Coronary
artery disease (CAD) is considered as one of the deadliest illnesses in the Philippines
So
deadly because blood flow to the heart is restricted due to hardened or
narrowed arteries.
Narrowing
of the arteries may be due to plaque, which is made up of fat, cholesterol and other substances
found in the blood.
When
the plaque builds-up, the process is called atherosclerosis.
The
narrowed arteries constrict the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart and if
left untreated, CAD may lead to angina or worse, heart attack.
Symptoms
of angina include chest pain
or discomfort and feeling of tightness or heaviness in the chest.
Pain
may also occur III the shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or
back, and may even feel like indigestion.
Heart attack
occurs when the heart
muscles are deprived of oxygen
and become damaged, which can lead to serious problems and even death.
The National
Nutrition and Health Survey conducted by the Food
and Nutrition Research Institute of
the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST)
in cooperation with 14 medical societies and the Department of Health
reported that 22.5 percent or two in ten Filipino
adults 20 years old and over showed a
higher risk of CAD based on
the anginal symptoms of chest pain, heaviness and tightness.
The results further
revealed that angina based
on symptoms was common among
females and among
those living in
rural areas.
On
the other hand, the
prevalence of CAD based on history of
previous diagnosis by a doctor or nurse was 1.3 percent, indicating that only a
small proportion of adults were diagnosed with CAD.
This alarming
problem which affects about 11,000 Filipino adults needs
to be urgently addressed by government and planning bodies
to prevent and control fatal heart disease among
Filipino adults, according to Ms. Charmaine A. Duante, Senior
Science Research Specialist of the FNRI-DOST.
Another
type of atherosclerotic-related
disease which was included
in the said survey was the peripheral arterial
disease (PAD) and stroke.
The cause
of PAD is also atherosclerosis where a person may have a higher risk to heart attack, stroke and
ischemic heart disease.
PAD was determined based
on symptoms of calf pain with a prevalence of 4.2 percent, while stroke was based on
previous history with a prevalence of 1.2 percent.
The proportions of adults aged 20 years old and over who had angina based on symptoms have almost doubled from 12.5
percent in 2003 to 22.5 percent in 2008.
This alarming trend is a wake-up call, given the widely-recognized body of evidence on the prevalence of these
diseases, Ms. Duante further added.
For more information on food and
nutrition, contact Dr. Mario V. Capanzana, Director, Food and Nutrition Research
Institute, Department of Science and Technology, General Santos Avenue Taguig City
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