KARACHI: According to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), Karachi has seen a significant increase in the number of cardiac arrest cases in the recent past. NICVD introduced “Chest Pain Unit” at six different accessible locations of Karachi to facilitate the citizens of Karachi. Chest Pain Units are open 24/7 throughout the year. According to NICVD Director Professor Dr Nadeem Qamar, approximately 1000 people who recently had heart attacks visited the “Chest Pain Unit” to receive treatment. “Similarly at NICVD, during same period of time, Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) was done to around two thousand persons,” continued Qamar Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) is a non-surgical procedure in which a catheter (a thin flexible tube) is used to place a small stent in the heart. The stent helps open up blood vessels that have been narrowed by plaque buildup, a condition formally known as “atherosclerosis”. According to Qamar, smoking, diabetes and high blood pressure make people more susceptible to cardiac issues. “These issues are directly linked with our lifestyle. It is said that a healthy heart is often within your control,” Dr Qamar added. “Another major factor is stress which causes strain on the heart. So managing the stress is also important. Weight extremes can also increase the risk of heart disease,” said Qamar. He said smoking or using tobacco of any kind is one of the most common causes of heart disease. Stressing on the importance of exercise, Dr Qamar said that a 30 minute exercise routine every day of the week can go a long way in preventing cardiac problems. Qamar said that consuming a balanced and healthy diet could also reduce the risk of heart disease. “A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains can help protect your heart,” he added. Published in Daily Times, May 28th 2018.