Coronary Artery diseases on rise in Asia: US expert

Chennai, Sep 25 (UNI) For medical professionals and those associated with Cardiac care, this would certainly be disturbing and alarming news as it comes on the occasion of World Heart Day (WHD).

An US expert today said by 2025, 90 per cent of Coronary Artery diseases would be in Asia and sub-Asia countries.

Speaking at a workshop on Continuing Medical Education programme on mental and surgical management of heart failures organised by the SRM Medical College Hospital to mark the WHD celebrations, renowned cardiologist Dr G H Mudge from Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, US, said ''it's a huge epidemic''.

While the prevalence of coronary artery disease has started to decline in US and other European countries. The number of cases have been increasing rapidly in South East Asian and Asian countries.

The risk factor has been growing fast among male population in the age group of about 35. ''Sedentary lifestyle, consumption of junk foods and fast foods, blood pressure, diabetis, high Cholestrol levels, consumption of any forms of tobacco, smoking and lack of exercises, are the main reasons for the increase in heart diseases, he added.

''What is more alarming is that incidence of smoking among young women is also on the rise and they too are becoming vulnerable to heart problems'', Dr Mudge said.

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