Dr. Suat Günsel University of Kyrenia Hospital Cardiology Specialist Elif İjlal Çekirdekçi MD. made a statement on the occasion of annual Heart Week, which is celebrated on the second week of every April that even with provided factors all around the world such as improvements in education and income, industrialization, change in dietary habits and keeping contagious diseases under control, cardiovascular diseases are still a major cause of death and malformation both in developed and underdeveloped countries, and developing new approaches are coming forth.

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES IS AN IMPORTANT PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE
Çekirdekçi stated that 18 million people die as a result of cardiovascular diseases and it is predicted to reach 25 million by 2020. Elif İjlal Çekirdekçi stated that there are more than 3 million people in Turkey suffering from coronary heart diseases and it is known that every 4 death out of 10 is caused by heart related diseases. She also mentioned that cardiovascular diseases is an important issue of the society and remarked the importance of raising awareness.

“Hereby, Heart Week is celebrated annually on the second week of every April in Turkey and T.R.N.C as well as globally, in order to lay emphasis on cardiovascular diseases, raise awareness about heart health and help them acquire healthy habits.” said Cardiologist Elif İjlal Çekirdekçi and also stated that during heart week, the focus is on risk factors of cardiovascular diseases and warnings about how to raise those risks.

Çekirdekçi stated that among the risk factors of cardiovascular diseases, age, gender, genetics and ethnicity are considered in the group of “ unchangeable factors “ and that smoking, insufficient physical activity, salt consumption, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, metabolic syndrome, high blood lipid, high blood pressure and high blood sugar are among the changeable factors.

Elif İjlal Çekirdekçi stated that changeable risk factors must be the basic approach in fighting with cardiovascular diseases and emphasized the importance of supporting fight against cardiovascular diseases which causes death, malformation and major economic losses.