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You are worried about high blood pressure and cholesterol. Wondering if chest pains herald heart disease. However, you don’t even expect your gums to bleed into a heart attack or stroke.
Poland was included by the European Society of Cardiology among the countries with the highest risk of cardiovascular diseases. They are the main cause of premature mortality in our country. They kill an average of 476 people a day. The death rate resulting from these diseases is systematically decreasing, but is still one of the highest in Europe. Recent studies show that it is not enough to correct blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In many cases, despite stabilization of these parameters, the risk of heart attack and stroke is still high.
Hypertension and cholesterol levels
The most important risk factors for heart attacks and strokes remain: high blood pressure and too high cholesterol.
Controlling blood pressure is easier than cholesterol, because everyone can measure it at home. If it is incorrect, it must be lowered. For example, by changing the lifestyle, i.e. fighting overweight, quitting smoking and attending sports activities for at least one hour three times a week. Often you also need to start pharmacotherapy.
One in three adult Poles has hypertension, and as many as 3 million are not aware of it.
It is even worse with cholesterol, because to check its level you need to do a blood test. Meanwhile, according to the NATPOL 2011 analysis, more than half of adult Poles have elevated cholesterol levels, and every third of them is between 18 and 34 years of age. 65% do not know that their cholesterol levels are abnormal.
And it is he who mainly causes the formation of atherosclerosis, which is a disease of blood vessels. Cholesterol destroys their walls and causes plaques to form there, making it difficult and sometimes impossible for blood to flow. If the atherosclerotic plaque blocks the flow, the blood won’t go to the brain or heart, and the person suffers a stroke or heart attack. Lowering cholesterol is primarily a change of diet, i.e. the elimination of animal fats and pharmacological treatment.
Cardiovascular complications
– However, the risk of a heart attack and stroke still exists despite the reduction of blood pressure and cholesterol – said Prof. Tomasz Guzik, president of the Polish Society for Research on Atherosclerosis during the cardiological conference Current Recommendations for the Treatment of Lipid Disorders. They are increased by, among others chronic inflammation, which may be caused, for example, by periodontal diseases or rheumatological diseases.
Professor Guzik believes that every cardiologist should ask their patient if their gums bleed while brushing their teeth. If so, a dental consultation is necessary.
Since ordinary periodontitis increases the risk of fatal cardiovascular complications, they must be treated. In fact, every inflammation risk multiplies this risk. Prof. Marek Naruszewicz, the dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Medical University of Warsaw, adds that American research has shown that per million deaths caused by a heart attack or stroke – 100. took place during bacterial or viral infections. Therefore, patients with cardiovascular diseases during infection should be under special medical supervision.
Read more: How old is your heart? More than you!
Diabetes and Painkillers and the Risk of Stroke
The risk of heart attack and stroke is also greater in diabetic and obese patients. Prof. Guzik emphasized that there are supporters and opponents of various diets, but in fact, research shows that no matter which one the patient chooses, it is important to reduce the number of calories consumed.
5% of Poles suffer from diabetes and for this reason are treated, but several hundred thousand do not know that they have already fallen ill or are about to develop the disease. Prof. Tomasz Zdrojewski regrets that family doctors do not diagnose in detail patients who have slightly elevated blood sugar levels. “This could lead to early detection of this disease,” he said.
However, it is not only diabetes and overweight that multiply the risk. – The risk of a stroke increases the risk of overuse of painkillers, especially ibuprofen – said Prof. Naruszewicz. Meanwhile, Poles are leaders in Europe in the use of painkillers.
Mortality from cardiovascular diseases
Cardiovascular mortality is also high due to inadequate care of patients who survived a heart attack or stroke. The success of Polish invasive cardiology is the very low mortality around myocardial infarction. It is possible to save more and more patients with a heart attack. Poland ranks third in Europe in this respect. However, this success is being wasted by the lack of proper post-heart attack care. – In Poland, there is no profession of dietitian, because the National Health Fund does not finance such advice – says prof. Naruszewicz. There is no indication of how often a patient should have cholesterol check-ups after a heart attack. There is also no clinic for such patients. The results are that the effectiveness of treating patients after a heart attack is only 20-25%.
So if we do not improve care for patients after heart attacks and strokes, we will never catch up with Europe in terms of life expectancy.
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