World Heart Day is a global reminder to take care of your heart. Cardiovascular disease is the world’s number one killer.
According to the World Heart Federation, conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels such as heart attacks, stroke, and heart failure kill more than 20.5 million people every year.
World Heart Day is observed on September 29 every year to raise awareness about heart disease and preventive measures that can help prevent and manage cardiovascular diseases. The theme for the World Heart Day 2023 is “Use Heart, Know Heart.”
Use heart ♥?: use the heart emoji to promote the theme and significance of the day.
The World Heart Federation mentions that emojis are one of the most popular forms of communication today that can help retain people’s attention and transcend language barriers.
Know heart: to empower individuals to take control of their well-being as knowledge about heart health is limited. So, when you know your heart more, you can take better care of it.
Factors that can help you know if you have a healthy heart.
Signs of a healthy heart:
1. Healthy blood pressure- High blood pressure is a common issue that can increase the risk of heart failure. Therefore, checking your blood pressure numbers can help know your risk.
Low blood pressure is also not good for your heart.
2. Normal heart rate- pulse rate helps to understand the strength of your blood flow and blood pressure in different parts of the body. A slow or fast heart rate can help understand heart health. If you are not able to do so, you can seek help from your doctor.
3. Normal blood test reports- the levels of sodium, potassium, creatinine, and other elements like angiotensin are linked with heart health in many ways.
4. Healthy cholesterol levels- Poor cholesterol levels can block arteries and other blood vessels and increase the risk of a heart attack. Therefore, maintaining healthy cholesterol levels is crucial for a healthy heart. A simple blood test can help know your cholesterol levels.
Heart disease also known as Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is a disorder of the heart and blood vessels, they include:
Coronary heart disease
Cerebrovascular disease
Rheumatic heart disease
Myocardial infarction
Hypertension
Arrhythmia
Peripheral artery disease
Heart failure
Congenital heart disease
PREVENTION
CVDs are both preventable and reversible when identified early.
Prevention can be accompanied by addressing risk factors like
- Tobacco use
- Unhealthy diet
- Obesity,
- Physical inactivity/lack of exercise
- Harmful use of alcohol.
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Dyslipidemia
The effects of physical inactivity on heart health cannot be stressed in today’s society, which is becoming more and more sedentary. It significantly contributes to heart disease and the risk factors that go along with it. Fortunately, the solution is regular exercise. We may lessen these risks and keep our hearts in the best possible shape by adding physical activity into our daily routines and making small lifestyle adjustments.
This World Heart Day, take a pledge to know your heart health for a healthier tomorrow.