CVDs are number one cause of mortality worldwide: Dr Rehan

• CVDs killed around 20.6m people every year across globe.
• An estimated 523 million people had some form of CVDs.
• The uses of tobacco and obesity are min causes of heart disease.

KARACHI:  Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. During Covid-19 from 2019 to 2022 around three million people died but as per estimates shared by the World Health Organization the CVDs killed around 20.6 million people every year across the globe, and around 80 percent of these deceased were from low and middle-income countries. The WHO predicted that over 23 million deaths will occur from CVDs by the year 2030.

These views were shared by Consultant Cardiologist, National Medical Centre, United Hospital Karachi, Dr Rehan Omar. He was addressing a seminar on ‘healthy heart, healthy nation’ arranged by the Medical Center of the University of Karachi. The event was held at the auditorium of the old pharmacy building.

He expressed that in 2020, an estimated 523 million people had some form of CVDs of which approximately 19 million deaths were attributable to the CVDs. He informed the audience that every two minutes one person dies of heart disease.

Sharing another report, he said that an estimated 783 million people will be affected by diabetes by 2045. Dr Rehan while referring to a report published in the year 2018 said that 1.13 billion people are suffering from hypertension due to socio-economic problems.

“The uses of tobacco, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity are a few main causes of heart disease. We must promote awareness and prefer timely diagnosis and treatment approach.”

Meanwhile, the Consultant Cardiologist at the National Medical Center Dr Mansoor Ahmed said that this is so alarming that our children and teenagers are facing obesity problems due to which they are suffering from diabetes and heart diseases.

He urged to adopt practical measures to prevent diabetes, obesity, and other diseases from society and demanded that edible items containing high carbohydrates should be used less especially sugar which is used a lot in Pakistan though this is like a white poison.

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Later, the KU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi said that around 16 to 18 percent of the total deaths in Pakistan are caused by heart diseases, while 40 percent of Pakistan’s population suffers from heart diseases.