The rising number of people affected by heart disease in Barbados has led to a call for swift action from both policyholders and the public.
Health and wellness advocate Dr Vicki Estwick, delivering the feature address at Friday’s World Heart Day event at Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre hosted by the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados, revealed that 556 heart attack cases were recorded at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in 2022, 14 per cent of which were repeat cases accounting for one in six people affected.
She also stated that one out of every three people did not leave the hospital alive.
Estwick said the figures, which she described as staggering, painted a deeply troubling problem that required systematic intervention.
“The numbers are not pretty, the numbers are staggering and something needs to be done.
“There is a lot of stuff that good governance needs to put in place for us to really have an adequate response to heart disease . . . . We have a lot of meetings and a lot of speeches but we need to do more than just tick boxes,” she said.
Estwick’s caution follows the results of the recent Global Health Estimates released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday, which showed that in 2023, non-communicable diseases represented eight of the ten leading causes of death, accounting for 33 million of the 61 million deaths worldwide.
It listed cardiovascular diseases, ischaemic heart disease and stroke and respiratory conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lower respiratory infections.
Estwick urged the public to prioritise health check-ups, especially with hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors being so prevalent in the country.
“Many symptoms go unnoticed and so many people go undiagnosed because they don’t go to a doctor. Some symptoms are very non-specific. You may be feeling tired, exhausted or feeling a little sleepy and light-headed.
“Females and persons with diabetes and other conditions that may affect how your nerves work actually do not get the typical chest pain. Sometimes it shows up as heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, just feeling unwell, feeling a little light-headed and you tend to blame it on something else, not realising that actually this may be a sign of heart disease,” she said.
The doctor noted that good health was defined by WHO as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
“So, that means that if you’re walking around saying, ‘I’m healthy, there’s nothing wrong with me’, then nope. That’s not what healthy means because if you are stressed and you don’t have any diseases, then you’re not healthy.”
Lifestyle changes beginning from an active and healthy routine were recommended as solutions to stave off the effects of non-communicable and cardiovascular diseases. Estwick said these shifts in behaviour should be approached gradually.
“Make small, sustainable changes. Don’t go and throw everything out your fridge and decide you’re exercising six days a week. I can guarantee you by next week, you’re not going to be doing it. Ten minutes, two days a week. Add in a small salad to the food you eat right now. When you get accustomed to that, things will be simpler.”
Mental well-being was another important point of focus for people with chronic diseases, she said, with statistics showing that one in five people who have chronic disease have experienced some episode of depression.
“The one that is close to my heart that we don’t pay attention to a lot is equity and social determinants of health. There’s a study called the Global Government Review in London where they showed that your life expectancy literally depended on your economic status.
“People with more money live longer and had a better quality of life. Not surprising, but this is an inequality that can happen even in a smaller place as Barbados, unfortunately, so we need to do more,” she added.
Chief executive officer of the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados, Greta Yearwood, noted that as heart disease and stroke continued to affect families, it was important for individuals to take responsibility for their own health and for parents to make healthier choices for their families.
“We are seeing the impact of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity and unhealthy eating habits. Sometimes people do not know that they are at risk until their health gives them a very serious warning.
“We believe that people need more than information. They need opportunities, support and practical tools to take action. Through community outreach and health education, we encourage people to understand their risk factors and make healthier choices,” Yearwood said. (JRN)
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