ISLAMABAD: Renowned cardiologist Major General (Retd.) Dr. Azhar Mehmood Kayani Sunday advised the public for taking timely preventive measures to control the danger of heart attacks in winter and stress for creating more media awarness drives
to reduce the death rate from CVD.
Talking to PTV news channel, Dr Kiyani said winter weather and winter weather activities, particularly shoveling snow, increase a person’s risk of a heart attack due to overexertion, adding, laziness is a main root cause of heart diseases and people should adopt a healthy lifestyle as well as take exercise to protect themselves from cardiac diseases, especially in the winter season.
He explained that cold temperatures cause your blood vessels to constrict or get more narrow, adding, if we have a healthy cardiovascular system, this blood vessel constriction should no cause problems, adding, but if we have coronary artery disease (plaque in your arteries), it may lead to a blockage in the artery, which could cause a heart attack.
He said everyone needs to take precautions when they are in a cold environment, adding, precautions are especially important if we have a heart problem.
Dr Kiyani suggested that fruits and vegetables are a great source of important vitamins and minerals that strengthen your immune system and increase your resistance to illnesses like pneumonia, flu, and the common cold.
To a question, he replied that obesity by itself is a risk factor for developing cardiovascular diseases as it increases the risk of development of diabetes and hypertension, which in turn increases the risk of heart attack.