Cardiovascular illnesses threaten mid-lower classes

Cardiovascular illnesses threaten mid-lower classes

Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Generally known as a frequent cause of death for wealthy people,
cardiovascular diseases are now afflicting people in the middle-
lower income brackets in Jakarta.

"There has been a switch in the economic background of
sufferers of cardiovascular diseases. While in the past, most
sufferers were from among the rich, during the last few years
many are from the middle-lower class," president director of the
National Cardiovascular Center at Harapan Kita Hospital Dr. Aulia
Sani told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

"People with middle-lower incomes are now easily stressed due
to the economic hardships they face. In the meantime, smoking is
still a habit for many people," he said on the sidelines of the
opening of the National Cardiovascular Center Harapan Kita.

Life was becoming more difficult for middle-lower income
people, he said, which led to stressful conditions that could
cause cardiovascular diseases.

Aulia said that wealthy patients now only made up the majority
of sufferers of heart attacks, or coronaries. "This might be a
result of the advanced education they receive on how to lead a
healthy life, like quitting smoking, exercising more frequently
and having a balanced diet.

"According to a survey held by the Ministry of Health,
cardiovascular diseases contribute to about 25 percent of deaths
from diseases in Indonesia," he added. This meant that for every
four deaths caused by diseases, one was caused by cardiovascular
illness.

He also mentioned the results of a survey held in 2002, which
revealed that the smoking habit in Jakarta had decreased by 30
percent, from 60 percent to 30 percent. But the number of
sufferers from cardiovascular diseases, high cholesterol and high
blood pressure has increased.

The annual survey, the Monitoring on Determinant
Cardiovascular Diseases (Monica), is conducted by the United
Nations' World Health Organization (WHO) at many cardiovascular
disease centers located in major cities throughout the world.

In Jakarta, Monica has been conducted for the past 13 years
through three subdistricts of South Jakarta: Kebayoran Baru,
Mampang and Cilandak.