Contents
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Poles have started to neglect their hearts. Living under chronic stress, we have forgotten how much they like regular checkups, Mediterranean diet and exercise. Fortunately, this year’s edition of the nationwide preventive and educational campaign “Servier for the Heart” reminds us of that …
Pandemic on the rise
Fear for oneself and those of loved ones, burdening social isolation, and uncertainty of tomorrow have dominated our lives for the last year and a half. In addition to the direct threat of the coronavirus, it quickly turned out that the pandemic has other dangerous health consequences, especially for chronically ill patients who avoided medical facilities for fear of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, did not visit a doctor with alarming symptoms , discontinued treatment and gave up check-ups or preventive examinations. Among these people, a special group is made up of patients with cardiovascular diseases, who have been responsible for almost half of all deaths in Poland for many years!
It is estimated that already at the beginning of the pandemic, the number of life-saving interventions in invasive cardiology centers decreased by as much as 30%, and at the same time the number of patients with serious complications of a heart attack caused by delaying calling for help doubled. In this context, the so-called “Cardiological health debt”, which will translate into an increase in the number of deaths from cardiovascular causes.
The disturbing trend of avoiding contact with a doctor is confirmed by the results of the public opinion poll “The condition of Poles’ hearts during the COVID-19 pandemic”, carried out by KANTAR Polska for the purposes of the 2th edition of the national preventive and educational campaign “Servier dla Serca”. Almost half of respondents suffering from cardiac disease and type 79 diabetes admitted that adherence to medical recommendations has become more difficult than before the pandemic. Every fifth patient experienced the need to change the appointments or examinations, which in most cases did not result from the patient’s decision (XNUMX%).
Our current lifestyle has also clearly deteriorated – we have stopped regular physical activity, and our spontaneous non-exercise activity (NEAT – Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) has decreased. Additionally, we did not pay attention to what we eat and chronic stress has become an inseparable companion of our lives.
From the beginning of the pandemic, prof. dr hab. Marcin Grabowski, spokesman of the Polish Society of Cardiology:
With the advent of the pandemic, there is an increasing number of patients with chronic diseases who have uncontrolled circulatory and metabolic parameters, are less physically active, deviate from the principles of healthy eating, less frequently follow the rules of preventive health care and are more often exposed to chronic stress. It starts innocently, but when this set is combined with ignoring the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension, overweight or type 2 diabetes, in the long run, neglect in the area of cardiac prophylaxis may lead to a heart attack or stroke, or the development of heart failure. .
Threat number one
The numbers that show that chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, remain the biggest threat to public health. The data published by the Central Statistical Office show that, from the beginning of the pandemic, i.e. from March 2020 to December 13, 2020, 372 people died in Poland. people, i.e. by almost 20 percent. more than in the corresponding period in 2019.Coronavirus was responsible for the death of 22,7 thousand. people, and the remaining 36,1 thous. include emergencies, deaths due to undetected chronic diseases, and deaths of patients in whom standard treatment and monitoring pathways have been disrupted.
Increased health vigilance (including awareness of risk factors), proper control of chronic diseases and maintaining continuity of therapy are important for one more reason – for people with the so-called With comorbidities, the virus is especially dangerous. Previous studies have shown that the lack of blood pressure control correlates with a more severe course of COVID-19 disease, while poor glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes is even associated with increased mortality. Hence, apart from constant contact with a doctor (in the form of a telepath or a traditional visit), it is so important to take responsibility for your health and control your circulatory and metabolic parameters yourself at home. Self-control can really save our lives.
The heart has its own needs
Each of us can do a lot for the heart – starting with primary prevention, i.e. implementing healthy habits. Our hearts will thank us for increasing the amount of vegetables and fruit in the diet, regular physical activity and taking care of healthy sleep. It is equally important to correct modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases such as smoking, overweight and obesity.
Cardiological patients should under no circumstances stop their treatment and give up taking medications prescribed by their doctor. It is worth remembering that the vast majority of them require laboratory control (drugs for hypertension, antidiabetic drugs). As part of self-control, the following parameters should be monitored: pulse, blood pressure, blood sugar, weight. It is particularly important to maintain systematic contact with the doctor, possibly in the form of traditional visits, or teleporting.
However, in the event of emergencies, often life-threatening, there is nothing to wait for! Waiting for an acute cardiac condition can have dire consequences, including an increased risk of death. Patients who come to a cardiology center within the so-called From the onset of coronary pain, have a chance of avoiding a heart attack or will benefit most from invasive treatment.
For the sake of hearts for 18 years
The “Servier dla Serca” campaign, aimed at increasing the social awareness of Poles in the field of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and related risks, has been organized continuously for 18 years. As part of the 19th edition of the campaign under the slogan “Mission to Protect the Heart during the COVID-2 pandemic”, type 10 diabetes, which in the context of cardiovascular diseases, is an interdisciplinary challenge, was also devoted for the first time. This is evidenced by the numbers: after 2 years of type 19 diabetes, every seventh patient (approx. XNUMX%) develops a recent heart attack. In turn, among patients admitted to hospital with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), two-thirds have impaired glucose tolerance (diabetes or pre-diabetes).
Due to the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic, the activities planned as part of the campaign were moved to the Internet.
During this year’s edition of the Campaign, we are launching the “Mission to protect the heart during the COVID-19 pandemic”, transferring most of our activities to the online platform. There will be, however, elements characteristic of the “Servier for the Heart” campaign: free preventive examinations – this time at the Servier Virtual Clinic and consultations with a cardiologist in the form of a telepath, as well as educational materials on type 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart attack presented in an attractive video formula with the participation of a well-known and popular pair of actors – Mr. and Mrs. Katarzyna and Cezary Żaków, as well as a practical downloadable e-guide entitled “How to take care of the heart and circulatory system in the COVID-19 pandemic”, prepared for patients and people at risk of diseases cardiology – explains Ewa Ciepałowicz, Junior CSR and Internal Communication Manager at Servier Polska, representative of the organizer of the preventive and educational campaign “Servier dla Serca”.
www.dbajoserce.pl
facebook.com/dbajoserce
instagram.com/dbajoserce/