BAGUIO CITY (PIA) --As  ischemic heart disease remains the  leading cause of death in the country, a heart specialist encourages the public to improve their health seeking behavior, and consult doctors for proper advice and medication.  

Dr. Hazelene Ramos, Medical Officer IV at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, shared in a kapihan forum on Feb. 6 that latest data from the World Health Organization, and IHME Global Burden of Disease show that the top one cause of death globally is still due to heart disease.

Ischemic heart disease develops when the arteries of the heart fail to deliver enough oxygen-rich blood to the heart due to buildup of plaque in the lining of the arteries, Ramos explained.

Among the symptoms of heart disease include chest pain, lightheadedness, nausea, or vomiting, jaw, neck or back pain, discomfort or pain in arm or shoulder, and shortness of breath.

Ramos shared that  nonmodifiable risk factors include those factors that cannot be changed. These include a person’s age, people above 35 years old have increased risk since as people age, plaques, or cholesterol continue to build up. Ethnicity and family history also contribute to the risk of acquiring heart disease.

Modifiable risk factors of ischemic heart disease are those that can be reduced or controlled with altered behavior such as diabetes, high blood cholesterol, stress, high blood pressure, overweight and obesity, cigarette smoking and  alcohol consumption, and physical inactivity, and  unhealthy diet.

“You can reduce your risk of heart disease by changes in lifestyle such as following a heart-healthy eating patter, being physically active, managing your weight, smoking cessation, and stress management.”

Still prevention is better than cure, she said as she urges everyone to increase their health seeking behavior and consult their cardiologist for proper intervention.(JDP/MAWC/PIA-CAR)