Canheartbreak cause

heart disease?

There is such a thing called broken heart syndrome according to Philippine Heart Association director Dr. Luigi Pierre Segundo.

Pero hindi ito common kaya huwag tayo.mag focus doon [But this is not common so let us not focus on that]],” Dr. Segundo said during the Kapihan Session of the Department of Health (DOH).

Dr. Segundo said that broken heart syndrome, which happens because of being emotionally upset, is not common among young people but among menopausal women who lose their husband.

Walang nakikitang ibang sakit... walang [No other illness...no] high cholesterol. Hindi ito [This is not] heart attack. It mimics heart attack. Nakakaramdam sila ng sakit ng dibdib Naoospital sila, nasusuri sila, wala silang [They feel chest pain. They get hospitalized, they were checked , they don’t have] heart attack and they recover,” Dr. Segundo furthered.

Nadodocument ito pero wala talaga silang [These cases are documented but they really don’t have a] heart attack and that’s we call, Takotsubo syndrome,” he added.

On the other hand, Dr. Segundo warned that all stressors can contribute to heart attack if a person already has risk factors.

“So, it is important to take care of your heart and of course lessen your stress so let us manage our love life well,” Dr. Segundo quipped.

According to Mayo Clinic, broken heart syndrome is a heart condition that is often brought on by stressful situations and extreme emotions. The condition can also be triggered by a serious physical illness or surgery. Broken heart syndrome is a temporary condition but some people amy continue to feel unwell after the heart is healed.

People with broken heart syndrome may have sudden chest pain or think they are having a heart attack. It affects just part of the heart by briefing interrupting the way the heart pumps blood. The rest of the heart continues to work as usual. Sometimes, the heart contracts more forcefully.

Top killer disease

ON A serious note, Dr. Segundo warned that Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) remains to be the top killer disease in the country in 2022.

Ang pinaka number one killer cause of death based on the 2022 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority ang tinatawag na ischemic heart disease, hindi po Covid. At ganito rin yung picture even during the early years of the Covid pandemic in 2020 and we see the same picture worldwide,” he said.

As this February marked the 50th anniversary of Heart Month, Dr. Segundo encouraged the public to take good care of their heart.

CAD, also known as ischemic heart disease, is caused by nar - rowed arteries which reduces the amount of blood and oxygen that reaches the heart muscle.

One of the symptoms of a person suffering from CAD is called angina. Angina is a type of chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart.

During the Kapihan Session, Dr. Segundo showed data from the Philippine Nutrition Facts and Figures where from 5.2 million Filipinos with angina in 2003, it increased to 12.4 million Filipinos in 2013.

“Angina ang tawag sa sakit sa dibdib na inaakala ng mga doctor dahil ay sa coronary heart disease [It is called angina and doctors may think that it is coronary heart disease because of the chest pain],” he said.

“A significant number of Filipinos are not aware of the CAD symptom of angina,” he said as he encouraged those experiencing such to consult their cardiologist.

Modifiable risk factors

CAD’s modifiable risk factors according to Dr. Segundo are hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity.

To release chest pain, prevent risk heart attack and heart failure, Dr. Segundo stressed that it is important to control the risk factors that the person or patient may have including hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

Meanwhile the non-modifiable risk factors are age, male gender, and family history.

CAD’s complications include heart attack, heart failure, and cardiac arrest.

“[It is] important to treat CAD to prevent heart attack, heart failure, and cardiac arrest,” he added. Heart-healthy lifestyle

TH e DOH, meanwhile, reminded the public to choose a hearthealthy lifestyle and diet to keep healthy. These include: n Avoiding sweets and fatty foods; n Being active by walking around a park or mall n Home cooking is healthier than restaurant food n Stop smoking

“Reduce your stress and enjoy life more,” the DOH said.