Respected All,

Today is September 23 and all of the world is celebrating World Heart Week. All key heart institutes of Pakistan are celebrating this occasion today and First Aid to Save a Life Pakistan is also celebrating this day and have declared this week as World Heart Week and will continue their this community service for public awareness.

This is special post of the week and the only reason is to discuss Million Hearts Campaign on World Heart Day. Million Hearts is an initiative (by USA government and not by Pakistan) to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes over the next five years. We can have this sort of campaign in Pakistan but need resources, planning, vision, commitment and support from government, private sector, professionals and civil society to have one such result oriented campaign and we are hopeful that one day we shall be celebrating a very own national level campaign to prevent heart diseases.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCD) are the top cause of death worldwide, killing more than 36 million people in 2008, according to a new report released by the World Health Organization. Cardiovascular diseases were responsible for 48 percent of these deaths, cancers 21 percent, chronic respiratory diseases 12 percent, and diabetes 3 percent.

We can also achieve this goal by encouraging healthy lifestyle choices and also increasing aspirin use among people at risk, blood pressure and cholesterol control, and smoking cessation.

Million Hearts aims to improve heart disease and stroke prevention by:

• Improving access to effective care.
• Improving the quality of care.
• Focusing more clinical attention on heart attack and stroke prevention.
• Increasing public awareness of how to lead a heart-healthy lifestyle.
• Increasing the consistent use of high blood pressure and cholesterol medications.

We’re all at risk for heart disease and stroke. People of all ages, genders, races, and ethnicities are affected. Many of the people who are at high risk for heart attack or stroke don’t know it. Talking to your doctor about your heart health and getting your blood pressure and cholesterol checked are important first steps to reduce your risk. Many other lifestyle choices—including eating healthy, exercising regularly, and following your doctor’s instructions about your medications can all help protect your heart.

Preventing 1 million heart attacks and strokes in the next five years will require the work and commitment to change from all of us. There are steps that each of us can take to reach this goal as a nation. Be one in a Million Hearts and see how your actions can make a positive difference. A Million Hearts begins with you.

What Individuals can do?

PREVENT heart disease and stroke in your family by UNDERSTANDING the risks.

GET UP and GET ACTIVE by exercising for 30 minutes on most days of the week.

KNOW your ABCS:

• Appropriate Aspirin Therapy
• Blood Pressure Control
• Cholesterol Control
• Smoking Cessation

STAY STRONG by eating a heart-healthy diet that is high in fresh fruits and vegetables and low in sodium, saturated and trans fats, and cholesterol.

TAKE CONTROL of your heart health by following your doctor’s instructions for medications and treatment.

What employers can do?

EMPOWER your community by supporting activities that help people access high-quality health care, manage their conditions effectively, get active, eat healthy, and stay smoke-free.

INCREASE awareness of heart disease and stroke and their risk factors to empower your employees to take control of their heart health.

IMPLEMENT smoke-free air policies at worksites to help smokers quit and keep nonsmokers tobacco-free.

SUPPORT efforts to reduce sodium and eliminate trans fats in the food supply, including food served or available at worksites.

To Your Health and Safety,

Faisal Javed Mir & First Aid to Save a Life Pakistan

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