“Even during vacation time, it is necessary to maintain regular care of the heart, exercise, avoid alcohol, not smoke and control your diet, choosing not to consume in excess of foods rich in sugar and fat. People should not abuse it just because they are on vacation, thus putting their hearts at risk”, explains João Brum Silveira, president of Portuguese Association of Cardiovascular Intervention (APIC).
APIC is promoting an awareness campaign for the prevention of coronary heart disease, called "Heart health does not take holidays", which aims to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle in summer.
The cardiologist also mentions that “the main coronary diseases, such as acute myocardial infarction, occur throughout the year, and summer is no exception. This forces us to remain alert to the importance of a healthy lifestyle as a way to prevent and protect heart health, but we also want people to continue to value and recognize the symptoms they should be aware of, such as chest pain, sometimes radiating to the left arm, back and neck, accompanied by sweating, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath and anxiety”.
In this type of situation, explains João Brum Silveira, “one must immediately call the medical emergency number – 112 and wait for the ambulance, which will be equipped with devices that record and monitor the activity of the heart and allow diagnosing the presence of a heart attack, for example".
Coronary heart disease is characterized by the accumulation of fatty deposits inside the arteries that supply blood to the heart. These deposits cause the arteries to narrow or block which causes a decrease in the levels of oxygen and nutrients reaching the heart muscle cells. The main coronary diseases are angina pectoris and acute myocardial infarction.
A Portuguese Association of Cardiovascular Intervention (APIC), a non-profit entity, its purpose is the study, investigation and promotion of scientific activities within the scope of the medical, surgical, technological and organizational aspects of Cardiovascular Intervention.
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