Cardiologists have revealed that heart diseases among young people have seen an increase since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic that led to partial lockdowns and implementation of curfews to ease the spread of the virus.
Mediheal Group chair, Dr Swarrup Mishra, speaking during the World Heart Day celebrations, stated that heart diseases are on the rise and more people are in need of surgeries.
Experts at the event raised alarm over the number of young people suffering from cardiovascular diseases in Kenya.
The doctors stated that the disease has seen a sharp increase due to the restriction of movement and also unhealthy eating habits as people stay indoors most of the time.
“Incidences of cardiac diseases, prevalence and incident are increasing day-by-day. Both emergency and elective surgeries would be needed more to solve these issues which have seen a sharp increase during the Covid-19 pandemic," Dr Mishra explained.
Cardiologist Dr Sumit Modi stated that studies have linked the rising cases of cardiovascular diseases to the pandemic and urged young people to take care of their hearts.
Kenyans have been working tirelessly to put food on the table as they battle the prevailing economic hardships resulting from the effects of the pandemic.
A report by Professor Francesco Cappuccio of Warwick Medical School indicated that Kenyans working the night shift were at higher risk of contracting heart diseases.
Working overnight and not getting enough hours of sleep could cause numerous health-related complications that could reduce one's life expectancy rate. Heart diseases are one such example.
Working for long hours, according to Prof Cappuccio's report, deprives one of enough sleep and disrupts the normal patterns, resulting in inhibition of normal heart rhythm and may lead to cardiovascular diseases such as ischemic heart disease, coronary heart disease and Atrial Fibrillation - commonly known as Afib.
"If you sleep less than six hours per night and have disturbed sleep, you stand a 48 per cent greater chance of developing a heart disease and a 15 per cent greater chance of developing a stroke," Prof Cappuccio warned.
