Janjivan Bureau
Tiruannatpuram: Kerala smokers spend a staggering Rs.226 crore for treating cardiovascular diseases, said a study. The report is based on a one-year study on ‘Economic Burden of Tobacco Related Diseases in India’ conducted by the Public Health Foundation of India with support from the union ministry of health and family welfare, and the World Health Organization. The amount was the aggregate of four major tobacco-induced ailments in Kerala, contributing to 51 percent of total direct medical costs. Significantly, the total direct medical costs from tobacco-induced cardiovascular diseases in Kerala is the highest among south Indian states, another recent report said.
The report covers both direct medical costs and indirect morbidity costs of four specific diseases – cardiovascular diseases, cancer, tuberculosis, and respiratory diseases. The direct medical cost from tobacco-related heart diseases in neighboring Tamil Nadu is 46percent, while that in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka it is respectively 48 and 40 percent. The study, whose results were released on Monday,estimated the economic costs for people in the age group of 35-69 in 2011. Direct medical costs include patients’ healthcare expenditure in hospitals or visits to outpatient facilities for medicines, diagnostic tests, and surgeon’s or medic’s fees.
Indirect costs accrue from expenses on transportation, lodging for caregivers and loss of household income due to hospitalisation
besides costs from premature deaths. The economic burden study has suggested a host of measures to deal with the tobacco menace. These include strengthening the implementation of Indian tobacco control laws and imposing uniform taxes on all tobacco products like cigarettes and bidis. It has also recommended prohibition of sale and manufacture of all forms of smokeless tobacco products/chewable tobacco, and push for high-visibility public awareness campaigns to consistently reach out to various target audience.
In this day and age of constant strain and pressure to deliver on deadlines and survive amidst the increasing competition; one
unconsciously picks up an unhealthy lifestyle. The common man is much more well acquainted and alert about the symptoms of conventional heart attacks that include chest discomfort or pain, cold sweat and extreme weakness. However, there exists an increasing segment of the population – women, diabetics and the always stressed working class that often becomes victims of silent heart attacks.
A silent heart attack is one in which the patient faces no or a typical symptoms. Some people have later recalled their silent heart
attack as a mistaken case of indigestion, nausea, muscle pain or a bad case of the flu. The reason for this is that the vagueness of the symptoms and the new trend of early incidence of the disease. Silent heart attacks are also common in the elderly because of their inability to clearly identify heart attack symptoms. With World Heart Day being just around the corner, there is an exigent need to create the required awareness for this problem.
The key to recovering from a heart attack is the speed in which the patient has received their treatment. In the case of a silent heart attack, because the patient is not aware of the infarction, valuable time is wasted, and the heart becomes permanently damaged.cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke, are the world’s number one killers, claiming 17.5 million lives a year globally. In the WHO South-East Asia Region, cardiovascular diseases cause an estimated 3.7 million deaths annually, one fourth of all deaths. One third of these deaths from cardiovascular diseases is premature and occurs among those aged less than 70 years. The majority of premature deaths due to cardiovascular disease can be prevented through simple measures such as consuming a healthy diet, engaging in regular physical activity, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, and by
managing stress.
The theme for World Heart Day on 29 September 2015 – ‘Healthy heart choices for everyone, everywhere’ – is a reminder of the impact that our environments can have on our ability to make the best choice for a healthy heart. It is a call to all sectors of government and society to create heart-healthy environments and provide heart-healthy choices
for all individuals, where they live, work and play. Examples of heart healthy environments include the availability of healthy food, smoke-free zones and avenues for physical activity. Such heart-healthy choices can be provided in public spaces, schools, workplaces and communities.