How to prevent cardiovascular disease

Every year, on September 29, is World Heart Day, the aim of which is to raise public awareness of the risks of cardiovascular disease.

This year, the motto of this day is “Use your heart to connect,” urging every member of society to use their knowledge, compassion, and influence to ensure a heart-healthy life.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) causes 18.6 million deaths each year. They can occur from several causes, such as tobacco and alcohol consumption, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity, to air pollution or cardiac amyloidosis.

Worldwide, around 520 million people suffer from cardiovascular disease and have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 in the last year. They were at greater risk of developing severe forms of the disease, and due to increased vulnerability they were forced to isolate themselves. As a result, these people suffered a number of consequences:

– Lack of regular visits to the doctor;

– Lack of contact with family and friends;

– Reducing the practice of physical exercises.

In the Republic of Moldova, cardiovascular diseases rank first in the ranking of causes of death. During 2020, 22,872 people died in our country due to cardiovascular diseases, compared to 21,512 deaths in 2019.

In the structure of deaths caused by diseases of the circulatory system ischemic heart disease predominates (12566 people), cerebrovascular diseases (5006 people), acute myocardial infarction (1748 people), hypertensive heart disease (2615 people).

To improve heart health and prevent disease, it is important to know their risk factors:

– Diet rich in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, sugar and salt;

– Insufficient physical activity;

– Alcohol consumption;

– Consumption of tobacco in any form considerably increases the risk of heart disease and myocardial infarction.

Thus, to avoid the disease it is important to prevent the influence of these factors, to adopt a healthy diet and lifestyle, to keep blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels within the norm and reduce the risk of heart disease and heart attack. .

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