Ulaanbaatar, September 28, 2023 /MONTSAME/. Every year on World Heart Day (September 29th), everyone around the world is asked to take a break from what they do every day and to take care of their own and their loved one's cardiovascular health, and is reminded what steps to take to keep their hearts healthy and make smarter choices to spend longer and better lives with their loved ones.

World Heart Day is being held for the 23rd year in the world. In Mongolia, the day will be celebrated nationwide for the 5th year, led by the National Cardiovascular Center of the Third State Central Hospital, where projects related to cardiovascular health are implemented with the support of the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and the Mongolian Society of Cardiologists.

This year’s campaign focuses on the essential step of knowing our hearts first. Because when we know more, we can take better care. For that, the World Heart Federation called on every country to illuminate and turn buildings, streets, and monuments red and challenged them to create their own heart-shaped route to walk, bike, or run.

In Mongolia, high blood pressure accounts for more than half of all cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, the focus is on improving the health education of the people and regularly providing health information about the prevention and control of the disease.

World Heart Day is a reminder to everyone around the world to take care of their hearts. 

High blood pressure is known as the "silent killer", as it usually has no symptoms until it causes significant damage to the heart and blood vessels. Raised blood pressure accounts for about half of heart disease and stroke-related deaths.

When the heart beats, it pumps blood around the body, providing it with nutrients and oxygen. The circulating blood pushes against the walls of the blood vessels. Circulating blood pushes against the walls of the blood vessels. The strength of pushing is called blood pressure. Since the disease has barely any symptoms, self-control of blood pressure is essential for early detection, diagnosis, and treatment. 

Unfortunately, high blood pressure is often diagnosed when target organ damage or complications are detected. Target organs are the organs with the narrowest arteries in the human body, such as the eyes, brain, heart, and kidneys, which are damaged due to constant high blood pressure and undergo irreversible changes, which are life-threatening diseases such as heart attacks and strokes.

According to a Hypertension prevalence and control study in Ulaanbaatar in 2020, among hypertensive participants, the rates of awareness, treatment, and control were 69.7%, 46.8%, and 24.0% (using 140/90 mm Hg) and 49.1%, 25.8%, and 6.4% (using 130/80 mm Hg, respectively).

Uncontrolled high blood pressure can be caused by a lack of awareness of the risks and complications, or by not taking action to reduce it, such as not taking blood pressure medication regularly, not monitoring blood pressure daily, or not taking the appropriate dose of medication. High blood pressure is becoming more complicated, and people are losing their lives and health even at a very young age.

Uncontrolled hypertension imposes an enormous economic burden on society, in terms of both direct healthcare costs and substantial productivity losses resulting from disability and premature mortality.

The good news is that high blood pressure is a preventable and treatable disease. It is everyone's lifelong responsibility to know the causes that lead to high blood pressure and the factors that influence it, identify and correct risk factors and behaviors, adopt a healthy lifestyle, monitor and control blood pressure regularly, and adhere to medications. 

Keeping your heart healthy starts with simple daily steps. Here life’s essential eight key measures for improving and maintaining cardiovascular health, as defined by the American Heart Association.

1. Eat Better

2. Be more active. 

3. Quit tobacco. 

4. Get healthy sleep. 

5. Manage weight. 

6. Control cholesterol. 

7. Manage blood sugar. 

8. Manage blood pressure. 

Prevention and control of cardiovascular disease is important for every beating heart. Therefore, people are invited to participate in the following activities organized in the context of World Heart Day and spread the call to “USE HEART TO KNOW HEART”. 

1. On September 29, 2023, from 15:00 to 18:00, the cardiologist of the National Cardiovascular Center will hold a webinar for the public and answer their questions. The webinar will be broadcast live on the "Зүрх судасны үндэсний төв - Иргэдэд" Facebook page. Topic: Is it possible not to suffer from cardiovascular disease? Secrets you don't know about high blood pressure, and are heart rate and rhythm important?
2. On Saturday, September 30, 2023, at 10 a.m., walk, run, and bike along the heart-shaped route in the national park. Also, professional cardiologists and rehabilitation doctors will teach you exercises that you can do at home. 
3. Every family and organization should have a blood pressure measuring apparatus.