Sanjeev Kumar Patro

 

Bhubaneswar: On the occasion of World Heart Day today,  the heart sinking fact is a significant 26-28 per cent of deaths in the age group of 40 years and above are attributed to heart ailments in Odisha.

The total deaths due to heart-related disorder in Odisha had crossed 9,000 in 2018  from around 7,000 in 2011. Deaths due to heart-related sickness account for nearly one-third of total deaths recorded in Odisha last year.

While Ischemic Heart disease takes the highest toll of deaths in the State, deaths triggered by other forms of heart ailments like myocardial infarction and Rheumatic Heart disease share a lesser burden.

In the mortality burden, hypertensive heart disease in the State has emerged  as the closest 2nd to Ischemic Heart disease.

What is Hypertensive Heart Disease? This condition refers to heart disease caused by high blood pressure. The heart working under increased pressure causes heart disorders like heart failure, thickening of the heart muscle, coronary artery disease, and other conditions.

As per a Lancet study on prevalence of heart disease in Odisha, which was released last year, the study based on data for the period of 1990 - 2016  shows Odisha figured among the top 5 states in the country having high prevalence of Rheumatic Heart disease. And Odisha figured among the top-15 states in the country in Ischemic Heart Disease prevalence.

What is Ischemic Heart Disease? Ischemic heart disease, also termed as coronary heart disease (CHD) or coronary artery disease, is a condition where the supply of blood to the heart muscle  gets affected primarily due to narrowing of heart (coronary) arteries that supply blood to the heart muscles. This is mainly caused due to rising cholesterol level in blood by virtue of higher dietary oil intake.

What is Rheumatic Heart Disease? It is a condition in which the heart valves get permanently damaged by rheumatic fever. This condition develops when the streptococcal infection such as strep throat or scarlet fever are left under treated or untreated.

A glance at district-wise prevalence reveals the enormity quite well. The latest data available with the State nodal centre for non-communicable diseases discloses how mere ten districts together account for around 80 per cent the total heart ailment mortality burden in the State.

While Mayurbhanj tops the chart by accounting for over 25 per cent of the total heart-related deaths in the State last year, nine other districts like Balangir, Nayagarh, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Jajpur, Kalahandi, Dhenkanal, Puri, Sonepur, Kalahandi and Balangir followed it.

In hypertension prevalence, Keonjhar leads the chart as nearly one-fifth of its rural population are affected by hypertension. The average hypertension affected populace in Keonjhar is high at around 20 per cent.

Kendrapada with around 13 per cent of its population recording abnormal blood pressure follows it. Mayubhanj comes third with over 11 per cent affected by abnormal blood pressure.

 

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