Cardiac Death Rate in Iran is Twice that of Asia

Mohammad Aghajani, Deputy for Treatment at the Iranian Ministry of Health, stated on Wednesday at a conference that the mortality rate due to heart failure in the country is twice that of the cardiac death rate in Asia. According to Mehr News Agency, Aghajani mentioned the results of a study conducted two years ago, stating that the prevalence of heart disease among the population over 60 years old in Iran is 8 percent. He emphasized that the prevalence of heart failure in Iran is higher than the Asian average, which ranges from 1.3 to 6.7 percent. Aghajani also announced that three-quarters of cardiac deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, adding that most heart diseases are preventable through lifestyle changes. He identified tobacco, unhealthy foods, and alcohol as risk factors for heart diseases and stated that a healthy diet, weight control, and physical activity can prevent the onset of heart diseases. Mohammad Hossein Ghaderian, educational deputy of the Medical Genetics Department at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, previously mentioned in an interview with Fars News Agency that genetics accounts for 50 percent of heart diseases. The health official warned about the high prevalence of heart failure in Iran compared to Asia, stating that according to World Health Organization statistics, 17.5 million people die from heart diseases annually, with 7.4 million of those deaths caused by coronary artery disease. Aghajani emphasized that heart failure is on the rise worldwide, with 20 million people affected globally. He linked the prevalence and incidence of heart failure to aging, noting that 6 to 10 percent of the population over 65 years old suffers from heart failure, according to WHO statistics. He stated that the incidence of heart failure doubles every decade. Aghajani also highlighted that the cost of treating heart failure is twice that of cancer treatment.