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Directior of the T&T Heart Foundation Dr Pravinde Ramoutar is urging people to avoid becoming another statistic of diabetes, health disease or hypertension by leading healthy lifestyles.
Delivering brief remarks at the foundation’s annual walk held at Palmiste Park, San Fernando, on Saturday, Ramoutar said the foundation’s aim is to educate people about heart disease, what they could do about heart disease and how they could prevent it.
He said this was important because approximately 2,500 people die each year from diseases of the heart arteries known as pulmonary artery disease.
“That accounts for 21 per cent of all deaths in the country for the year and that is the leading cause of death in T&T. It has been like this for the last 12 years. Among the countries of the world we are at 45th.”
He said the second leading cause of death is diabetes. “In 1980 diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in T&T. Today 2000 people die from diabetes per year or 17 per cent of all deaths. This places us third in the world and diabetes is now the second leading cause of death in T&T currently.”
However, he said with a healthy lifestyles, exercise and weight loss one can prevent or delay the onset of heart disease and diabetes.
Urging people to get screened, he said, “We want to get people to know their numbers. Your blood pressure, blood sugar, blood cholesterol, and what is your Body Mass Index.”
Ramoutar said hypertension is a silent killer because most people are unaware that they have the medical condition.
He said worldwide 30 per cent of people suffer with high blood pressure. “By controlling your blood pressure, finding out what your blood pressure is, getting control of it, you can prevent heart disease, you can prevent stroke and you can prevent kidney diseases.”
Ramoutar said the walk is not only an attempt to get people to exercise, but also an opportunity for people to get screened so they will be aware of their numbers.
Foundation director Skafte Awardy encouraged people to exercise and be healthy. “A walk two and a half km 20 minutes a day can make a difference in your heart health, reduce the risk of strokes, heart disease, diabetes and make you a better person.”
Participants were given free screening for high blood pressure, sugar, cholesterol and BMI, as well as HIV testing. Body massages were also available.