Mauritians prone to heart attack at the early age of 35

27 avril 2013

27 avril 2013, 14:37

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14:37

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Raj Jugernauth

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Mauritians prone to heart attack at the early age of 35

When renowned cardiologist Oomar Uteem died of a heart attack in 2007, his untimely demise was considered as being exceptional. One does not die of a heart attack at the age of 39.

Mauritian authorities are now revising their opinion as more and more Mauritians are undergoing open-heart surgery at the early age of 35 in order to avoid a sudden death through heart failure.

Cardiac surgeon Suresh Bhagia, who holds a master in surgery, FRCS (UK), DNB gold medalist, and cardio-vascular surgeon says that such open heart surgery are practised normally on 65 year old patients in Europe, 60 in the United States and Australia and 50 in India.

Having worked as cardiac and vascular surgeon in Great Britain, the United States, New-Zealand and India, Suresh Bhagia is presently working at the Mauritian Cardiac centre in Pamplemousses.

He ascribes the high rate of cardiovascular problems and diabetes in young Mauritians to their lifestyle and not to in-breeding or genetic defects.

Explaining the high prevalence of diabetes, hypertension and heart disease by genetic factors or inbreeding is incorrect and dangerous. With such a hypothesis, people tend to neglect precautions as far as exercises; diet, alcohol intake and cigarette smoking are concerned, saying to themselves that despite this very disciplined and not-easy-to follow lifestyle, they will nevertheless catch these no-communicable diseases, as they are prevalent in their families.

According to him, the high rate of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in young people is not a particularity which is found only in Mauritius. He says that the same pattern is noted in the black Jewish communities – the Yemenites and the Falashas living in Israel and who migrated to this country respectively from Yemen and North Ethiopia. A similar pattern is also noted in the Aborigines of Australia and the Afro-Americans are prone to have a 20 % higher cardiac risk than their White counterparts.

“We see a high rate of diabetics and cardiac patients in these two black Jewish communities in Israel whereas their parents who have stayed in Yemen and Ethiopia do not have such diseases. Lifestyle, and not genetics or inbreeding (the Falashas do never intermarry) is the major difference one can note among those who stayed behind as compared to those who migrated to Israel. And lifestyle is also the big difference between Mauritians who are prone to diabetics and cardiovascular disease and their ancestors who has no such ailment” says cardiac surgeon Suresh Bhagia.

Pinpointing the different aspects of lifestyle we do not share with our ancestors, Dr. Bhagia talks about a diet rich in junk foods, high cholesterol, high salt content and highly refined foods where fruits, vegetables and baked or steam items are completely absent.

“This eating culture, coupled with a very sedentary life full of stress in which physical exercises are totally absent is lethal. .. When we add to it smoking and high alcohol intake, you have the main reasons why Mauritians are developing high blood pressure at the age of 18 and, diabetes at 20 and cardiovascular complications at 35” says Dr Suresh Bhagia.

He is, however, adamant about the ways to reverse this lethal tendency. “Change your lifestyle and you will be in a position to either prevent the onset of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and those already afflicted will be able to control these disease and stop its progress,” says the cardiologist.

He says that change of eating habits, quitting cigarettes and drinking very moderately will bring results, especially when it is coupled with exercises and meditation as stress fighting factors.