Coronary artery disease (CAD) or heart attack is the biggest killer today, and significantly, India accounts for the maximum CAD cases in the world. According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) estimation, 60 per cent of the world’s heart patients will be Indians by 2010. Another disturbing trend is that of all the heart patients in India, 60 per cent are people below 55 years and 30 per cent below 40 years of age, negating the popular conception that only the aged suffer from heart disorders.

Addressing a press conference at the Guwahati Neurological Research Centre (GNRC) on the occasion of the World Heart Day today, several renowned heart specialists, including Dr Bhabananda Das, Dr Anup Boro, Dr Sasanka Baruah and Dr Sunil Dawka, said that despite the growing incidence of CAD, awareness on the risk factors could reduce heart attacks by as much as 90 per cent.

The doctors said that some simple steps such as quitting smoking, taking regular exercises like walking, swimming, cycling, etc, controlling weight, avoiding meat, doing yoga and meditation, and finding leisure time, could effectively reduce chances of CAD.

The main factors behind CAD are high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, obesity, mental stress, high level of cholesterol in blood, genetic reasons and lack of physical activities or exercise. Smokers, in particular, are susceptible to heart attack ten years sooner than non-smokers.

The doctors said that removing ghee and butter besides meat from the menu and increasing the intake of fruits and vegetables were key to reducing chances of heart disorder. “It is also advisable to avoid excess of sugar and salt,” they added.

Adequate rest and leisure are also very important in preventing heart attack. “One should always find time to rest and make it a habit to go out at regular intervals, which refreshes both the body and the mind,” they said.

The GNRC is having a full-fledged heart disease dept since 1997 besides 24-hour emergency service for heart patients. Dr Bhabananda Das, regarded as one of the best heart surgeons of the country, visits the hospital weekly. The hospital also claims of a 98 per cent success rate in heart surgeries.

World News

1. July the deadliest month of Afghan war for US (AP)
2. Greece turns to military to restore fuel supplies (AP)
3. Argentine couples wed under new gay marriage law (AP)
4. Troops kill senior 'capo' of mighty Mexico cartel (AP)
5. Saudi, Syrian leaders make rare visit to Lebanon (AP)
6. Will Britain Give Up its Nuclear Submarines? (Time.com)
7. Escaped tiger found after massive South Africa search (Reuters)
8. Roadside bomb in Iraq kills 5 members of family (AP)
9. Pair wanted in US woman's death deported to Panama (AP)
10. U.N. tells Darfur peace force to focus on security (Reuters)
11. Floods kill more than 400 in Pakistan's northwest (Reuters)
12. Economic growth ticks higher in May (Reuters)
13. Former Australian PM Rudd hospitalised (AFP)
14. Pentagon rethinking who can access secret information (McClatchy Newspapers)
15. Rare Arab summit to forestall possible Hezbollah unrest in Lebanon (The Christian Sci...

Bollywood News