Timely DOH reminder: Keep lungs, heart healthy
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) has reminded the public to keep their heart and lungs healthy amid the holiday festivities following an increase in cases of asthma, strokes and other heart ailments in the past days.
Based on its monitoring, three patients died last week — two due to stroke and the third because of a heart attack.
Stroke cases also rose by 758 percent in a week — from 12 on Dec. 22 to 103 on Dec. 30, with most patients between the ages of 45 and 64.
Cases of acute coronary syndrome — a range of conditions related to sudden, reduced blood flow to the heart, including heart attacks — likewise went up, from two patients on Dec. 23 to 62 on Dec. 30, or a 3,000-percent increase. Most of the patients were from ages 55 to 74.
Hazardous smoke
The DOH also reported a surge in the number of patients admitted for bronchial asthma because of the smoke coming from ignited firecrackers.
Article continues after this advertisementFrom six cases on Dec. 22, the number of patients rose to 63 on Dec. 30—a 950-percent increase. Most of those admitted were children age zero to 9 years old.
Article continues after this advertisementREAD: DOH records 188 firecracker-related injuries
The DOH urged the public to maintain a healthy heart and lungs amid the holidays by exercising, avoiding fatty, sugary and overly salty foods, and limiting alcohol intake.
It also advised them to stay away from spaces filled with smoke, especially those polluted by firework residues, and to follow prescribed maintenance medications.
“Celebrating Christmas and welcoming the New Year should involve careful health decisions. Let us prioritize the well-being of our loved ones as we usher in the New Year,” Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said.
The DOH earlier urged the public to eat healthy foods and stay active to protect their heart from diseases, particularly the so-called “Holiday Heart Syndrome (HHS).”
HHS is a condition caused by excessive alcohol consumption, stress, lack of rest, and eating salty or fatty foods, which can increase blood pressure. Studies also show that HHS can occur even in individuals who rarely or never consume alcohol, but engage in binge drinking on occasion.
This may lead to arrhythmia or abnormal heart rhythms, a key cause of strokes, which can lead to death for those who do not receive immediate treatment.
