Asia, Europe, Africa, Middle East at greatest risk of deaths from heart-diseases: Study
New Delhi (PTI): Regions of Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East are estimated to have the highest burden of deaths due to heart-related diseases, with high blood pressure, raised cholesterol, dietary risks and air pollution being the leading causes, a study has found.
Globally, heart-disease related deaths increased from 12.4 million in 1990 to 19.8 million in 2022, signifying high rates of such illnesses, the researchers found after analysing data from across 21 regions. They further found these deaths to have increased from 2015-2022 in 27 out of the 204 locations studied.
The researchers, including those from the National Institutes of Health and Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), University of Washington, US, said that these numbers also reflected global population growth and ageing and the contributions from preventable metabolic, environmental, and behavioural risks.
"The 2023 Almanac represents an important resource for using locally relevant data to inform local-level actions for heart-healthy and thriving communities," said study author George A. Mensah, director at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), US.
The research team found that ischemic heart disease remained the leading cause of global cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality with an age-standardised rate of about 110 deaths per 1,00,000 population, followed by brain hemorrhage and ischemic stroke. They have published their findings in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Ischemia refers to the development of local anaemia in a given body part sometimes resulting from malfunction in blood vessels, such as enlargement or clotting.
The researchers also said that the highest mortality rates per 1,00,000 people attributable to high systolic blood pressure were found in the regions of Central Asia, Eastern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
Further, the highest rates of heart-disease burden attributable to dietary risk were in Central Asia, Oceania, and parts of North Africa and the Middle East, they said.
"Cardiovascular diseases are a persistent challenge that lead to an enormous number of premature and preventable deaths," said Gregory A. Roth, senior author of the paper and associate professor at IHME.
At 553 deaths per 1,00,000 population, Eastern Europe had the highest total CVD death rates, while countries in Australasia were found to have the lowest of these rates at 122.5 deaths per 1,00,000 people.
"There are many inexpensive, effective treatments. We know what risk factors we need to identify and treat. There are simple healthy choices that people can make to improve their health. This atlas provides detailed information on where countries stand in their efforts to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases," said Roth.
The researchers form a part of the Global Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases Collaboration, an alliance between the Journal, IHME and NHLBI launched in 2020.
Serving as an update to 2022's Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) Study, the 2023 publication includes data from 204 countries and territories, highlighting the leading global modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, their contribution to disease burden and recent prevention advancements, the researchers said.
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Allu Arjun didn't leave theatre despite being told about woman's death: Hyderabad police
Hyderabad, Dec 22: Top Telugu actor Allu Arjun did not leave the theatre during the screening of 'Pushpa-2' on December 4 despite being told to do so in view of a stampede in which a woman died, police officials claimed on on Sunday.
Speaking at a press conference on the annual round-up of 2024, city police commissioner C V Anand showed a video, made by police, on the situation that prevailed when the stampede occurred.
The video was made by collating footage, including from news channels and cell phone clips. It suggests the actor remained in the theatre till the midnight.
Anand did not make any comment on the video, but said the media can draw its own conclusions.
A police official talked about the sequence of events on the fateful night of December 4.
He said that he and other police officials informed a manager of Allu Arjun about the death of the woman and told him that the situation was out of control. He indicated that they were not allowed to meet the actor.
Allu Arjun's staff members told them that they would convey the matter to the actor but did not do so, he said.
The official said he later managed to reach the actor, told him about the woman's death and asked him to leave the theatre so that the fans don't harm each other while trying to catch a glimpse of him.
The official also told the actor that security arrangements would be made for his exit.
However, the actor said he would go only after watching the film, the police official said.
Later, accompanied by a senior officer, the official went inside and brought the actor out, he said.
Amid allegations that bouncers hired by Allu Arjun pushed crowds as well as policemen when the stampede occurred at the cinema hall, the police commissioner warned that stringent action as per law would be taken if THE bouncers indeed misbehaved with the police on duty.
The VIPs would be made responsible for the behaviour of the bouncers hired by them, he said.
Asked if the police would appeal against the interim bail granted to Allu Arjun, the commissioner refused to give a direct response, just saying it is part of the investigation.
What course of action is taken would be known in the days to come, he said.
He also declined to comment when asked if the family of the deceased told him about Allu Arjun's team or film production team allegedly threatening them not to speak on the issue.
Meanwhile, state Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy found fault with Allu Arjun responding on Saturday to the debate in the Legislative Assembly.
The minister, who observed that the actor should have respect for the government and the chief minister, demanded an apology from Allu Arjun to the government and the CM.
"This government is never vindictive. As Cinematography Minister, we allowed benefit shows and hiking ticket prices to promote the film industry," he said.
However, Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar found fault with CM Revanth Reddy for his comments on Allu Arjun in the Assembly on Saturday.
The comments of the CM sounded like character assassination of Allu Arjun and hurting the Telugu film industry, he alleged in a statement.
Later in the day, Sanjay Kumar visited a boy who is undergoing treatment in a hospital after being injured in the stampede.
"Consoled his father over the heartbreaking loss of his wife, Revathi. I pray to god that Sritej recovers at the earliest. Assured support to the family in this difficult time," Kumar said on X.
Earlier in the day, state DGP Jitender told reporters in Karimnagar district that film personalities and all others should understand that safety and security of citizens is utmost important, and also conduct themselves accordingly.
