Heart-related illnesses are on the rise, and most worryingly, the young—20s to 30s—are already being affected by them! Being obese, a diabetic smoker, and having high blood pressure are the main ways through which a person is likely to get a cardiovascular disease (CVD). Apart from these inherent risk factors, other environmental causes like poor air quality are also a contributor to CVD. World Heart Day, which takes place every year on September 29, helps raise awareness about the risks and prevention of heart-related diseases that top the list of causes of death around the world.
Main Facts About World Heart Day
| Date | September 29 |
| Theme | Together for health. Stand with science. |
| Organization | World Heart Federation (WHF) |
| No. of Cases Worldwide | About 19.8 million deaths were caused by CVDs across the world in 2022. |
| No. of Cases in India | 28.6 lakh to 31.6 lakh deaths each year |
| Purpose | To create global awareness of CVDs and adopt preventive measures so that the biggest killer of people in the world is prevented. |
What is World Heart Day?
World Heart Day is an awareness campaign conducted globally around 29th September in which heart health is emphasized and also how to prevent heart disease and stroke from occurring. World Heart Day encourages people not only to understand but also to be motivated in their actions, such as healthy eating, exercising, and managing stress levels, so as the effects of these will be felt in the longer term. Heart disease cannot be defeated if people don’t first change their habits and behaviors in daily life, starting with knowing about it. The most dangerous condition of heart-related diseases and stroke is the fact that they account for a majority of deaths across the globe. For that reason, World Heart Day serves as not only a timely reminder to individuals and societies to continue being committed to their hearts’ health but also highlights the significant consequences of neglecting it!
Why Do We Celebrate World Heart Day?
World Heart Day is a day set forth to promote the understanding and prevention of heart diseases and healthy heart lifestyle choices. It is done by drawing attention on various social media channels via videos, campaigns, infographics, and other kinds of online engagements such as hashtags, seminars, and talks. Considering that over 18.6 million lives are lost worldwide every year due to heart diseases—cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)—this day becomes quite important as a means for different stakeholders like governments, organizations, communities, and individuals worldwide to get together and find ways to mitigate the global effects of heart ailments.
What is the history of World Heart Day?
World Heart Day was conceived by Antoni Baie de Luna, who was formerly the president of the World Heart Federation. This day was formally declared with the help of the World Health Organization in 1999. The first observance of this day took place on September 24, 2000. For over a decade, this day was observed annually on the last Sunday of September. However, in 2012, the world’s leaders realized the importance of reducing mortality from non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases. It was promised that the mortality would be reduced by 25 percent in 2025. To achieve this objective, World Heart Day was shifted to the present date of September 29th.
What Are the Increasing Risk Factors for Heart Disease?
Important risk factors for heart disease are the following as listed below:
- Hypertension: the leading modifiable cardiac risk factor in India
- High levels of LDL cholesterol & low levels of HDL cholesterol
- Uncontrolled Diabetes
- Smoking and using tobacco products in any form
- Obesity and central obesity (abdominal obesity)
- Lack of physical activity
- Stress and lack of sleep
- Alcohol abuse
- Old age
- Being male (although the risk is increasing among postmenopausal women too)
- Kidney disease and some inflammatory diseases
What are the warning signs of heart disease?
- Discomfort in chest
- Breathing problem
- Pain in other areas of the body
- Extreme fatigue
- Heartbeat is irregular
What are the everyday lifestyle habits that aid a healthier heart?
Our day-to-day habits are what influence whether our hearts stay well and happy. If adopted as routine, the practices listed below help a great deal to prevent cardiac issues and generally make you feel so much better.
- Different kinds of balanced and nourishing foods will be the first habit.
- Becoming a regular at any physical activity or sport (such as going for a jog).
- Developing a stress management technique to keep mental peace.
- It’s better to go off with it. It’s better to get the bed early and get quality sleep at night.
- Never get involved in smoking either first-hand or second-hand cigarettes.
- No more than two alcohol drinks in one evening.
- Blood pressure and cholesterol levels—it’s crucial to check these regularly.
Important Heart Tests That Help in Assessing Your Heart Health in SilverStreak Hospital
1. Blood Tests
Blood tests provide a detailed picture of what is going on inside your heart. They help determine the levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose, all of which may serve as signs of heart disease.
Some frequently done tests include
Cardiac Troponin Test: Cardiac troponin tests can help detect a heart attack based on this increase in troponin level. This test is usually ordered when someone has sudden chest pain and is a sign that the heart muscle has been damaged.
Lipid Profile: A lipid profile blood test is the easiest way to identify levels of cholesterol, particularly low-density lipoproteins, which can cause heart disease.
Thyroid Function Tests: Tests how your thyroid glands are working. Disorders of the thyroid may affect your heart rate.
Complete Blood Count: Examines blood cells in your body. An abnormality in counts may indicate heart problems.
B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP): Determines the levels of a protein known as BNP, an increase of which occurs due to extra workload of the heart.
2. Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Although ECG has been around for many years, there’s still no better and faster way to diagnose a patient’s cardiac condition than that method. It reveals disturbances in heartbeats, changes due to a lack of blood flow in part of the heart muscle (ischemic), signs of a bundle branch block, and signs of an old or new myocardial infarction within minutes. SilverStreak Hospital provides immediate access to ECG—so to the initial step in both emergency cardiac cases and regular cardiology consultations.
3. 2D Echocardiography (2D Echo)
It is the non-invasive way of imaging the heart to determine the functioning of the heart, the dimensions of various chambers, problems with valves, and preliminary signs of heart failure.
4. Cardiac Imaging (CT Angiography)
CT angiography is the only way to see all arteries of the heart and other parts in detail in one study. This is what doctors call a “coronary CT angiogram,” but that’s not to suggest it’s just used at the heart. It also helps in assessing structural details of the heart and is essential for planning minimally invasive heart surgeries.
5. Treadmill Stress Test (TMT)
Exercise stress ECG, also known as the treadmill stress test, can be considered an important diagnostic technique since it helps the physician know the condition of the heart and see the heart’s response to exercise. As the heart rate increases during the exercise, if the blood supply does not keep pace, we see the changes in the ECG, and we can identify the problem of narrowed or blocked arteries from the heart to the heart muscle.
6. Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (Cath Lab)
This is the place where the most delicate heart procedures are done. It allows the physicians to perform coronary angioplasty, stenting, fractional flow reserve (FFR) measurement, complex PCI, and various other high-precision procedures.
Preventive Heart Health Packages
SilverStreak Multispecialty Hospital provides a number of preventive heart health packages that are specifically developed for offering individuals a detailed analysis of their heart’s condition and also to cater to the health requirements of all age groups of people.
Healthy Heart Package: Rs. 3099
- Cardiology Consultation
- Complete Blood Count (CBC) Test
- Glucose Fasting Test
- Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) Test
- Lipid Profile
- Kidney Function Test (KFT)
- ECG
- 2D ECHO
Conclusion
On this World Heart Day, one thing that you should not fail to do is schedule an appointment to carry out a heart examination. Early diagnosis of any kind of heart ailment will greatly assist in ensuring that it is treated properly. Our professional cardiologists at SilverStreak Hospitals will guide you through all aspects of your heart health. Book a heart health checkup now because prevention is always better than cure.
FAQ: World Health Day
It is managed by the World Heart Federation (WHF).
Not always. It can be due to other reasons such as heartburn or a pulled muscle. Nonetheless, for any chest pain that lasts long or is very severe, it is necessary to seek medical help right away.
Heart health awareness campaigns, heart workshops, walks, and rallies, physical activity programs
It is on this day of World Heart Day that people are supposed to look at the problems related to heart health. Considering the fact that cardiovascular diseases have become the top reason for deaths across the globe, this day highlights the measures of prevention that include healthy lifestyles, regular checkups, and the absence of risk factors such as smoking and bad nutrition.
