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WHO calls for action to protect women from heart disease
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The World Health Organization's (WHO) Southeast Asia Regional Office has called on its member countries to make heart-healthy choices to reduce heart disease, especially among women.
WHO Southeast Asia regional director Poonam Khetrapal Singh said cardiovascular disease was a major health problem among women and remained poorly recognized and treated.
'Risk factors for heart disease in women mirror those in men and include lifestyle factors such as tobacco use, overweight and obesity, harmful alcohol use and physical inactivity, as well as physiological risk factors such as elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes mellitus,' she said in a statement to mark World Heart Day, which falls on Tuesday.
Khetrapal Singh said that in the region, exposure to household air pollution from using solid fuels for cooking substantially increased the risk of heart disease in women.
'Cohesive action and collaboration are needed beyond the health sector to provide a heart-healthy environment and heart-healthy choices for women to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease,' she said.
'Health-care providers should also be alert in recognizing and managing cardiovascular disease risk in women.'
The WHO said cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, claimed 17.5 million lives a year globally, making it the world's number one killer. In the WHO's Southeast Asia region, cardiovascular disease causes an estimated 3.7 million deaths annually, one quarter of all deaths. One third of these deaths from cardiovascular disease is premature and occurs among those aged below 70.
The UN agency said a majority of premature deaths due to cardiovascular disease could be prevented through simple measures such as consuming a healthy diet, engaging in regular physical activity, avoiding tobacco and alcohol and by managing stress.
This year's World Heart Day themed 'Healthy heart choices for everyone, everywhere' is a reminder of the impact that can result from people making the best choices for heart health, such as ensuring the availability of healthy food, smoke-free zones and avenues for physical activity.
The WHO said it had set a target for reducing premature mortality from cardiovascular disease and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Southeast Asia by 25 percent by 2025 and had developed a regional action plan to achieve this target.
'The inclusion of NCDs in the post-2015 agenda for sustainable development is a turning point and should add further momentum in reducing the burden of cardiovascular diseases and other NCDs,' it said. (ebf)(++++)
