Over 20.5 million people die of heart disease annually, the president of Nigeria Cardiac Society, Prof. Augustine Odili, has said.
Odili added that more than 75 per cent of the heart disease deaths occurred in low and middle-income countries.
He made these disclosures in a statement issued to mark the 2024 World Heart Day themed: “#UseHeartforAction#”.
Odili said that the day which is set aside by the World Heart Federation(WHF) , in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) is celebrated to combat the scourge of heart disease and promote heart health.
He explained that the Society will continue to step up campaign till 2026, under the theme of: “Use Heart for Action”.
“There is astronomical increase in the prevalence of heart disease and its risk factors coupled with the exponential rise in associated mortality and morbidity in developing countries is a major cause for concern,” he said.
He noted that most countries still don’t prioritize heart health and that 80 per cent of premature deaths from Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) can be prevented by way of small lifestyle adjustments.
He pointed out that a healthy diet, physical activities including brisk walk, cycling, jogging and effective stress management, among others, could greatly improve heart health.
Odili said that a cardiovascular health plan acts as a strategic tool for reducing premature deaths from CVD, while also cutting healthcare costs and productivity losses saving hundreds of billion of dollars annually worldwide.
He described CVDs as a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels, including coronary heart disease, heart failure, kidney disease, strokes, peripheral artery disease, rheumatic heart disease, and other conditions.
“The rising prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, especially in developing countries like Nigeria, is becoming alarming, and this is not unconnected to rapid urbanization, an increase in air pollution, and lifestyle issues.
“A disproportionately alarming rate of almost eight out of every 10 deaths occurring due to cardiovascular diseases in low-income countries is, therefore, a call for serious concern,” he warned.
Odili asserted that the number of CVD disease-related deaths is expected to rise to over 23 million by 2030.
He listed some of the risk factors for heart disease to include lifestyle such as lack of physical exercise, smoking tobacco, consuming alcohol, eating unhealthy diets rich in salt and saturated fats and low in fresh fruits and vegetables.
He explained that these behavioural risk factors may eventually lead to other cardiovascular risks such as high blood pressure, high blood lipids/cholesterol (dyslipidaemia), overweight and obesity, and diabetes mellitus.
“Hypertension is the most common risk factor for heart disease and stroke in Nigeria. Sadly, three out of every ten adult Nigerians have high blood pressure, many of whom are unaware of their hypertensive status,” he said.
