Before, it was not surprising that people in the older age bracket were the most common victims of cardiovascular diseases.
But not anymore, according to Dr. Regidor Encabo, the Executive Officer of the Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC) Cardiovascular Institute. He cited the long-running perception that cardiovascular diseases only occur among adults aged 60 above. This has changed already since the number of young people developing these diseases has been on the rise in recent years. “That is why it is vital that people learn how to identify and manage heart disease risk factors,” Dr. Encabo said.
The CSMC recently held a webicon titled “Where Do Broken Hearts Go? Broken Heart Syndrome and Other Cardiovascular Diseases You Didn’t Know You Might Have,” to promote increased awareness of cardiovascular diseases that are becoming more prevalent, and encourage regular heart check-ups among adults regardless of age. During the event, CSMC cardiologists underscored the importance of knowing about the typical symptoms linked to common cardiovascular diseases, as well as how to address and prevent them.
A top killer in the country
The head of the CSMC Preventive Cardiology, Clinical Lipidology and Hypertension unit, Dr. Lourdes Ella Santos, cited that Ischemic Heart Disease or cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the country, according to the Philippine Statistical Authority (PSA) in 2018. The factors that influence in having cardiovascular disease include the non-modifiable ones like age, sex, genetic disorders and history. There are also modifiable risk factors that can be changed or prevented like smoking, sedentary lifestyle, diet, dyslipidemia or increase in cholesterol, hypertension, inflammation, diabetes, and obesity. “It is important to change these because they contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease.”
She said that nothing can be done with the non-modifiable risk factors, so individuals must focus on managing the modifiable risk factors since these can also contribute greatly to the development of cardiovascular diseases if left unchecked. This is where consulting with a preventive cardiologist comes in.
“The role of a preventive cardiologist is to help individuals minimize these risk factors in order to prevent the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases,” Dr. Santos said.
“According to the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology, a team-based care approach is an effective strategy for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, and this is one of the options being offered by the Preventive Cardiology Center of Cardinal Santos,” Dr. Santos added.
The Achy-Breaky Heart
CSMC’s Critical Care and Heart Failure Unit Head Dr. Rochelle Regina “Rucci” Cruz, meanwhile, talked about heart failure—what it is, how it occurs, what can cause it, and how it can be prevented.
She said there are two types of heart failure—heart failure with reduced left ventricular function or reduced ejection fraction, or when the heart is unable to pump out enough oxygen-rich blood needed by the rest of the body, and heart failure with preserved left ventricular function or preserved ejection fraction, where contractility is normal, but the heart’s chambers get thicker, resulting in lesser amount of blood going into the heart.
According to Dr. Cruz, the most common causes of heart failure include hypertension; coronary artery disease, which results from the buildup of cholesterol in the arteries; and faulty heart valves, where the heart has to work harder in supplying blood to the body, to name a few.
“The best way to prevent these is through good physical and mental health, as well as minimizing stress levels. Regular visits to the doctor are also important in keeping heart failure at bay,” she said.
She added there are many risk factors for heart failure, such as family history, hypertension, obesity, advancing age, excessive alcohol intake, diabetes, smoking, inactive lifestyle, and sleep disorders. But there is also one equally important risk factor, which is severe stress that causes stress-induced cardiomyopathy or more popularly known as “Broken Hearts” syndrome.
“Broken Hearts” syndrome is a form of sudden heart failure triggered by extreme emotional trauma. “It is not a myth, folklore or in today’s street parlance ‘hugot.’ It really happens, believed to be caused by a person’s reaction to physically or emotionally stressful events.”
The body’s response to it is to release stress hormones that temporarily decreases the heart’s ability to pump. The American Heart Association said women are more prone to it (probably because they are more emotional) compared to men and are linked to events such as separation or loss of a loved one. Though recovery is easier, Dr. Cruz said it should also be treated with the right medication to manage the patient’s stress, especially during this pandemic.
“This means that in addition to physical health, it is also important to prioritize mental health and stress levels because somehow they are interconnected. And if the symptoms mentioned are being felt, consult a doctor for proper physical examination to find other signs of heart failure,” Dr. Cruz said.
Creating coverage options
Finally, Dr. Ariel Miranda, the Chairman of CSMC’s Cardiovascular Institute, discussed several reasons why people do nog want to consult medical professionals when it comes to the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The biggest of these, says a CSMC study, is the financial challenges involved.
“One particular important thing why patients do not want to go to the hospital is because they know that they will spend a lot of money,” Dr. Miranda said. “A lot of Filipinos take a long time to decide. Even those who get admitted to the ER due to heart attack, they still can’t decide if they would want to undergo treatment because they’re thinking of the expenses.”
He then hoped that stakeholders in the medical industry will be able to work together in creating coverage options that will help Filipinos with this problem when treating cardiovascular diseases. “We want it so that when a patient visits us, we can assure them that they are covered.”