Here is a fact that may shock many – an average of 34 people have heart attacks and 23 people die from heart disease daily in Singapore, according to Health Minister Mr Ong Ye Kung as he labelled heart disease a “notorious silent killer”. Mr Ong was speaking at the launch of Project RESET, a five-year government-funded research initiative that will gather data on lifestyle and genetic information from participants aged between 40-70 with the aim of developing preventive measures against heart diseases.
The statistics are clear. On a global scale, an estimated 17.9 million lives, about 32% of deaths are attributed to cardiovascular disease, making it the leading cause of global deaths. More alarmingly, it is estimated that one in three Singaporeans may have underlying early heart disease that remains undetected.
Tackling the causes of heart diseases can be challenging, arteries can clog up slowly unbeknownst to us due to accumulating factors including unhealthy food intake, lack of physical activity and genetic predisposition. Health and fitness are not the same. An individual living a healthy lifestyle should not be lulled into thinking they are completely healthy.
Professor Roger Foo, a senior consultant at the National University Heart Centre, Singapore, cites a study of marathon runners. While these athletes may clock in very quick timings, their arteries, liver and metabolism may not be what you expect. Many underlying health factors are at play when it comes to cardiovascular health.
Sources
CNA Online 29/9/2023
Straits Times Online 29/9/2023