Srinagar: Like rest of the World, heart attacks and strokes are accountable for nearly half of all non-communicable disease deaths in Jammu and Kashmir.
Cardiologist working in different tertiary health care Institutes in J&K, said that the number of heart attacks in Jammu and Kashmir have almost doubled in the last five years and the stent procedure conducted at hospitals have almost doubled in J&K in just the last two years.
They said that usually we were witnessing more heart attacks in winters in J&K but there is a difference now as we are witnessing the same trend in summer and now heart attack cases among youths have increased as well.
Dr Irfan, a Cardiologist at GMC Srinagar, said that the message of observing heart day is to use heart for every heart because heart is the only organ in the body which you can hear and feel besides the first and last sign of life. “We have taken care of the underprivileged people living in different countries besides heart for you and we have to quit bad habits,” he said.
“Air pollution, rapid urbanization, involvement of youth in drugs, sedentary lifestyle, physical inactivity, use of fast foods, and smoking besides post Covid-19 stress due to unemployment and other things, increase in prevalence of hypertension and diabetes are major reasons behind increase in heart attacks.”
He said that people must keep BP, diabetes in control, cholesterol at optimal level, leave sedentary life, quit smoking and physical, less psycho social stress, use of vegetables, health weight, and regular exercise can help in avoiding risk of heart attacks.
The doctor said that he has never seen any person belonging to Gujjar community below 40 years of age who has suffered heart attack as they remain busy with their activities and are living in pure environment, adding that every day 10-15 heart attack patients are coming to SMHS.
Cardiologists said that the common heart attack symptoms include Chest pain that may feel like pressure, tightness, pain, squeezing or aching Pain or discomfort that spreads to the shoulder, arm, back, neck, jaw, teeth or sometimes the upper belly, Cold sweat, Fatigue, Heartburn or indigestion, Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness, Nausea and shortness of breath. (KNO)
