“Listen to your heart” is the advice they usually say. But literally, what does your heart say? Listen to the beat. Is it normal, fast or slow? Whatever it may say, give it a check-up because you will need a healthy heart to give all your love this season.
February may be the heart’s month, but it is also the time when we should be reminded on our heart’s status through deliberate and conscious cardiac examination.
The Department of Health (DOH) revealed that cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including heart attack and stroke, are among the top 5 causes of death in the country. CVD refers to a class of ailments that affect the heart and the blood vessels. These ailments actually account for a staggering 17.5 million deaths each year.
Feb-ibig is Philippine Heart Month
With these cases, the Philippine Heart Month is being celebrated every February as a reminder to promote awareness of heart diseases as a serious and growing health concern in the country. Through Presidential Proclamation No. 1096, the celebration served to encourage public support for the advocacy of promoting cardiovascular health and wellness.
In its 47th year of constant celebration, the DOH has been running the program for healthier living. Information about topics like cardiovascular wellness and cardiac disease prevention are elaborated and highlighted throughout the Philippine Heart Month.
With such, the DOH encourages everyone to practice healthy lifestyle like managing stress, eating healthy foods, maintaining proper weight, avoiding alcoholic drinks, and avoiding cigarette smoking.
Health Alert! Increased Sagada CVD cases
In Sagada, Mountain Province, cardiovascular disease is among the top 10 recorded cases at the Rural Health Unit (RHU). Based on statistics, people who have hypertension are ranging from 30 years old to 70 years old.
According to Carol Batnag, rural health nurse, people having hypertension are “getting younger and younger”. In fact, one patient died at 27 years old.
As of January 31, 2020, there are six recorded cases of Cardiovascular Diseases in the RHU.
Sagada laid interventions to increase awareness
To intensify the heart’s campaign, the RHU emphasizes proper diet, and regular exercise. The RHU is holding the “Hataw Program”, a series of exercises done to the tune of upbeat music, every Thursdays of the month from 3:00- 4:00 pm. This was introduced by the DOH to promote healthy lifestyle and to protect the health of health personnel.
Moreover, the RHU conducts information drives and lectures on different heart diseases and symptoms and prevention control such as having heart check-ups and staying away from bad habits.
Further, the Community Social Development Team (CSDT) composed of Barangay Officials, Barangay Health Workers, teachers, religious groups and other stakeholders monitor blood pressures (BPs) quarterly.
The CSDT roams all over its area of responsibility from houses to houses to monitor the blood pressures of 15 years old and above. For those patients who have hypertension, the CSDT do house service to monitor their BPs and their compliance with the prescribed intake of their medicine. With these, CSDT does case finding and they refer those patients who have serious condition that needs medical attention to the RHU.
“Those people, especially the senior citizens, have their BPs checked every week while others preferred to have their BPs checked every day voluntarily and even their weights are monitored,” said Batnag.
Further, she encouraged everyone to practice a healthy life style through following the health protocols of the DOH especially avoiding smoking and drinking too much alcohol, and having a regular exercise and practicing a healthy diet.
Be generous to your heart. Show your care and love for family by going for a healthy lifestyle to maintain a healthy heart, preventing it from having cardiac or other heart diseases. Understanding the risk factors associated with heart disease is an important step to prevent yourself or your love ones from having heart diseases.
Let us take care and maintain the beating of the most hardworking organ in the body—our heart.** Keryl Jane Taguiba, BSU-DevCom Intern
