Healthy Hearts, Healthy World: Celebrating World Heart Day

Every year on September 29, the world comes together to observe “World Heart Day”, dedicated to raising awareness about cardiovascular health and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Our hearts, those tireless organs that work around the clock to keep us alive deserve our attention and care. World Heart Day serves as a global reminder of the importance of heart health and the steps we can take to protect it.  

World Heart Day is primarily focused on educating people about the signs and symptoms of cardiovascular disease to prevent any additional difficulties and motivating individuals to adopt a healthy lifestyle to prevent and control heart-related illnesses.

The Significance of World Heart Day

The heart is the engine of our bodies, pumping oxygen-rich blood to every corner, sustaining life. Cardiovascular diseases like heart disease and stroke remain the leading causes of death globally. It affects people of all ages and backgrounds, often with devastating consequences, but here’s the hopeful part, many of these diseases are preventable. 

The World Heart Day theme for 2023 is “Use Heart, Know Heart”, which is a message to people all over the world to take good care of their hearts. The subject highlights the need to first understand one’s own heart because one can only love and defend that which they are aware of. The goal of the day is to break down barriers and give people to take charge of their health in a society where policies are either weak or nonexistent and knowledge about health is scarce. As the theme of the day suggests, when we know more, we can take better care of ourselves.

History Of World Heart Day

Former World Health Federation President Antoni Baie de Luna Proposed the idea of having a global heart day, and as a result, World Heart Day was formed in 1999 with the support of the World Health Organization.

On September 24, 2000, the world experienced the first recognized World Heart Day commemoration. On the very last Sunday in September, the day carried out its goal of raising awareness about the management of cardiovascular disease until 2011. Global leaders all over the globe got together in 2012 with the global of reducing non-communicable disease mortality worldwide by 25% by 2025. To encourage people to actively support this cause, the 29th of September was designated as World Heart Day. On this day, more than 90 nations organized awareness activities to inform and educate the public about cardiovascular health.

The Power of Prevention

Preventing heart disease and related ailments begins with understanding the risk and making conscious choices. On World Heart Day, let’s reflect on the steps we can take to protect our hearts:

• Eat healthy food by consuming fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Limit salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats.
• Stay active and aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week.
• Quit smoking as it is a major factor for heart disease.
• Limit your alcohol, and do so in moderation.
• Manage stress by finding healthy ways to cope with stress, like relaxation techniques and hobbies.
• Go for regular check-ups. Schedule routine check-ups to monitor blood pressure, cholesterol, and family history of heart disease.
• Stay informed and keep up-to-date with heart health information and research.

Medical Developments Impacting Heart Care

Medical advancements have significantly impacted heart care over the years, revolutionizing the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cardiovascular disease. Here are some key Development that have made a substantial difference in heart care:

• TAVR treatment for patients with aortic stenosis
• Watchman treatment for patients with AFib
• HeartFLow FFRct Analysis to better visualize heart disease
• MitraClip treatment for patients with a leaky mitral valve

Global Impact, Local Actions

World Heart Day is not just about individual health, it’s about global solidarity. It’s a reminder that by taking care of our hearts, we contribute to the well-being of communities worldwide. It’s a call to action for governments, healthcare providers, and individuals to work together to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease.

This World Health Day, let’s make a promise to ourselves and our loved ones to cherish our hearts and protect them. Let’s commit to making heart-healthy choices every day, not just for our own benefits but for the health and vitality of our global family.

“Join the movement and celebrate World Heart Day”. Together we can ensure that more hearts beat stronger, and longer.

Reference

• https://world-heart-federation.org/world-heart-day/about-whd/
• https://www.who.int/southeastasia/news/detail/28-09-2023-world-heart-day-2023