Deaths caused by cardiac diseases ‘on the increase’

Deaths caused by cardiac diseases are on the rise in the Kingdom, according to experts. For many in the Kingdom, a regular day may include lots of caffeine before and during work, a quick meal at the office with a side of snacks, hours of staring at a screen, and a box of fast food and television time to end a very long day. Repetitively living this day, however, could be what is leading a growing number of younger people to experience heart diseases and even heart attacks at an early age. The latest World Health Organisation (WHO) data published in 2017 revealed that coronary heart disease deaths in the Kingdom reached 23.97 percent of total deaths.

According to WHO, a third of ischaemic heart disease cases are attributable to high cholesterol, which is estimated to cause 2.6 million deaths worldwide. Conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure) and stress can cause direct ulcerations and cracks on the inner layer of coronary arteries. As a result, they open the doors for cholesterol molecules to penetrate and accumulate into the middle layer of arteries, say experts.

Speaking to Tribune, Dr. Babu Ramachandran, American Mission Hospital (Amwaj branch) head, said: “There has been quite a high number of cardiac death’s in the Kingdom and a good number of them were expatriates.  “We can not pinpoint a particular reason for cardiac deaths. However, I feel that stress is a major factor that has contributed to this rise. Moreover, the lifestyle adopted such as unhealthy eating habits could be another factor.”

Echoing a similar view, Chief Resident of Accident and Emergency at Salmaniya Medical Complex, P V Cheriyan said, “High blood pressure and diabetes are early signs of cardiac problems. Most individuals think that a heart attack happens all of a sudden but when early signs aren’t detected and treated on time, complexities occur.”