Consultant Community Physician of the Health Ministry’s Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) division Dr. Sherine Balasingham yesterday said that there is a significant increase in the number of deaths and admissions due to Ischemic heart diseases. She was speaking at the media conference held yesterday (18) at the Health Promotion Bureau.
“Unhealthy food habits, tobacco usage, liquor consumption, lack of exercise, stress and air pollution have been identified as the main reasons for this.” Dr.Balasingham said.
According to the World Health Organization cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death worldwide, taking an estimated nearly 18 million lives each year.
As per the statistics of the Health Ministry, during the past 10 years, cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death in Sri Lanka as well. According to 2020 statistics, more than 52 percent of deaths reported in government hospitals were due to Ischemic heart diseases also called coronary heart disease (CHD) or coronary artery disease, is the term given to heart problems caused by narrowed heart (coronary) arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle. Cerebrovascular disease refers to a group of conditions that affect blood flow and the blood vessels in the brain. Problems with blood flow may occur from blood vessels narrowing (stenosis), clot formation (thrombosis), artery blockage (embolism), or blood vessel rupture (hemorrhage) remained as the fifth main cause of death in 2020.
While stressing the importance of having a healthy diet to prevent cardiovascular diseases and other non-communicable diseases, Dr.Balasingham said that a person should have no more than 5g of salt a day and 30 g of sugar a day. Cessation of tobacco use, reduction of salt in the diet, eating more fruit and vegetables, regular physical activity and avoiding harmful use of alcohol have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Health policies that create conducive environments for making healthy choices affordable and available are essential for motivating people to adopt and sustain healthy behaviours.
Ishara Mudugamuwa