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| Sunday, 29 September 2002 |
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Heart diseases among young persons on the increase by Carol Aloysius Heart diseases as well as strokes are no longer diseases of the elderly. Today statistics show that several young persons in Sri Lanka are also afflicted by heart conditions and strokes - and their numbers are on the rise. Dr. Neomali Amarasena a Cardiologist, said at a press conference held at the inauguration of the 35th Annual Academic Sessions of the Ceylon College of Physicians, Thursday. In her capacity as the Secretary of the Ceylon College of Physicians, Dr. Amarasena said that unlike half a century ago when heart diseases were mostly confined to the elderly, today it was not uncommon to see young adults in their early 30s being admitted to the wards in the cardiologist units of the National Hospital as well as the private hospitals. Smoking and high blood pressure were among the main causes for heart disease which is now the number one killer in Sri Lanka, Dr. Amarasena said. Although the number of victims of strokes, a disease closely linked to heart disease, was also on the rise, Dr. Amarasena pointed out that greater awareness about strokes and the need for early intervention in a hospital was needed to prevent patients from succumbing to the disease, which was now beginning to affect young persons as well. "People who get heart attacks are now admitted to the hospital immediately because of greater awareness about the disease, unlike persons who get strokes, who often seek alternative medication before getting themselves admitted to the hospital, by which time it is too late", she said. "Ideally a patient who has suffered from a stroke should be admitted to a hospital within the first three hours", Prof. Charles Warlow of the University of Edinburgh, a guest speaker at the annual sessions of the CCP emphasised." Such patients should be admitted to a Stroke Unit which could provide the kind of co-ordinated care they need to recover, instead of a gen According to him, smoking, alcohol and high fat and high salt diet are among the three most important causes of strokes. "I'm amazed at the amount of fast foods and junk foods that is found in your country. Sri Lankans seem to have picked up the bad habits of the West. A 100 years ago people were more health conscious and ate the right food and exercised. Today life styles have changed and fast food high on oil and fat have replaced healthy diets which is one of the main reasons for strokes and heart disease", he added. Guest speaker Prof. David T. Kelly who spoke on heart diseases discussed the effects of a long acting drug, Nifedepine which had proved to be effective in treating patients with hypertension, a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases with affected more than 30 percent of the adult population worldwide. The conference was chaired by Prof. Saman Gunatilake, a neurologist and President of the Ceylon College of Physicians. The sessions which ended on Saturday included discussions on neurology, cardiology and gastrocentrology among other subjects. |
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