[attach id=263268 size="medium"]Cardiac surgeon Alex Manche: “I am very saddened to see young people smoke when so much robust evidence is available... we have seen tremendous progress since the 1980s but the fight is ongoing.” Photo: Matthew Mirabelli[/attach]
Experts have warned against complacency despite a report which showed a dramatic decline in heart disease deaths in Malta in the past 30 years.
According to a study about trends between 1980 and 2009, cardiovascular disease death rates have more than halved in many EU countries, thanks to cholesterol-lowering drugs and initiatives to persuade people to quit smoking.
During this period, Malta saw a 57 per cent drop in death rate for men and a drop of 62 per cent for women, according to the study which appeared in the European Heart Journal.
Malta, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and the UK had the largest decrease in mortality rate, while among men in Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, the decline was not statistically significant. In Romania, there was a small increase.
Cardiac surgeon Alex Manche said this was a very important epidemiological study.
“Malta has done very well indeed during this study period... We are up there among the five top nations in Europe. For this we should be congratulated,” he said, adding that these results reflected a concerted effort from many quarters, including the medical profession, the government, and the Maltese population.
We must tackle child obesity, and the disappointingly low levels of exercise
He noted that the major factors leading to this decline in mortality were prevention and treatment. Prevention was down to education and the implementation of a healthy lifestyle. Many middle-aged people stopped smoking and others have been protected from passive smoking.
“The management of cholesterol has been very aggressive in recent years with widespread advice on diet, exercise and blood analysis, followed up by drug treatment and regular review. The management of hypertension and diabetes has also made great strides.
“We should not underestimate the significant impact of a comprehensive cardiac service that has been around since 1995. Acute interventions during a heart attack as well as revascularisation strategies including stenting and bypass surgery have proven their value over these years,” Mr Manche said.
And yet cardiovascular disease remains the number one cause of premature deaths in Malta.
The study highlights early warning signs like rising rates of obesity and diabetes that may reverse this positive trend in the future.
“Here we should be extremely vigilant and learn from other countries’ experiences. We must tackle child obesity, and the disappointingly low levels of exercise generally and especially in the young.
“The spectre of a rising incidence in diabetes will undoubtedly produce a negative effect. Personally, I am very saddened to see young people smoke when so much robust evidence is available... We have seen tremendous progress since the 1980s but the fight is ongoing,” he said.
Registered nutritionist and occupational therapist Daniela Cassola reiterated that the dramatic decline is good news but we must not rest on our laurels.
She too said that decline is the direct result of improvement in medical care, the advancement in detection and treatment of high cholesterol and high blood pressure, and the increase in smoking prevention efforts.
The main lifestyle behaviours that increase heart disease include smoking, poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption and physical inactivity.
“Studies have shown we still have a long way to go to improve our diet and increase our physical activity levels to the recommended 30 minutes at least five days a week.
“Some, unfortunately, erroneously believe that medications are a magic bullet and that if, for example, you’ve been prescribed cholesterol-lowering medication, you can continue to lead an unhealthy lifestyle,” Ms Cassola said, adding that although awareness about the importance of a healthy lifestyle has increased, it does not equate to a change in behaviour.