Dispelling Myths About Heart Disease

Misconceptions about cardiovascular disease – heart attack, stroke and hypertension – for many years and have done nothing more than myths. Now, most of them come from actual observations in the first phase of the current global epidemic is deeply rooted in the minds of politicians, health professionals and the public. Since these misunderstandings have a negative effect on the distribution of resources and undermine the prevention and fight against cardiovascular disease, they must be strongly supported.

Myth 1: Heart disease is a problem in developed countries

Each year, causing cardio-vascular diseases, such as 15 million deaths worldwide (30%) of all deaths that take place, approximately two thirds of developing countries. The absolute number of deaths from these causes is twice as high in developing countries than in the industrialized world. More than twice as many deaths occur after a stroke in developing countries than in industrialized countries, and the number of deaths from heart attacks occur in countries rich and poor. It is estimated that, together, China and India, which for half of the population in developing countries five to six million deaths are caused each year of cardiovascular disease.

Myth 2: Heart disease is a problem of rich

All companies are “early adopters” and “Late Adopt” change of lifestyle. Early in the epidemic of heart of affluent people in developing countries were to acquire the resources and the possibility of new life with behaviors such as choosing foods rich in fat and calories, buying cars and smoking. Given that these goods of mass consumption at reasonable “unhealthy” behavior of this kind have become commonplace in all social strata. Today, the rich, particularly the urban rich have better access to information on health risk factors in the media and also have the means to change their behavior towards a healthy lifestyle (healthy eating, physical activity, recreation, renunciation) on tobacco. They are the “early adopters”, while poor communities in urban and rural – with limited access to information and little time or money on “healthy foods” and “Club Fitness” – behind. Therefore, become risk behaviors and increase risk factors.

Recent studies in Latin America and Southeast Asia, where coronary disease is particularly prevalent is demonstrated that many coronary risk factors more common among people with low socio-economic and the poor are, in fact, increased risk of heart attack.

In industrialized countries where the epidemic began among the urban rich, even if a few decades earlier than in the developing world, the cardio-vascular diseases are now more common in relatively poor. If the global epidemic of heart disease is fully developed, will affect the poorest countries and poorest people in society are the worst.

Myth 3: Heart disease is generally a disease of man

While heart disease is generally less common in premenopausal women than men in many parts of the world is the most common cause of death among women, even those under 65. Heart disease and risk factors vary in a surprising degree among populations. For example, women aged 35-64 years in Glasgow, Scotland and Belfast, Northern Ireland, have rates of heart attack than men in some parts of southern Europe, according to a recent study by the WHO Development of Cardiovascular Disease (WHO MONICA Project).

Hypertension and stroke are also major problems affecting women. Given the life expectancy longer for women, they are increasingly on cardiovascular mortality and disability after the sixth decade. The result is that in life, women and men are affected by heart attacks and strokes – a fact which has long been neglected by doctors and health professionals have been, and women themselves. In addition, gestational hypertension and a major health problem in developing countries, where it is the leading cause of premature birth and perinatal mortality, and is also responsible for up to one third of all maternal deaths.

Myth No. 4: Heart disease is a problem of age

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke) and hypertension increases with age. But the research in industrialized countries shows that occur around the third quarter of heart attacks and strokes in people aged under 65. Many deaths from heart disease occur at the beginning of their shift less than 70 years. In developing countries, the situation is even clearer: Over half of all deaths from heart disease occur in less than 70 years, and a large number of adults of working age suffer from these diseases. This has a huge impact on the economic situation of individuals and families and society as a whole, and hamper efforts to alleviate poverty.

Myth 5: heart disease is not vulnerable to the action of the Community

The predominant factors that occur, the risk of cardiovascular diseases that are acquired, and lifestyle related and not genetically determined. Risk factors may be in a “healthy environment” which argues that the procedures are changed lifestyle, and most cardiovascular diseases are preventable. The prevention of cardiovascular disease in humans called to active promotion of health in the population.

Programs that combine community mobilization to government regulation through taxation, legislation and price policies should be effective in tobacco control and promotion of a healthier diet in many developed countries. From these experiments it is clear that community, national and even global measurements of key elements in the fight against the epidemic continues to cardiovascular diseases in the developing world. Mobilization of the community can be best achieved by educating the public, patients, professionals and politicians, on the basis of advice from health professionals.

Myth 6: The heart disease is no longer a public health problem

There is a widespread misconception that the entire burden of reducing cardiovascular disease. Despite the decline in mortality and heart disease, the major problem of public health in industrialized countries. European countries are experiencing the highest mortality from cardiovascular disease. A major reason for concern is the expected increase of these diseases in the developing world in the next century. It is expected that by 2020, have the number of deaths from heart attack and stroke in the Third World than doubled compared to 1990.

The reasons for the projected acceleration of the epidemic life expectancy to a decline in infant mortality associated changes in unhealthy lifestyle associated with industrialization and urbanization, and prolonged exposure to risk factors for heart disease because improving socioeconomic conditions.

The health consequences of an uncontrolled epidemic of cardiovascular diseases in the developing world would be catastrophic. This would not only lose millions of years of productive life, but the high cost of technology intensive management of these diseases would be a heavy financial burden on affected individuals to impose their families and society as a whole. The global epidemic requires a global response to this, as an international effort to raise awareness and promote activities in all countries and all sectors of society.