Experts at a seminar on Friday warned of rising heart disease in the country, saying that the disease has been emerging as a silent epidemic.
Every day, numerous individuals across the country are experiencing heart attacks and related complications, said the experts attributing the rise rates of the disease to factors such as unhealthy eating habits, smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, stress, obesity, and lack of exercise.
Pravartak Sangha, a social organization in Chittagong, organized the seminar titled 'Heart Attack: Remedy and Prevention' at Masterda Suryasen Auditorium.
Doctors, social workers, political figures, and journalists participated in the seminar where symptoms, prevention, and awareness of the heart disease were highlighted. Shri Indu Nandan Dutta, President of Promoting Association, Chittagong, chaired the seminar while Dr Shahadat Hossain, Mayor of Chittagong City Corporation, attended as the chief guest.
Ekushey Padak winning journalist, Dainik Azadi Editor MA Malek inaugurated the seminar.
During the seminar, the speakers highlighted that in the early stages of heart disease, patients may experience pressure or pain in the chest during physical activity. Symptoms may also include chest heaviness, pain spreading to the left arm, shoulder, or jaw, and discomfort in the upper abdomen. Such symptoms are often mistaken for gastric issues or general weakness, they said, adding that such symptoms could be early signs of a heart attack. As the condition progresses, symptoms like excessive sweating, shortness of breath, dizziness, or loss of consciousness may occur, they added.
Professor Dr Prabir Kumar Das, Secretary General of the Chattogram Heart Foundation and former Head of the Department of Cardiology at Chittagong Medical College Hospital presented the keynote, highlighting that accumulation of fat in the blood vessels leading to blockages is a major cause of heart attacks.
As the chief guest, Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain emphasized that the heart disease is a significant public health concern in Bangladesh, with a rising number of cases in both urban and rural areas. He pointed out that the consumption of excessive beef, including meat, in Chattogram, contributes to the prevalence of the heart disease, as excess fat and cholesterol lead to various health complications.
Other experts, including former Head of the Department of Cardiology at Chattogram Medical College Hospital Professor Dr AKM Manjur Morshed, former Head of the Department Dr Ashish Dey, Cardiologist Dr SC Dhar, and Professor Dr Md Anwarul Haque Chowdhury, also participated in the discussion.