Heart attack, stroke patients urged to stay healthy

A survey suggests almost half of Hong Kong people who suffer a heart attack or stroke aren’t bothering to maintain a healthy lifestyle to reduce the chance of it happening to them again.

The Hong Kong College of Cardiology (HKCC) said that along with five other groups, it interviewed 551 patients and 264 carers from June to August this year. Forty-five percent of the patients said they did not stick to a healthy diet or lifestyle.

Dr Chan Ngai-yin, a former president of the HKCC, said about 43 percent of cardiovascular disease patients suffer a relapse within two years.

He said many patients have a lack of awareness regarding the problems of high blood sugar, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and many don’t take rehabilitation classes to reduce the risk of further health problems.

“Disappointingly, both in Hong Kong and in other parts of the world, only around 20 percent of eligible patients attend rehabilitation classes. Some patients may not be aware of the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation. They think they have taken all the drugs and they are fine,” he said.

Chan suggested that the government could help raise awareness of the importance of rehabilitation.

The HKCC said there was a 7.3 percent increase in the number of people dying from cardiovascular diseases in 2020, compared to the year before.