Myocardial infarction commonly
referred as heart attack is the outcome of the interruption of the blood supply
to a portion of heart thus leading to death of heart cells. It happens due to
the occlusion (blockage) of coronary artery by LIPIDS (cholesterol and fatty
acids) and white blood cells. If the resulting ischaemia (reduction of blood
supply to a part of body) and ensuing oxygen shortage, is left untreated for a
while, it can results in the damage or death of heart muscles, posing a potent
threat for the victim.
According to a recent WHO report, cardiovascular (involving heart and blood
vessels) diseases are the world’s largest killer, claiming about 17.3 million
lives a year. About 82% of these deaths occurred in low and middle income
countries. And 80% heart diseases can be averted by adopting suitable measures.
It is estimated that nearly 23.6 million people may die (God forbid) from
cardiovascular diseases by 2030. So the cardiovascular diseases are showing
upward trend in the world especially in the developing countries. This galloping
graph demands urgent and sagacious measures to counter the looming catastrophe.
In the ranking of 192 countries; Turkmenistan is at 1st number with 405.1 deaths
per 100000 persons (i.e.1 lakh). Pakistan comes at 17th position with 222.9;
Bangladesh at 25th position with 203.7; Saudi Arabia at 32nd position with
180.6; India at 37th position with 165.8; Sri Lanka at 131st position with 84.5;
the United States of America at 135th with 80.5; China at 137th position with
79.7; Germany at 146th position with 75.0; the United Kingdom at 155th position
with 68.8; Japan at 190th position with 31.2 and Kiribati at 192nd position and
is last in the table with the least number of deaths i.e. 11.8.
The USA, the sole super power of the world, having rich resources, quality
education, extra ordinary health facilities etc is facing the problem of
cardiovascular diseases as it is the leading cause of deaths in USA; one in
every three deaths is from heart diseases and strokes equal to 2,200 deaths per
day. What will be the condition of countries like Pakistan? According to an
estimate about 6 million Pakistani are facing heart diseases and 4 lakh people
die every year and its position has soared in the table at number 17 in the
comity of 192 nations. We have scanty resources, low literacy rate and
inadequate health facilities. But we have sky towering morale and immense
determination to check the growing threat of heart diseases. That is why our
doctors are holding public briefings and seminars to educate masses and are also
suggesting some innovative methods to control this disease.
In a recent past, Dr.Masood ul Hassan Noori, ex-Military General , briefed the
audience/participants in a seminar about causes, remedies, symptoms and
treatment of heart diseases and held a long “question-answer session”.
Dr.Noori outlined ten major culprits behind heart attack: hereditary factor,
high cholesterol level, smoking, lack of physical exercise, obesity especially
abdominal obesity, anxiety, stress and strain, diabetes, hypertension, high
concentration of Uric Acid in blood, changed life style adopted during
industrialization and urbanization of the society.
Dr.Noori came up with ten remedies to counter this malady: intake of balanced
diet having low fat contents, get rid of smoking, reduce tension, lose weight,
do regular exercise, control diabetes, uric acid level and hypertension, adopt
modest way of living as close to nature as possible and undergo early morning
meditation.
Dr.Noori solved the sphinx riddle of early morning heart attack which is best
known in the West as “Early morning.....mourning!” and countless thesis and
books have been written on this pre dawn tragic phenomenon. Dr. Noori told that
he conducted a survey while serving in Rawalpindi and found that 60% patients of
stroke, unstable angina and heart attack were admitted in hospital during 3am to
9am and the rest of 40% patients were registered in remaining 18 hours. He
disclosed that during morning time of sleep there is greater insurgence
(release) of hormones (e.g. corticotrophin, adrenaline, etc.) in blood due to
anabolic repairing activity of the body. These peptidal / steroidal hormones
increase circulation of blood and elevate blood sugar level and enhance
metabolism of water electrolytes, carbohydrates, proteins and fats. The Nature
has designed this “refilling activity” for a man to prepare his body for the
hectic activities of the day. But it is famous Latin maxim: “one man’s meat is
another man’s poison”. So a person suffering from Arteriosclerosis (Hardening of
arteries) cannot sustain this sublime energetic condition thus becomes
vulnerable and sometimes succumbs to heart attack. He further added when a blood
sample of a sleeping person was taken in the morning time, the platelets showed
enhanced stickiness, making blood thick. And such a thickness of blood is
dangerous for the cardiac patient, already suffering from constricted arteries
due to plaque deposit. He disclosed if a person gets up during this period of
time, 80% flow of hormones is stopped, blood pressure remains normal for the
next 6-7 hours, and as a result chances of heart attack are averted. That is
why! He recommended early morning meditation which has both rectifying and
soothing effect for the heart patients. This is another blessing of offering
Tahajjad (a midnight optional prayer) and Nimaz e Fajr (a morning prayer) in
addition to customary dedicated preference, excellence and reverence.
Dr.Noori was reluctant to disclose symptoms of heart diseases. Perhaps he was
protecting hypochondriac (one having too much anxiety about one’s health)
persons. However, he hinted that patients with heart disease usually complain
either of breathlessness, pain in chest or swelling of ankles. Other symptoms
such as dizziness, faintness or palpitation are more commonly associated with
anxiety or neurotic ill health. It is important to distinguish symptoms due to
organic disease from those which are due to associated anxiety. For example,
breathlessness may be due to disease of lungs; pain in the chest may be based on
psychoneurosis (a functional derangement especially with indirect expression of
emotional feelings) and not an organic disease and Oedema (swollen state of
tissue) may be due to disease of kidney. The most frequent cause of Oedema,
especially in woman, is incompetence of the venous valves of the lower limbs.
Whenever possible, therefore, objective evidences should be sought in
confirmation of the diagnosis.
In reply to this scribe’s question about effectiveness of vitamin E in heart
disease. Dr.Noori said: no doubt! Vitamin E has miraculous efficacy. Vitamin E (Tocopherols)
slows down the oxidative damage done to the human cells by the free radicals. In
this way, it acts as “anti aging agent”. Vitamin E scavenges free radical
reactions which are culprit behind the progressive cellular damage that results
in the diseases and death that accompany at an advancing age. Vitamin E promotes
oxygenation, which is the healthful use of oxygen for respiration, while
limiting oxidation, the harmful rusting of cells caused by free radicals, it
also prevents fats and oils from turning rancid rather oxidizes fats and oils .
Vitamin E also known as “muscle vitamin” repairs heart. Food sources which are
rich in vitamin E are green leafy vegetables, beans, wheat germ oil, lettuce,
egg yolk, etc. But its dose should not exceed 10mg per day because it is thought
that its mega doses cause colon and breast cancer. It is also good for
reproductive system. Its use may count as “food therapy” for heart diseases. Dr
Shoot of Canada was once a staunch believer of vitamin E efficacy to an extent
that he used to prescribe it in all types of heart diseases and treated a large
number of heart patients successfully.
At the end, Dr.Noori quoted Fuller; “Health is not valued till sickness comes”.
In the light of saying,he reprimanded all the gathering that never allow
coronary heart diseases(CHD) to enter the corridors of your bodies as if it
entered once, it will keep you at a pinch for the rest of your life. Goethe, the
greatest German poet, appears as a Cardiologist when he says: “Wounded heart is
hard to cure.” It is also said: “A stitch in time saves nine”. So all,
Pakistanis and residents of other parts of this mother earth, wake up , gird up
your loins and join hands together to demolish this deadly dreadful disease on
war footing, before it is too late. As all delays are dangerous in war and we
are already at war against this enemy-offender behind massacre of 17.3 million
Homo sapiens annually!