Avoiding Heart Attacks and Strokes

[Pages:48]Avoiding Heart Attacks and Strokes

Don't be a victim Protect yourself

CANADA

U S A

BAHAMAS

MEXICO

CUBA

TURKS & CAICOS (UK)

GUATEMALA

JAMAICA BELIZE

HONDURAS

DOMINICAN REP. HAITI

ST KITTS & NEVIS

EL SALVADOR NICARAGUA

ST VINCENT & GRENADINES GRENADA

ANTIGUA & BARBUDA DOMINICA ST LUCIA

BARBADOS

COSTA RICA

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

PANAMA

VENEZUELA GUYANA SURINAME

COLOMBIA

ECUADOR

PERU BRAZIL

BOLIVIA

CHILE

PARAGUAY

URUGUAY ARGENTINA

Deaths from coronary heart disease

Number of deaths from coronary heart disease 2002

ICELAND

NORWAY

SWEDEN

FINLAND

UNITED KINGDOM

DENMARK

ESTONIA

LATVIA LITHUANIA

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

IRELAND

NETH.

BELARUS

POLAND

BELGIUM

GERMANY

CZECH REPUBLIC

SLOVAKIA

UKRAINE

LUX.

REP.

FRA NC E SWITZ.

AUSTRIA

HUNGARY

MOLDOVA

ROMANIA

SLOVENIA BOSNIA &

S. MARINO

HERZEGOVINA

CROATIA

SERBIA & MONTENEGRO

BULGARIA

PORTUGAL

ANDORRA SPAIN

MONACO

ITALY ALBANIA FYR MACEDONIA

GREECE

MALTA

500 000 and above 100 000?499 999 10 000?99 999

RUSSIAN FEDERATION 674 881

KAZAKHSTAN

MONGOLIA

1000?9999 less than 1000 no data

Top 3

1 531 534

highest number of deaths from coronary heart disease

CAPE VERDE MAURITANIA

SENEGAL GAMBIA

GUINEA-BISSAU GUINEA

SIERRA LEONE LIBERIA

MOROCCO

TUNISIA

GEORGIA

ARMENIA TURKEY

AZERBAIJAN

UZBEKISTAN KYRGYZSTAN

TURKMENISTAN

TAJIKISTAN

CYPRUS

LEBANON ISRAEL

SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC

IRAQ

I S L . R E P . AFGHANISTAN IRAN

CHINA 702 925

DPR KOREA

REP. KOREA

JAPAN

ALGERIA

LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA

MALI

NIGER

BURKINA FASO

NIGERIA

CHAD

JORDAN

KUWAIT

EGYPT

BAHRAIN QATAR UAE

SAUDI ARABIA

OMAN

SUDAN

ERITREA YEMEN DJIBOUTI

PAKISTAN

BHUTAN NEPAL

INDIA 1 531 534

BANGLADESH MYANMAR

LAO PDR VIET NAM

THAILAND

CAMBODIA

MARSHALL ISLANDS KIRIBATI

PHILIPPINES

VANUATU

NAURU TUVALU

SAMOA

COOK ISLANDS

FIJI

NIUE

TONGA

GHANA TOGO BENIN

C?TE D'IVOIRE

CENTRAL AFRICAN

EQUATORIAL CAMEROON GUINEA

REPUBLIC

SAO TOME GABON

& PRINCIPE

CONGO

DEM. REP. CONGO

ANGOLA

ETHIOPIA

UGANDA

SOMALIA

KENYA RWANDA

BURUNDI UNITED REP. TANZANIA

COMOROS

MALDIVES SEYCHELLES

SRI LANKA

BRUNEI DAR. MALAYSIA SINGAPORE

PALAU

INDONESIA TIMOR-LESTE

MICRONESIA, FED. STATES OF

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

SOLOMON ISLANDS

ZAMBIA

MALAWI

ZIMBABWE

NAMIBIA BOTSWANA

MOZAMBIQUE

MADAGASCAR

MAURITIUS

SOUTH AFRICA

SWAZILAND LESOTHO

AUSTRALIA

NEW ZEALAND

Avoiding Heart Attacks and Strokes

Don't be a victim ? Protect yourself

WHO Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

Avoiding heart attacks and strokes : don't be a victim - protect yourself.

1.Heart arrest - prevention and control. 2.Cerebrovascular accident - prevention and control 3.Popular works I.World Health Organization.

ISBN 92 4 154672 7

(NLM classification: WG 300)

? World Health Organization 2005

All rights reserved. Publications of the World Health Organization can be obtained from WHO Press, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland (tel: +41 22 791 2476; fax: +41 22 791 4857; email: bookorders@who.int). Requests for permission to reproduce or translate WHO publications ? whether for sale or for noncommercial distribution ? should be addressed to WHO Press, at the above address (fax: +41 22 791 4806; email: permissions@who.int).

The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement.

The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers' products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the World Health Organization in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Errors and omissions excepted, the names of proprietary products are distinguished by initial capital letters.

All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health Organization to verify the information contained in this publication. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either express or implied. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the material lies with the reader. In no event shall the World Health Organization be liable for damages arising from its use.

This booklet has been produced by WHO, World Self Medication Industry (WSMI), World Heart Federation (WHF), and International Stroke Society (ISS). It is intended for a global audience, and cannot therefore address the specific cultural, dietary and lifestyle situation of different countries and populations. It is hoped that national professional associations will translate and adapt it for local use. Translations in French, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic are in preparation.

Printed in France

Contents

Why you should read this booklet

4

Key messages

5

Part 1. What you should know

6

1. Understanding heart attacks and strokes

7

What is a heart attack?

7

What is a stroke?

8

What causes heart attacks and strokes?

9

2. Preventing heart attacks and strokes

11

How poor lifestyle choices increase the risk

11

The physical problems that can result from poor lifestyle choices

12

Tips for reducing your risk

14

3. What are the signs of a heart attack and what should you do?

15

Major heart attack

15

What to do if you are having a heart attack

15

Angina

15

What to do if you are having an angina attack

16

Treating a heart attack

16

4. What are the signs of stroke and what should you do?

18

Major stroke

18

Minor stroke

18

What to do in the case of a stroke

19

Treating stroke

19

5. Other heart diseases

21

Heart failure

21

Congenital heart disease

22

Rheumatic heart disease

24

Part 2. What you can do

26

6. Stop using tobacco

27

7. Improve your diet

29

8. Stay active and control your weight

31

9. Reduce high blood pressure

33

10. Reduce high blood sugar

35

11. Reduce high blood fat levels

38

Annex. Medicines for treating and managing heart attacks and strokes

40

Explanation of terms used in this booklet

42

Contributors

44

Why you should read this booklet

You probably know someone ? in your family or among your friends ? who has had a heart attack or a stroke (a brain attack). These cardiovascular diseases ? diseases of the heart and the blood vessels ? are killing more and more people around the world, striking rich and poor alike. Those who survive a heart attack or stroke often need to take long-term medical treatment. If you have ever had a heart attack or stroke, or had to care for someone who has, you will know that these diseases can seriously affect the life of both the patient and his or her family. The effects can even reach beyond the family to the community. Yet so many heart attacks and strokes could be prevented. That is why you should read this booklet. This booklet explains why heart attacks and strokes happen and how you can avoid them. It tells you what you should do to avoid becoming a victim. It gives you guidance for your children too. A lot of the damage to the blood vessels starts at a young age. Children often need help to develop healthy habits, like eating a balanced diet and being active. If you are at high risk, there is advice on the signs to look out for and what you can do to reduce your risk. If you have already had a heart attack or stroke, there is advice on how your condition can be treated and controlled, and how you can improve your quality of life. Following the advice in this booklet may mean changing your habits and routines, and that is often not easy. It helps to get lots of encouragement and support from your friends and family, and from your health care team. This booklet is not meant to take the place of your doctor, but by reading it, you are taking a positive step towards better health.

4

Key messages

1. Heart attacks and strokes are major killers in all parts of the world. But they can often be prevented.

2. You can protect yourself from heart attacks and strokes by investing a little time and effort.

3. Tobacco use, an unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

4. Stopping tobacco use reduces the chance of a heart attack or stroke from the moment you stop.

5. Engaging in physical activity for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week will help to keep away heart attacks and strokes.

6. Eating at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day, and limiting your salt intake to less than one teaspoon a day, can help to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

7. High blood pressure has no symptoms, but can cause a sudden stroke or heart attack. Have your blood pressure checked regularly.

8. Diabetes increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. If you have diabetes, control your blood pressure and blood sugar to minimize your risk.

9. Being overweight increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. To maintain an ideal body weight, take regular physical activity and eat a healthy diet.

10. Heart attacks and strokes can strike suddenly and can be fatal if assistance is not sought immediately.

5

What you should know

1. Understanding heart attacks and strokes 2. Preventing heart attacks and strokes 3. What are the signs of a heart attack and

what should you do? 4. What are the signs of stroke and what

should you do? 5. Other heart diseases

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