Health
TOP KILLERS
Your kin slayers
Know the deadliest diseases of the Pinoy family
By Hazel Pascual
Richard is a 35-year-old badminton coach and plays the sport almost everyday. One time, he felt shortness of breath, sat down after playing, then suddenly collapsed. Good thing he was rushed at once by his badminton pals to the nearest hospital; or else he could have been another one of the 70,000 Filipinos who die of heart disease each year.
Heart attack and stroke are the leading killer diseases of Filipinos. These predators take away our loved ones and shatter dreams. There are a lot of misconceptions about heart disease and stroke as well. For instance, Richard thought that as long as he exercised and did not smoke, he was healthy. He did not control his diet, which was comprised of a lot of lechon, bagoong, patis, and fastfood. Don't be as oblivious to these facts. Read on to find ways to protect yourself, your family, and friends.
Heart Disease
Heart disease is number one killer of both Filipino men and women. There are different types of heart diseases like rheumatic heart disease, hypertension with heart involvement and Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) or heart attack. Many people die of heart attack and this happens when an artery becomes blocked, preventing blood that carries oxygen and nutrients from getting to the heart. With inadequate oxygen supply, an area of the heart muscle dies, or is permanently damaged.
According to Rafael Castillo, MD, past president of the Philippine Heart Association, some heart attacks are unexpected and severe but most start slowly, with slight pain or discomfort. Those that are affected aren't quite sure what's wrong, and they get help when it's already too late. The following are signs that can mean a heart attack is occurring: Discomfort at the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes or that goes away and then comes back. It may feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing pain, a tight band on the chest or "an elephant sitting on your chest."
 Discomfort or pain in other areas of the upper body like in the jaw, teeth, neck, one or both arms, stomach, or back
Shortness of breath, which may occur with or without chest discomfort
Other signs like breaking into cold sweat, cough, nausea or vomiting, lightheadedness or dizziness, and fainting
"If you or someone with you is experiencing these symptoms, don't wait. Go to a hospital right away," cautions Dr. Castillo. "If you are the one having these signs, don't drive yourself to the hospital unless you have no other option."
During the physical examination, the doctor will usually observe a rapid pulse. Blood pressure may be high, low or normal. Using a stethoscope, the doctor may hear crackles in the lungs, heart murmurs, or other abnormal sounds.
Vascular System Diseases (Stroke)
Diseases of the vascular system are number two on the death list, which include cerebrovascular disease or stroke, atherosclerosis, and aortic aneurysm. Among Filipinos, stroke or "brain attack" is the most common and this occurs because of lack of bloodflow to the brain ("ischemic stroke") or in some cases, bleeding in the brain ("hemorrhagic stroke"). According to the American Stroke Association, blood vessels in the brain are damaged, become blocked due to fat deposits or a wandering blood clot, blocking the flow of blood to a part of the brain. If there is a lack of blood, which carries oxygen and nutrients, brain cells die causing permanent damage.
The warning signs of stroke include:
Unexpected numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Severe headache without any known cause
Swallowing difficulties or drooling
Rapid trouble seeing in one or both eyes, uncontrollable eye movements, eyelid drooping
Sudden dizziness or vertigo (spinning sensation), difficulty in walking; there is loss of balance or coordination.
Abrupt confusion; there is trouble in speaking, reading, writing or in understanding speech.
Personality changes, mood changes like depression or apathy
If you or someone with you is experiencing these signs, act fast and head to the hospital immediately. Getting treatment at once can save the victim's life and reduce chances of disability. Ideally, the patient must receive therapy within three hours from when the stroke began. Treatment varies, depending on the cause of stroke and its severity. For virtually all strokes, hospitalization is needed, with intensive care and life support.
A person may also have a "mini-stroke," which occurs for a short time when less blood than normal goes to the brain. A "mini-stroke" is a sign of a full stroke to come so it is important to know the signals.
High blood pressure is the primary reason that you may have a stroke. The risks of stroke include increasing age, family history of stroke, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes and heart disease. These are also part of the risks for heart disease. (See "Your Risk Factors for Heart Disease.")
Some medications may increase the chances of clot formation, and consequently, the risks of stroke. In addition, cocaine use, alcohol abuse, head injury, and bleeding disorders increase the chances of bleeding into the brain.
For those who survive a stroke, only 10 percent recover most or all functions. The majority experience long-term disabilities. Therefore, the best protection is to prevent a stroke from happening by:
Getting screened for high blood pressure at least every two years, especially if you have a history of high blood pressure
Having your cholesterol checked
Treating high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease if present
Following a low-fat diet
Losing weight if you are overweight
Avoiding excessive alcohol use—no more than 1-2 drinks per day
Exercising regularly
Quitting smoking
Final Advice
Heart attack and stroke are both life and death emergencies, where every second counts. Today, heart attack and stroke victims can benefit from new medications and treatments like clot-busting drugs that help stop the progress of heart attacks and stroke, reducing disability and saving lives. However, to be effective, these drugs must be given quickly after the heart attack or stroke symptoms appear. That is why you should not delay and get help right away. At least Richard's friends knew this and that's what saved him. For Richard, everything is back to normal, including his sex life.
» Health archive
Men's Health Philippines - June 2006 Issue
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