World Heart Day is annually observed and celebrated on September 29 in an effort to raise public awareness about cardiovascular diseases, their prevention and global impact. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) take the lives of 17.9 million people each year, as per data collected by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and it results in 31% of all global deaths.
These diseases, which manifest primarily as heart attacks and strokes, are triggered by excessive use of tobacco, unhealthy diets, a lack of physical activity and alcohol abuse. All of these unhealthy lifestyle choices result in raised blood pressure, elevated blood glucose, overweight and obesity, and risks detrimental to good heart health.
In May 2012, world leaders committed to raising awareness and scaling up the prevention of heart attack and strokes in an attempt to reduce global mortality from non communicable…