Men are more prone to strokes than women, the consultant told Al-Bilad newspaper, stressing the importance of following a healthy diet

Jeddah - Yasser Khalil, Fawaz Al-mawlid Dr

Marwan bin Saleh Tayeb, a consultant in open-heart surgery, is one of the Saudi doctors who registered their names from Nour among the first pioneers and founders of heart surgery in the Kingdom Al-Noor Specialist, then he was appointed as the head of pediatric heart surgery in the hospital and a member of the Saudi Heart Association, as well as a member of the European Society of Cardiac Surgery, and he won the membership of the Friends of the Heart Charity Association.

Marwan, who was born in Jeddah and grew up in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, received his general education at King Abdulaziz Secondary School in Makkah, and obtained a bachelor’s degree in medicine and surgery from King Abdulaziz University, then he was sent to Germany to obtain a doctorate degree in cardiac surgery at the University of Dusseldorf, then a Swiss fellowship in surgery Children's heart at the University of Lausanne.

He said in an interview with "Al-Bilad" that the causes of heart attacks are due to lifestyle, eating fast food, lack of movement, and others, speaking about many medical issues, and giving advice to the community To the details of the dialogue: •• First.

What are the reasons for the increase in heart attacks? in the Kingdom in recent years? – I attribute it to the lifestyle and way of nutrition, as many people no longer care about healthy food, and do not exercise, in addition to the increase in obesity rates, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and the increase in smoking rates and life pressures such as stress and psychological anxiety •• It is said that men are more prone to strokes and heart attacks than women.

How true is this saying, and do female hormones play a role in protecting women from heart disease? - This is a fact .

Men are more exposed to strokes than women under the age of 55 who have natural protection, due to the presence of the female hormone (estrogen), which protects the heart from strokes and heart attacks After menopause, the percentage is similar between men and women.

•• The prevalence of heart disease in Saudi society, what are its estimates? The Saudi Heart Association indicated that 42% of deaths in the Kingdom are due to heart diseases, and that 40% of patients received by emergency departments in Saudi hospitals are heart patients •• What are the causes of heart defects in newborns (heart hole)? One out of every 100 children is born with a congenital heart defect, and there is no known specific reason for that.

There are genetic factors, as about 30% of children with chromosomal abnormalities suffer from heart defects, for example Down syndrome, and if One of the parents has a congenital heart defect, the chance of infection for the child is 50%, while the family history increases the risk of congenital heart defects three times when the family has a first-degree patient with a heart defect as well Also, exposure of the mother in the first weeks of pregnancy to radiation, medications, or German measles that affect the development of the fetal heart.

•• What are the effects of smoking on coronary arteries in young people, and what are your tips for smokers? Smoking leads to hardening and narrowing of the arteries at an early age, and thus increases the chance of exposure to heart attacks and strokes at an early age, while researchers revealed that heart attacks often occur early in the morning while a person is sleeping, so waking up for the dawn prayer is very important to activate the movement of blood circulation I advise young people and adults to quit smoking, follow a healthy diet by avoiding fast and fatty food, increase vegetables and fruits, reduce sugar intake, so that it does not exceed 4 grams per day, and reduce salt intake so that it does not exceed one gram per day, and exercise for half an hour at a time.

less daily, and getting rid of obesity so that the weight-to-height ratio does not exceed 25% •• What is the relationship of emotional crises with the suffering of the heart? There is a well-known condition of heart disease called “broken heart syndrome” or what is known as “takotsubo” syndrome.

It occurs when a person experiences an emotional crisis or the loss of a loved one The usual pumping function of the heart is temporarily disrupted, due to a sudden temporary weakness of the heart muscles as a result of extreme emotion.

In order to prevent and treat this condition, it is necessary to change the lifestyle, and rely on healthy food, by reducing fats, especially in red and processed meats, such as: sausages and mortadella, and reducing salt and sugar, and increasing the consumption of vegetables, fruits, fish, white meat, nuts and whole grains, Such as: oats, and bran rich in fiber that helps absorb fat and excrete it through waste, as well as maintaining an ideal weight, and avoiding stress .