PHA: Ischemic heart disease top killer in 2020, 2021

As the nation celebrates Valentine's Day, the Philippine Heart Association reminds the public that keeping the heart whole does not only involve staying away from toxic people, it is keeping one's body healthy too.

Citing the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the PHA said the top killer diseases in the country in 2020 and 2021 were ischemic heart disease and COVID-19.

The PSA said ischemic heart disease was the leading cause of death at 18.7% of the total deaths in the country during the first half of 2021.

Due to this, the PHA urged the public to incorporate the new 5-2-1-0-0 or the five servings of vegetables and fruits, 2 grams of salt, 1-hour exercise, zero smoking, and zero sugary drinks.

However, the association noted that five servings of fruits in one day are not recommended for those with erratic glucose levels.

"Fruits have high glucose content thus people with sugar level issues have to watch their fruit consumption," it said.

The PHA also urged the public to refrain from downplaying angina, which can be a symptom of a heart attack and stroke.

Angina is usually a pain or discomfort in the center of the chest; pain in the arms, left shoulder, back, elbows and jaw; shortness of breath; nausea, vomiting, numbness of one side of the body; loss of balance and coordination, excruciating headache and fainting.

“People tend to forget that what matters most is the heart[.] Did you know that it takes 40 years to have heart disease?” PHA president Dr. Gilbert Vilela said in a statement.

He said prevention is still the best option as he urged the public to practice self-care and stay away from habit-forming indulgence.—AOL, GMA News