In Malaysia, the number 1 killer in terms of diseases and health-related problems is coronary heart disease. In 2010, the total number of deaths in Malaysia resulted from coronary heart disease was at 22,701 according to the WHO (World Health Organisation). This constitutes to about 22.18% of the total deaths in the country.
Heart disease is different from stroke which is the second top killer in Malaysia. Coronary heart disease is often referred in short as CHD where it happens when plaque is built up within the coronary arteries. Plaque is a waxy substance which will then restrict the flow of blood to the heart muscle.
The arteries that are blocked by the plague are those that are supposed to supply the oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle which is the most important substance needed for the heart to continue beating. Once there is restriction on these arteries, the heart fails to function as efficiently as it is supposed to in order to keep the person alive.
In worst case scenarios, the plaque builds up and it becomes atherosclerosis where this substance grew after many years that will eventually cause damaging effects which will lead to death. As mentioned, it is the single largest killer among Malaysians where the main cause is due to the food intake. A lot of Malaysian food is cooked with too much oil and cholesterol which are directly linked with blood pressure and coronary heart diseases.
The best way to overcome this problem is to ensure a lot of fiber intake which are richly found in vegetables and fruits while minimizing food which are high in cholesterol like meat and manufactured foods like burgers and fried chicken. This needs to be constantly practiced as plaque is known to accumulate and stays in the body system for years.
It must be noted that coronary heart disease can be reduced through a proper diet programme. In worst case scenarios, it would lead to heart attack that can happen suddenly and silently. In Malaysia, a lot of people die in their sleep due to heart attacks as they are not aware of the problems with their heart. In other cases, heart attacks can happen when the person is exercising which is when the heart needs more blood to be channeled in but is restricted by the presence of plaque.