood pressure numbers can help know your risk.

Low blood pressure is also not good for your heart.

2.    Normal heart rate- pulse rate helps to understand the strength of your blood flow and blood pressure in different parts of the body. A slow or fast heart rate can help understand heart health. If you are not able to do so, you can seek help from your doctor.

3.      Normal blood test reports- the levels of sodium, potassium, creatinine and other elements like angiotensin are linked with heart health in many ways.

4.      Healthy cholesterol levels- Poor cholesterol levels can block arteries and other blood vessels and increase the risk of a heart attack. Therefore, maintaining healthy cholesterol levels is crucial for a healthy heart. A simple blood test can help know your cholesterol levels.

Heart disease also known as Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) are disorders of the heart and blood vessels, they include:

Ø  Coronary heart disease

Ø  Cerebrovascular disease

Ø  Rheumatic heart disease

Ø  Myocardial infarction

Ø  Hypertension

Ø  Arrhythmia

Ø  Peripheral artery disease

Ø  Heart failure

Ø  Congenital heart disease

PREVENTION

CVDs are both preventable and reversible when identified early.

Prevention can be accompanied by addressing the risk factors like

·        Tobacco use

·        Unhealthy diet

·        Obesity,

·        Physical inactivity / lack of exercise

·        Harmful use of alcohol.

·        Diabetes

·        Hypertension

·        Dyslipidemia

The effects of physical inactivity on heart health cannot be stressed in today’s society, which is becoming more and more sedentary. It significantly contributes to heart disease and the risk factors that go along with it. Fortunately, the solution is regular exercise. We may lessen these risks and keep our hearts in the best possible shape by adding physical activity into our daily routines and making small lifestyle adjustments.

This World Heart Day, take a pledge to know your heart health for a healthier tomorrow.