Heart Attacks Amongst Pakistanis Under 40 Years Increasing Rapidly: Experts

KARACHI: Due to the unhealthy lifestyle in Pakistan, the rate of heart attacks among people under the age of 40 has started increasing. Many people between the ages of 25 and 40 are being brought to hospitals due to heart attacks.

These views were expressed by cardiologists while addressing a public awareness session on the first day of Cardio Con, the largest conference on heart disease in Karachi.

The Cardiology Conference, organized by the Pakistan Cardiac Society, is being hosted by the National Institute of Cardiology at a local hotel in Karachi and is being attended by cardiologists and cardiac surgeons worldwide, including Pakistan.

Leading Cardiologists Dr Javed Akbar Sial, Dr Fawad Farooq, Dr Khawar Kazmi, Dr Nabila Soomro, Nutritionist Sidra Raza, Wajahat Yogi, and Umair Jaliawala also addressed the public awareness seminar of the conference. On this occasion, various tests were performed on the participants by the local pharmaceutical company, and they were given instructions regarding the prevention of heart diseases.

Dr Javed Akbar Sial of the National Institute of Cardiology said that due to unhealthy lifestyle, smoking and obesity in Pakistan, heart diseases are on the rise among the youth and now in the age of 25 to 40 years in heart hospitals. People are being brought in large numbers due to heart attacks.

He revealed that the youngest patient brought to the National Institute of Cardiology a few years ago was a 17-year-old boy brought to the hospital due to a heart attack. The patient was obese and addicted to smoking, so he became a heart patient at such a young age, but his life was saved due to timely medical aid.

Dr Javed Akbar Sial further said that the rate of obesity among the youth in Pakistan is increasing, mainly due to an unhealthy diet and avoidance of exercise. Live a simple life while quitting smoking while walking should be an essential part of life.

Pakistan's renowned cardiologist Dr Fawad Farooq said that obesity is the root cause of many diseases and the most significant cause of heart attack and stroke. People should make daily exercise their motto and keep their body healthy by adopting simple food. It is unnecessary to go to joggers, tracksuits and parks to exercise. Exercise should be done even while staying in their room at home. Maybe, he advised the people to get their blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar checked regularly on this occasion. If there is any problem with them, they should consult a cardiologist.

Prof. Dr Khawar Kazmi, Head of Preventive Cardiology, National Institute of Cardiology, said that Pakistan could not afford to treat the growing number of heart patients, with the highest number of blood pressure and diabetes patients globally. The main reason for this is an unhealthy lifestyle. If we do not improve our lifestyle, it is feared that Pakistan will become the largest country in the world in the next few years in terms of deaths and disabilities. ۔

Dr Nabila Soomro, head of the Sindh Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, said that people should exercise at least two and a half hours a week. Otherwise, they would soon fall prey to diseases that lead to unhealthy lifestyles.

Nutritionist Sidra Raza on occasion, advised people to eat simple food, avoid fast food and make vegetables and fruits an integral part of their diet.

In the inaugural awareness session of the conference, renowned yogi Wajahat taught people how to exercise while sitting at home and in the office, while motivational speaker Umair Jallianwala said that we should take some moments out of our busy lives and give ourselves time and happy life. The focus should be on living a simple life.