World Heart Day: Balanced meals, regular check ups: Experts say fight at heart disease begins at home

Dr Annapoorna Kalia, Senior Consultant – Interventional Cardiology, Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital, also emphasized that pregnancy adds another layer of complexity to women’s cardiac health. “Rising blood pressure in the third trimester can sometimes trigger seizures or even maternal death if left unmanaged. What is equally concerning is that nearly 30% of women continue to suffer from hypertension even after delivery, exposing them to long-term cardiovascular risks. Pregnancy-induced hypertension is not just a temporary complication; but it can silently shape a woman’s heart health for years. This makes proper monitoring during and after pregnancy absolutely critical,” Dr Kalia said.

Every minute eight people die due to CVD

Every minute eight people die due to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in the WHO South-East Asia Region. CVDs are a leading cause of deaths in the Region, half of them premature, in people below 70 years of age. World Heart Day, being marked this year with the theme ‘Don’t Miss a Beat’, is an opportunity for Member States, WHO, and stakeholders to renew our shared goal to reduce preventable and premature deaths from cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).

“Today, we also mark two years since our Region adopted the resolution ‘SEAHEARTS: Accelerating Prevention and Control of Cardiovascular Diseases in the South-East Asia Region’. The resolution is a regional commitment to address the growing burden of CVDs.” Dr Catharina Boehme, Officer-in-charge WHO South East Asia said in an official statement issued today. Major risk factors for CVDs include hypertension, diabetes, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diets high in salt and fats, and physical inactivity.

“As many as 85% of people living with hypertension and diabetes in the region do not have their conditions under control. Coupled with ageing populations and increasing urbanization, the vulnerability to CVDs is increasing, putting pressure on health systems that are already resource constrained,” Dr Boehme said. The SEAHEARTS resolution commits to placing 100 million people with hypertension and/or diabetes on protocol-based management by 2025, and accelerating efforts for tobacco control, salt reduction, and the elimination of trans-fatty acids from the food chain.

Saving Lives campaign, Automated External Defibrillators at 10 metro stations

Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune, as part of its “SAVING LIVES  Campaign” has focussed on two lifesaving measures– the installation of 20 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) across Pune’s busiest public locations, and the training of 1000+ of citizens in CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and AEDs. Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with survival rates dropping by nearly 10% for every minute without intervention. “To bridge this gap, Ruby Hall Clinic has donated AEDs at 10 metro stations, Lifestyle at Koregaon Park, Pune Fincorp,” Dr. P.K. Grant, Managing Trustee, Chairman, and Chief Cardiologist of Ruby Hall Clinic said. Complementing the AED installations, comprehensive CPR workshops will train metro staff, mall employees, hotel teams, corporate professionals, and members of the public to recognize cardiac arrest, perform chest compressions, and confidently operate AED machines.