President of the Cardiac Society of Nigeria, Augustine Odili, says more than 20.5 million people die from heart disease each year, with more than 75 percent occurring in low- and middle-income countries.
Odili, a professor and heart disease expert, made this revelation in a press release issued on Sunday as part of the society's activities on the occasion of World Heart Day 2024.
The theme of the day is “#UseHeartforAction#”.
He explained that the day, which the World Heart Federation marks in collaboration with the World Health Organization, is celebrated to combat the scourge of heart disease and promote heart health.
“The Cardiac Society of Nigeria, as an affiliate of the World Heart Federation, joins the WHF in commemorating this day on September 29, 2024,” he said.
Odili explained that the Society will continue to intensify the campaign until 2026 under the theme “Use the heart for action.”
He said this is to support people in caring for their hearts and urge leaders to take cardiovascular health seriously by providing a global platform for action.
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He said this highlights a shift from awareness to empowerment of individuals and government with a clear purpose and goal.
“There is an astronomical increase in the prevalence of heart diseases and their risk factors, together with the exponential increase in associated mortality and morbidity in developing countries, is a major cause for concern.”
According to him, most countries still do not prioritize heart health and 80 percent of premature deaths from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) can be prevented through small lifestyle adjustments.
He said a healthy diet, physical activities such as brisk walking, cycling and jogging, and effective stress management, among others, could greatly improve heart health.
The heart disease expert postulated that a cardiovascular health plan acts as a strategic tool to reduce premature deaths from CVD and, at the same time, reduce healthcare costs and productivity losses, saving hundreds of billions of dollars annually around the world.
He described CVD as a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels, including coronary heart disease, heart failure, kidney disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease, rheumatic heart disease and other conditions.
“The increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, especially in developing countries like Nigeria, is becoming alarming, and this is not unrelated to rapid urbanization, increasing air pollution and lifestyle problems.
“A disproportionately alarming rate of almost eight in 10 deaths due to cardiovascular diseases in low-income countries is therefore a call for serious concern,” he warned.
Odili stated that the number of deaths related to cardiovascular diseases is expected to increase to more than 23 million by 2030.
He listed some of the risk factors for heart disease to include lifestyle, such as lack of physical exercise, smoking tobacco, consuming alcohol, and eating unhealthy diets high in salt and saturated fat and low in fresh fruits and vegetables.
He explained that these behavioral risk factors can eventually lead to other cardiovascular risks such as high blood pressure, high blood lipid/cholesterol levels (dyslipidemia), overweight and obesity, and diabetes mellitus.
“Hypertension is the most common risk factor for heart disease and stroke in Nigeria.
“Sadly, three in ten adult Nigerians have high blood pressure, many of whom are unaware of their hypertensive status,” he said.
The expert recommended effective blood pressure control as a great panacea to reduce the cardiovascular risk of affected people.
Odili lamented that only about seven percent of hypertensives have been shown to achieve effective blood pressure control in Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African countries.
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“Therefore, to maintain good health we must be aware of the decisions we make daily in our lifestyle. Making the right choices keeps you healthy and prevents premature deaths from stroke and heart disease.
“A strategic plan is also necessary to address the countless risk factors to prevent their evolution in the population.
“High-level decision-makers are needed to make a difference, although everyone must be the influencers: professional bodies including the Nigerian Cardiac Society, patients and the public,” he said.
Mr. Odili therefore called on each and every one of them to unanimously unleash the power of knowledge to stop the world's leading cause of death – cardiovascular diseases.