FAJR PRAYER WARDS OFF HEART ATTACK

FAJR PRAYER WARDS OFF HEART ATTACK (Morning meditation mauls the menace of myocardial infarction , DR Noori)

PROF WAQAR HUSSAIN                                

           ®Myocardial infarction commonly referred as heart attack is the outcome of the interruption of the blood supply to a portion of heart thus leading to death of heart cells. It happens due to the occlusion (blockage) of coronary artery by LIPIDS (cholesterol and fatty acids) and white blood cells. If the resulting ischaemia (reduction of blood supply to a part of body) and ensuing oxygen shortage, is left untreated for a while, it can results in the damage or death of heart muscles, posing a potent threat for the victim.

             According to a recent WHO report, cardiovascular (involving heart and blood vessels) diseases are the world’s largest killer, claiming about 17.3 million lives a year. About 82% of these deaths occurred in low and middle income countries. And 80% heart diseases can be averted by adopting suitable measures. It is estimated that nearly 23.6 million people may die (God forbid) from cardiovascular diseases by 2030. So the cardiovascular diseases are showing upward trend in the world especially in the developing countries. This galloping graph demands urgent and sagacious measures to counter the looming catastrophe.

         In the ranking of 192 countries; Turkmenistan is at 1^st number with 405.1 deaths per 100000 persons (i.e.1 lakh). Pakistan comes at 17^th position with 222.9; Bangladesh at 25^th position with 203.7; Saudi Arabia at 32^nd position with 180.6; India at 37^th position with 165.8; Sri Lanka at 131^st position with 84.5; the United States of America at 135^th with 80.5; China at 137^th position with 79.7; Germany at 146^th position with 75.0; the United Kingdom at 155^th position with 68.8; Japan at 190^th position with 31.2 and Kiribati at 192^nd position and is last in the table with the least number of deaths i.e. 11.8.

         The USA, the sole super power of the world, having rich resources, quality education, extra ordinary health facilities etc is facing the problem of cardiovascular diseases as it is the leading cause of deaths in USA; one in every three deaths is from heart diseases and strokes equal to 2,200 deaths per day. What will be the condition of countries like Pakistan? According to an estimate about 6 million Pakistani are facing heart diseases and 4 lakh people die every year and its position has soared in the table at number 17 in the comity of 192 nations. We have scanty resources, low literacy rate and inadequate health facilities. But we have sky towering morale and immense determination to check the growing threat of heart diseases. That is why our doctors are holding public briefings and seminars to educate masses and are also suggesting some innovative methods to control this disease.

                 In a recent past, Dr.Masood ul Hassan Noori, ex-Military General and Administrator of Tahir Heart Institute briefed the audience/participants in a seminar about causes, remedies, symptoms and treatment of heart diseases and held a long “question-answer session”.

             Dr.Noori outlined ten major culprits behind heart attack: hereditary factor, high cholesterol level, smoking, lack of physical exercise,  obesity especially abdominal obesity, anxiety, stress and strain, diabetes, hypertension, high concentration of Uric Acid in blood, changed life style adopted during industrialization and urbanization of the society.

            Dr.Noori came up with ten remedies to counter this malady: intake of balanced diet having low fat contents, get rid of smoking, reduce tension, lose weight, do regular exercise, control diabetes, uric acid level and hypertension, adopt modest way of living as close to nature as possible and undergo early morning meditation.

          Dr.Noori solved the sphinx riddle of early morning heart attack which is best known in the West as “Early morning.....mourning!” and countless thesis and books have been written on this pre dawn tragic phenomenon. Dr. Noori told that he conducted a survey while serving in Rawalpindi and found that 60% patients of stroke, unstable angina and heart attack were admitted in hospital during 3am to 9am and the rest of 40% patients were registered in remaining 18 hours. He disclosed that during morning time of sleep there is greater insurgence (release) of hormones (e.g. corticotrophin, adrenaline, etc.) in blood due to anabolic repairing activity of the body. These peptidal / steroidal hormones increase circulation of blood and elevate blood sugar level and enhance metabolism of water electrolytes, carbohydrates, proteins and fats. The Nature has designed this “refilling activity” for a man to prepare his body for the hectic activities of the day. But it is famous Latin maxim: “one man’s meat is another man’s poison”. So a person suffering from Arteriosclerosis (Hardening of arteries) cannot sustain this sublime energetic condition thus becomes vulnerable and sometimes succumbs to heart attack. He further added when a blood sample of a sleeping person was taken in the morning time, the platelets showed enhanced stickiness, making blood thick. And such a thickness of blood is dangerous for the cardiac patient, already suffering from constricted arteries due to plaque deposit. He disclosed if a person gets up during this period of time, 80% flow of hormones is stopped, blood pressure remains normal for the next 6-7 hours, and as a result chances of heart attack are averted. That is why! He recommended early morning meditation which has both rectifying and soothing effect for the heart patients. This is another blessing of offering Tahajjad (a midnight optional prayer) and Nimaz e Fajr (a morning prayer) in addition to customary dedicated preference, excellence and reverence.

           Dr.Noori was reluctant to disclose symptoms of heart diseases. Perhaps he was protecting hypochondriac (one having too much anxiety about one’s health) persons. However, he hinted that patients with heart disease usually complain either of breathlessness, pain in chest or swelling of ankles. Other symptoms such as dizziness, faintness or palpitation are more commonly associated with anxiety or neurotic ill health. It is important to distinguish symptoms due to organic disease from those which are due to associated anxiety. For example, breathlessness may be due to disease of lungs; pain in the chest may be based on psychoneurosis (a functional derangement especially with indirect expression of emotional feelings) and not an organic disease and Oedema (swollen state of tissue) may be due to disease of kidney. The most frequent cause of Oedema, especially in woman, is incompetence of the venous valves of the lower limbs. Whenever possible, therefore, objective evidences should be sought in confirmation of the diagnosis.

           In reply to this scribe’s question about effectiveness of vitamin E in heart disease. Dr.Noori said: no doubt! Vitamin E has miraculous efficacy. Vitamin E (Tocopherols) slows down the oxidative damage done to the human cells by the free radicals. In this way, it acts as “anti aging agent”. Vitamin E scavenges free radical reactions which are culprit behind the progressive cellular damage that results in the diseases and death that accompany at an advancing age. Vitamin E promotes oxygenation, which is the healthful use of oxygen for respiration, while limiting oxidation, the harmful rusting of cells caused by free radicals, it also prevents fats and oils from turning rancid rather oxidizes fats and oils . Vitamin E also known as “muscle vitamin” repairs heart. Food sources which are rich in vitamin E are green leafy vegetables, beans, wheat germ oil, lettuce, egg yolk, etc. But its dose should not exceed 10mg per day because it is thought that its mega doses cause colon and breast cancer. It is also good for reproductive system. Its use may count as “food therapy” for heart diseases. Dr Shoot of Canada was once a staunch believer of vitamin E efficacy to an extent that he used to prescribe it in all types of heart diseases and treated a large number of heart patients successfully.

                  At the end, Dr.Noori quoted Fuller; “Health is not valued till sickness comes”. In the light of saying,he reprimanded all the gathering that never allow coronary heart diseases(CHD) to enter the corridors of your bodies as if it entered once, it will keep you at a pinch for the rest of your life. Goethe, the greatest German poet, appears as a Cardiologist when he says: “Wounded heart is hard to cure.” It is also said: “A stitch in time saves nine”. So all, Pakistanis and residents of other parts of this mother earth, wake up , gird up your loins and join hands together to demolish this deadly dreadful disease on war footing, before it is too late. As all delays are dangerous in war and we are already at war against this enemy-offender behind massacre of 17.3 million Homo sapiens annually!

GLOSSORY

®Myocardial-muscle of heart

®Infarction- it is a region of dead tissues caused by blocking of blood vessels.