Heart failure – FEC
Madrid, March 15 (Europe Press) –
Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, controlling weight, and avoiding the consumption of tobacco, alcohol and drugs are some of the keys to preventing the heart from losing strength, according to the Spanish Heart Foundation (FEC), due to European Day. Prevention of cardiovascular risk, which was celebrated on Sunday.
Thus, WHO noted the importance of preventing the onset of heart failure, a disease that today constitutes a real public health problem worldwide. The number of cases of this disease doubled worldwide, from 33.5 million in 1990 to 64.3 million in 2017, according to a recent study published in the “ European Journal of Preventive Heart Diseases. ”
Heart failure, which affects 2.7% of the population over the age of 45 and 8.8% of those over the age of 74, occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough of the oxygen-rich blood that the body needs to function properly and its causes vary.
“On the one hand, we can have failure of the heart muscle itself that loses its strength and ends up dilating. In many cases the cause of this enlargement is unclear, but in other cases it is due to the presence of coronary heart disease, arrhythmia or the toxic effect of alcohol. Or other materials, ”explained Secretary General of the Friends of the Environment Center, Marta Ferrero.
In other words, many heart diseases end up in heart failure. He added, “On the other hand, we can also find a case of heart failure where the heart maintains its normal strength. Here the problem comes from an overload on the heart, which cannot respond properly and leads to heart failure.” Cardiologist.
High blood pressure is often associated with this type of heart failure. However, its onset can be prevented with adequate control of cardiovascular risk factors. In fact, the President of the FEC, Carlos Macaya, insisted that one of the main prevention measures for this disease includes adequate information and training of the population in cardiovascular risk factors.
Specifically, experts recommend avoiding salt intake, as it causes fluid retention that can cause heart failure, and increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes and fish, since then. Prevent high cholesterol levels in the blood.
Likewise, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults (18-64 years old) devote at least 150 minutes per week to moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic physical activity per week. An equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous activities can also be done.
Additionally, the FEC advised appropriate control of diseases associated with heart failure, such as diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Various studies have shown, for example, the close relationship between high blood pressure and the development of heart failure. This is why proper control of blood pressure will allow us to predict episodes of heart failure in the future.
Finally, a study published in the journal Plos Medicine shows that an increased BMI unit represents a 20% increase in the risk of developing heart failure.
Heart language
On the one hand, and also in conjunction with the European Day for Cardiovascular Risk Prevention, AstraZeneca launched the campaign in cooperation with the FEC, the online platform “Language of the Heart” (“elidiomadelcorazon.com”).
Containing a large amount of information, this new tool aims to become the reference site for highlighting heart failure, an unknown and forgotten disease.
In addition, to bring this initiative closer to the general public, patients suffering from heart failure and their families, a humorous film designed by illustrator Pedretta Parker will be broadcast at the same time that will cover the patient’s journey from the first appearance. Symptoms to control the disease.
