Heart disease and stroke are different in different places, but they have the same roots. Blood vessels are the common denominator. It occurs when a blood vessel becomes blocked or bursts. Nearly 60,000 people die every year, and 1 out of every 4 people in Korea dies from cardiovascular disease.
So how do you overcome cardiovascular disease? In this regard, I would like to introduce two of the most impressive points from the event hosted by Professor Kim Young-sik of the Department of Family Medicine.
When it comes to heart disease and stroke, screening doesn't help much
At least when it comes to heart disease and stroke, early detection screenings don't help much. Endoscopy says early detection and surgery for stomach and colon cancer can lead to a complete cure, but there is a lack of evidence that screening for heart disease and stroke can help improve survival. These include electrocardiogram, exercise stress test, echocardiography, carotid ultrasound, cardiac CT, brain MRA, etc.
Don't get me wrong. Screening here refers to normal people who don't have symptoms. If you are currently ill or have suspected symptoms, you should take these tests. But people without symptoms don't have to pay a lot of money each year to get tested for heart disease and stroke. In this case, there is no difference in the final result between those who received it and those who did not.
On the contrary, CT scans cost hundreds of thousands of won and are said to have 600 times higher radiation than chest X-rays. The argument is that exposure to large doses of radiation is not worth the cost. It was also said that there is no country in the world that excessively conducts CT scans and ultrasounds on asymptomatic normal people for early detection of heart disease and stroke like Korea.
Still, in response to the question of whether it would be helpful in the long run if it is detected early, for example, if it is known in advance that the narrowing of the blood vessels is caused by carotid ultrasound, the patient said, "Unless the narrowing is more than 70%, the patient's choice is the same whether to have an ultrasound or not," and "On the contrary, if the narrowing of the blood vessel is known in advance, it will only increase the mental distress of sensitive patients." In other words, the choice of treatment, such as drugs to prevent heart disease and stroke, is decided by a few simple conventional tests such as blood pressure and blood sugar, rather than expensive examinations such as ultrasound or CT scans, so there is no need for expensive checkups.
The bottom line is that, unlike early detection of cancer, screening for early detection of heart disease and stroke is of little benefit. If you are in a high-risk group, it would be better to consult your doctor and get it as an option, but if you are not a high-risk group and you don't have any symptoms, you don't have to go to the hospital regularly every year to get tests for heart disease and stroke, like an endoscopy.
What to do to prevent heart disease and stroke
What is the most important of the following 9 lifestyle tips to prevent cardiovascular disease?
1. Be sure to quit smoking
2. Reduce alcohol consumption to no more than one or two drinks a day
3. Eat brisk, even, and plenty of vegetables and fish
4. If possible, get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day
5. Maintain a healthy weight and waist circumference
6. Reduce stress and enjoy your life
7. Measure your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol regularly
8. Consistently treat hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia
9. Be aware of the emergency symptoms of stroke and myocardial infarction and go to the hospital immediately
The most common answers were smoking 1 and stress 6 times. However, Professor Kim Young-sik chose number 8. In other words, in order to prevent heart disease and stroke, the treatment of high blood pressure, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia is the most important. Just as colon cancer occurs through benign tumors called polyps, heart disease and stroke occur through stages of high blood pressure, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. Therefore, eliminating high blood pressure, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia alone can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Cigarettes, alcohol, diet, exercise, and stress are all important, but they do not directly trigger heart disease and stroke. In other words, even if you quit drinking and smoking, it is much worse to leave high blood pressure, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia untreated.
Let me clear it up. To prevent heart disease and stroke, remember two things. First, don't go through unnecessary and expensive checkups, and second, treat high blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol diligently with medication.
If you don't currently have diabetes, high blood pressure, or hyperlipidemia, it's right to try to improve your lifestyle by following the rest of the rules, such as quitting smoking, exercising, and abstaining from alcohol.
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