Cardiac disease Koreans’ third-biggest cause of death; best prevention includes not smoking


The news of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il’s death of myocardial infarction has brought the disease into the public view again.

According to Statistics Korea and the Ministry of Health and Welfare, cardiac disease is the third-biggest cause of death for Koreans behind cancer and cerebrovascular diseases. In 2010, 23,407 people, or 9.2 percent of all fatalities, died of heart disorders.

The U.S. National Institute of Health’s National Library of Medicine says a heart attack, the common name of myocardial infarction, is caused by a blood clot that blocks one of the coronary arteries. Coronary arteries bring blood and oxygen to the heart and if the blood flow is blocked, the heart is starved of oxygen and heart cells die, it said.

The NIH also says that heart attacks may occur when you are resting or asleep; after a sudden increase in physical activity; when you are active in cold weather or after sudden, severe emotional or physical stress, including an illness.

If the heart gets damaged so much that it cannot supply enough blood to the organs of the body, the body goes into cardiogenic shock, a medical emergency.

Chest pain is the most common symptom of a heart attack. Others include anxiety, coughing, fainting, light-headedness, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, palpitations, shortness of breath and heavy sweating.

Dr. Jung Hae-ok of Chung-Ang University Medical Center cites people’s change of diet as the main factor behind the increasing number of cardiac patients.

“Those with hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia obesity and smoking habits are very likely to suffer from cardiac disease, especially myocardial infarction. These ailments are known to be closely related with meat and fat consumption as well as other changing meal tables,” he said.

Doctors can detect myocardial infarction by hearing abnormal sounds in the lungs or spotting rapid pulse or high blood pressure. Taking an electrocardiogram is also a good way of diagnosis.

What’s most important in the case of a heart attack is to get to a hospital as soon as possible and get angioplasty. Drugs to break up the clots are also used.

But most of all, it is important to keep a healthy lifestyle.

“Keep control of your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol level. Eat abundant fruits, vegetables, whole grains and foods that contain a low level of animal fat. Exercise for more than 30 minutes a day, more than five days a week. Try to stay fit. Refrain from drinking alcohol: keep it to less than one glass a day for women and two glasses for men,” Jung said.

“Most of all, don’t smoke!” he added.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)