Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death in Brazil. According to the Brazilian Society of Cardiology (SBC), around 1,000 people die every day due to this group of problems – which represents one death every 90 seconds.
Despite this, a recent study, carried out with 2,764 people in the capital of São Paulo and in cities in the interior of the State, showed that the majority of respondents do not know what the main risk factors are behind heart attacks and strokes, for example. The data are from the São Paulo State Cardiology Society (Socesp).
There are many risk factors for heart disease. Among them, the eight main ones are: diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, hypertension, physical inactivity, poor diet, smoking and sleep disorders.
Socesp researchers took to the streets with the intention of measuring people’s knowledge about this scenario and understanding their habits. What the study identified was a worrying gap between the volunteers’ understanding and the real danger of these habits and conditions. Look:
- Diabetes: Only 8% of respondents mentioned the disease as a risk factor. However, according to the Ministry of Health, people with diabetes are two to four times more likely to suffer a heart attack;
- Smoking: While only 10% highlighted tobacco as a possible cause of cardiovascular problems, the use of the substance is associated with 25% of cases of acute myocardial infarction and almost half of strokes, according to data from Hospital do Coração (HCor);
- High cholesterol: Only 11% pointed to high cholesterol as a risk factor. It turns out that high levels of “bad” cholesterol increase the risk of blocked arteries and, consequently, heart attack and stroke;
- Obesity: Also 11% recognized obesity as a risk factor. However, according to HCor, obesity and excess weight cause important changes in the structure and size of the heart, in addition to compromising its functioning;
- Hypertension: 11% remember this condition. Meanwhile, in Brazil, 388 people die every day due to hypertension, according to the Ministry of Health. It is one of the main causes of stroke, heart attack, arterial aneurysm and kidney and heart failure;
- Sedentary lifestyle: Only 12% associated a lack of physical activity with heart disease. According to the SBC, a sedentary lifestyle favors weight gain and increases in blood pressure, glucose and blood lipids. This combination increases the likelihood of cardiovascular events.
- Unbalanced diet: 13% recognized unhealthy eating as a risk. Just like a sedentary lifestyle, an inadequate diet also serves as a backdrop for problems that threaten the heart, such as obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
- Sleep disorders: Only 0.6% of participants cited sleep as an important aspect of heart health. A study published by the journal Clinical Cardiology in 2023 suggests that people with insomnia are 1.69 times more likely to have a heart attack than people who do not have problems sleeping.
According to cardiologist Andrei Sposito, director of Socesp, it is important that people are aware that these factors may be related to a greater risk of early death and, therefore, seek appropriate care. “If these issues are well controlled and adjusted, we would already have a huge impact on people’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease.”
According to cardiologist Miguel Antônio Moretti, scientific director of the entity, one fact in particular draws attention to the research: although the conditions themselves are known, they are often not considered decisive for the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. “50% of those interviewed knew the symptoms of diabetes, but less than 11% identified the disease as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease”, he explains.
For the doctor, several issues can explain this disconnect, such as the lack of in-depth dialogue during medical consultations. According to him, it is essential that the treatment of a condition such as diabetes focuses on preventing heart disease, and that this is made very clear to the patient.
Paths to prevention
For Sposito, the first step to avoiding heart problems is to promote access to information. After all, by knowing the role of these risk factors in heart health, people can seek medical help to control them.
Moretti adds that the best way to protect yourself against cardiovascular diseases is to invest in a healthy lifestyle, based on regular physical exercise and maintaining a balanced diet. In this sense, the main tip is to give preference to greens, fruits and vegetables, in addition to reducing the consumption of foods full of sugar, fat and salt.
The complete research will be presented for the first time at the Socesp Congress, which takes place at the end of this month.
