In Colombia, there were 46,349 and 52,291 deaths from ischemic heart disease in 2020 and 2021, respectively. These include 35,088 and 42,011 due to acute myocardial infarction, and 1,298 and 1,465 due to chronic ischemic heart disease.[1]
Given the increase in deaths caused by these pathologies, there is a need for the different actors that make up the health sector – patients, health technology companies, pharmaceutical companies and the government – to work in an articulated manner to mitigate the impact of various diseases that affect the proper functioning of the heart.
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In that order of ideas, the patients themselves must ensure that they lead a healthy life with habits that reduce the risk of developing a heart disease, as well as maintaining a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, protein, healthy fats, that fit in the best way to their conditions; likewise practice physical activity and avoid sedentary lifestyle; and follow the instructions of your doctor regarding the generalities and care of your cardiac pathology.
Similarly, technology and pharmaceutical companies play an important role as they guarantee access to increasingly precise and personalized medical equipment and treatments. Hence, investing in research, infrastructure and health technology will always be an effective path when it comes to improving patient care and providing adequate diagnosis and treatment. All this with the aim of optimizing processes, avoiding breakdowns in care, in service times, and of course, reducing the number of diagnoses and deaths due to heart disease.
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On the other hand, the health sector must work hand in hand with the government to establish public policies that can include expanding in the national territory in order to prioritize the care of people who are suffering from a disease or who have already been diagnosed, since the Attention time is a key factor in these scenarios.
September is the month dedicated to becoming aware of the habits, roles and purposes within society in order to work together and have a positive impact on the chain of actions that can trigger heart disease.
That is why I would like to extend an invitation so that each actor contributes from his place and in a conscious way to achieve more efficient processes that lead to better care and less impact of this pathology in Colombia and the world.
[1] DANE. (2022). Vital Statistics (EEVV). P34. https://www.dane.gov.co/files/investigaciones/poblacion/bt_estadisticasvitales_defunciones_Itrim_2022pr.pdf
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