As of 2022, heart disease remains the second leading cause of death in Taiwan, behind cancer, with an average of one heart disease-related death occurring every 22 minutes, according to Ministry of Health and Welfare data. Consequently, medical professionals advise the public to follow these eight healthy behaviors and be aware of the early signs of heart disease.
Cardiologists advise adopting healthy behaviors to avoid heart disease, which is the second greatest cause of death in Taiwan.Photo provided by Health Promotion Administration, MOHW
The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that around 18 million deaths globally occur as a result of cardiovascular illnesses each year. In Taiwan, heart disease claimed the lives of 23,000 individuals in 2022, or one person every 22 minutes, according to data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare on causes of death. Compared to the general population, those in groups with "hypertension," "hyperglycemia," and "hyperlipidemia" are at a greater risk of developing heart disease and will have cardiovascular disease in around four years on average.
MacKay Memorial Hospital cardiologist Yeh Hong-yi (葉宏一) urges people to eat less sugar, salt, oil, and sugary drinks while increasing their consumption of fiber. They should sleep for seven to nine hours per day and engage in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week. The waist circumference shouldn't be more than 80 cm for women and 90 cm for males, and the BMI should be between 18.5 and 24.
Additionally, Dr. Yeh said that middle-aged and older adults are frequently affected by cardiovascular illness, which is defined by an initial start of chronic disease. It usually begins slowly and is linked to poor living practices 10-20 years before it manifests. Consequently, in order to lower the risk of disease, the public can benefit from health examinations such as labor health examinations, preventive health examinations for adults over 40, and health examinations for seniors over 65. They can also regularly monitor their blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood lipid index.
