The most dangerous forms of these diseases are myocardial infarction, which occurs due to impaired blood supply to the heart muscle, and stroke, characterized by an acute disruption of blood flow to the brain.
A worrying fact is that these diseases are increasingly affecting the younger generation. According to specialists from BCHS, cases of heart attacks and strokes among Kyrgyz citizens aged 20-30 are becoming more common.
Both conditions develop suddenly when blood vessels become blocked, resulting in blood not reaching vital organs.
The main risk factors include:
- smoking;
- excessive alcohol consumption;
- unhealthy diet and excess weight;
- lack of physical activity;
- hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol;
- chronic stress.
Medical experts emphasize the importance of paying attention to alarming symptoms.
Symptoms of a heart attack:
- sensation of pain or heaviness in the chest area;
- pain that may radiate to the arm, shoulder, jaw, or back;
- shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness;
- cold sweat, pallor, general malaise.
Symptoms of a stroke:
- sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm, or leg (usually on one side);
- speech disturbances, difficulty understanding;
- vision problems;
- dizziness, loss of balance, severe headache;
- loss of consciousness.
“Cardiovascular diseases can develop unnoticed; however, many of them can be prevented. Prevention starts with a conscious approach to nutrition, physical activity, and regular medical check-ups,” the BCHS reported.
It is worth noting that cardiovascular diseases in Kyrgyzstan rank first in terms of mortality, accounting for more than 52 percent of all cases.
