After AIDS and cancer, a new awareness campaign will draw the attention of the Moroccan civil society to another health concern: myocardial infarction, more popularly known as heart attacks.
Morocco is home to alarming numbers of people who suffer from health troubles directly linked to heart attacks, including 10,000 hypertensive, 1.5 million diabetics, and 5 million people suffering from obesity. Ph: Archives.
The awareness campaign, due to continue over the rest of 2006, was announced during a press conference which brought together a number of specialists who debated cardiology emergency difficulties and the problem of the citizens' lack of awareness concerning the importance of quick action in dealing which such health issues.
"A person who is sent to hospital one hour after the attack has 99% of chances to regain a healthy heart," said Pr. Ahmed Bennis, head of the Cardiology Department in the Ibn Rochd University Hospital Centre of Casablanca.
All participants agreed that heart attacks can be considered as the prime health concern in Morocco. In fact, our country is home to alarming numbers of people who suffer from health troubles directly linked to heart attacks, including 10,000 hypertensive, 1.5 million diabetics, and 5 million people suffering from obesity.
As for the rates of myocardial infarction, participants noted with much concern the absence of any up-to-date figures about the issue. The only available data, which go back to 1994, show that myocardial infarction is the top cause of mortality among adults in Morocco.
The conference was also attended by other specialists, including Ahmed Hamani, cardiology professor and head of the Cardiology Department in Rabat's Mohammed V Military Hospital, Houcine Louardi, Head of the Emergency Department in the Ibn Rochd University Hospital Centre of Casablanca.
About the disease
A myocardial infarction occurs when the blood supply to one part of the heart is interrupted. This is due to the slow accumulation of cholesterol and fibrous tissues on the inner lining of a coronary artery, leading to the obstruction of blood flow.
The danger of the attack varies according to the largeness of the affected area of the heart and the emergency of hospitalisation, but heart attacks are usually life-threatening.
The disease's symptoms generally appear in the form of thoracic pain spreading to the left shoulder, neck and the jaws. This may be accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, weakness, and occasionally loss of consciousness. A heart attack is not predictable and can hit at any age.
However, nicotinism, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, hypertension, in addition to unchangeable factors like heredity, age, and sex, can raise the risks of having heart attacks. Men and women are equally exposed to the danger of the disease, except that smoking women become more vulnerable.
By Kaoutar Tbatou
© Morocco Times 2006
