By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)
The future generation needs to be protected against cardiac
disorders from early life by adopting heart-healthy living.
“It is threatening that the number of patients with cardiac
disorder is growing rapidly and has also emerged as a prime killer among women
claiming one life in three deaths,” Prof Dr Jawaid H. Rizvi, Vice-Chancellor,
Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET), Karachi, observed
while speaking at the World Heart Day seminar organized by the university’s
Quality Enhancement Cell on Cardiac Health Awareness to create awareness
against heart problems.
The 2013 World Heart Day highlights a life-course approach
to the prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and shows what
actions can be taken through a person’s life to reduce the risk.
“People have a fair opportunity to prevent the future impact
of heart diseases by enabling heart-healthy living from childhood throughout
life,” the Vice-Chancellor emphasized
He described sedative life style in modern era as one of the
major factors for heart disease and stroke adding that “if you want to live
with a healthy heart, you should prevent yourself from exposure to lack of
physical activity, an unhealthy diet, stress and tobacco smoke etc.”
Speaking on the occasion, renowned Cardiologist Dr Kashif
Shaikh pointed out heart attack at young age is more dangerous than the older
age. He warned people to go to the doctor immediately if they feel chest pain.
He also advised to take 300 mg dispirin in emergency before going to the doctor
or hospital.
He said in diabetes risk of getting heart disease or stroke
gets double informing that the LDL cholesterol can only be controlled by
through exercise and the human body gets 60 % of cholesterol from diet, but 40%
of it is produced by the body itself.
He extended warning against smoking pointing out that some
4200 particles in smoking are extremely poisonous to the body. He said cigar
and sheesha were more dangerous than cigarettes and advised every one to go for
daily 30-minute walk.
Farzana Amir Hashmi, a senior Rehabilitation consultant,
focused on diet and said heart disease and stroke can be monitored and
prevented through diet control. She said a house wife plays an important role
in the control of heart disease and prepare food with minimum salt and oil
while people should avoid using margarine cheese, butter and other oily or deep
fried food.
Earlier Prof Dr M A Haleem, Chairman Biomedical Engineering
Department, SSUET, welcomed the participants and guest speakers, and discussed
interaction of engineering principles with biomedical sciences. He emphasized
on holding of academic programs for the benefit of biomedical engineering
students.
