SSUET organize World Heart Day seminar

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The future generation needs to be protected against cardiac disorders from early life by adopting heart-healthy living. 

“It is threatening that the number of patients with cardiac disorder is growing rapidly and has also emerged as a prime killer among women claiming one life in three deaths,” Prof Dr Jawaid H. Rizvi, Vice-Chancellor, Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET), Karachi, observed while speaking at the World Heart Day seminar organized by the university’s Quality Enhancement Cell on Cardiac Health Awareness to create awareness against heart problems. 

The 2013 World Heart Day highlights a life-course approach to the prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and shows what actions can be taken through a person’s life to reduce the risk. 

“People have a fair opportunity to prevent the future impact of heart diseases by enabling heart-healthy living from childhood throughout life,” the Vice-Chancellor emphasized He described sedative life style in modern era as one of the major factors for heart disease and stroke adding that “if you want to live with a healthy heart, you should prevent yourself from exposure to lack of physical activity, an unhealthy diet, stress and tobacco smoke etc.” 

Speaking on the occasion, renowned Cardiologist Dr Kashif Shaikh pointed out heart attack at young age is more dangerous than the older age. He warned people to go to the doctor immediately if they feel chest pain. He also advised to take 300 mg aspirin in emergency before going to the doctor or hospital. 

He said that in diabetes risk of getting heart disease or stroke gets double informing that the LDL cholesterol can only be controlled by through exercise and the human body gets 60 % of cholesterol from diet, but 40% of it is produced by the body itself. 

He extended warning against smoking pointing out that some 4200 particles in smoking are extremely poisonous to the body, emphasizing that cigar and sheesha were more dangerous than cigarettes and advised every one to go for daily 30-minute walk. 

Farzana Amir Hashmi, a senior Rehabilitation consultant, focused on diet and said heart disease and stroke can be monitored and prevented through diet control. She remarked that a housewife played an important role in the control of heart disease and prepare food with minimum salt and oil while people should avoid using margarine cheese, butter and other oily or deep fried food. 

Earlier Prof Dr M A Haleem, Chairman Biomedical Engineering Department, SSUET, welcomed the participants and guest speakers, and discussed interaction of engineering principles with biomedical sciences. He emphasized on holding of academic programs for the benefit of biomedical engineering students.