ISLAMABAD: Lax and ineffective health regulations and limited or no corporate accountability have placed a large number of people at the higher risk of coronary heart diseases.

This was stated by the Network for Consumer Protection in a press release issued in connection with the World Heart Day which was observed this week.

“At least 12 Pakistanis die every hour due to a heart attack while more than one third (34pc) of all deaths in Pakistan are caused by cardiovascular diseases, making it the leading non-communicable disease in the country. Pakistan’s population has one of the highest risks of coronary heart diseases in the world. In Pakistan, 30 to 40pc of all deaths are due to CVD. The CHD deaths in Pakistan have reached about 200,000 per year that is 410/100,000 of the population.”

The major risk factors are tobacco, alcohol use, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, physical inactivity, stress and unhealthy diet.

“The more risk factors you have the greater is the likelihood that you will suffer a heart disease unless you take action to modify your risk factors and work to prevent them compromising your health.”

The statement said roughly one out of five deaths from heart diseases was directly linked to smoking. Nicotine in cigarettes raises blood pressure and shoots the heart rate. It is crucial to ban smoking in home to protect families’ future, it added.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2017