HAPPY WORLD HEART DAY!

Heart disease threat isn't something new, it has been glaring at us for many years. From being a leading killer in the west, it has now encroached India to an extent of being an epidemic!

Heart Disease Statistics

• According to the Indian government data, heart disease prevalence ranges from 1.3 to 4.6 million, with an annual incidence of 491,600 to 1.8 million.
• According to World Health Organization, Cardio vascular disease (CVD) and coronary heart diseases are the leading cause of death globally.
• Data from 2012 states that an estimated 17.5 million people died due to CVDs, which represents a whopping 31% of all global deaths.
• More than three quarters of CVD deaths are taking place in either low or middle income countries.
• Smoking, Physical inactivity and intake of an unhealthy diet are the causes of increasing your risk of heart attack and strokes.

Why heart check-up is important?

We may very well use numerous excuses to avoid seeing the doctor, but let's face it - research has shown that regularly seeing your doctors for check-ups can actually save lives of both young and old, alike. With heart disease being the leading threat that is killing men and women globally, it's better to get regular heart checkup to have an accurate picture of your heart health.

The basic way to keep cardiovascular disease at bay is to manage your risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high total cholesterol or high blood glucose and the best way you can find out which risk factors you have is through early detection of heart disease via heart screening tests during regular doctor visits.

Heart Healthy Lifestyle & Diet

You know what your best weapon against heart disease is - it's simply having a heart healthy food and heart healthy diet along with leading a healthy lifestyle. Following some simple steps will give long-term benefits to your heart and health and thereby help in prevention of heart diseases -

• Staying Active: Burning as many calories as you intake and maintaining a healthy weight.
• Eating Healthy: Cutting down on salt, sugar and eating a variety of nutritious foods from all the food groups.
• Say No To Smoke: Don't smoke tobacco and avoid secondhand smoke.

Early Detection - Better Prevention

• Regular screening and early detection is the key to healthy heart as it helps to detect risk factors in the early stage.
• Early detection helps to prevent complication such as heart failure, stroke, kidney disease and artery disease.
• Preventive health checkup and screening tests results aim to serve as a wake-up call. Higher than optimal levels of cholesterol will tell you that it's time to modify your diet and get active.
• It's recommended that most of the regular cardiovascular screening tests should begin as early as at age 20.

For a healthy heart and in turn a healthy you, keeping a check on the risk factors is vital and thus going for regular screening and check-ups becomes mandatory. Screening tests will give you an accurate picture of your heart health and in case any action is needed, it can be taken early with may be just modifying diet and lifestyle.