Coronaries kill 50 pct of Greeks
Heart disease is the main cause of death in Greece, with 30 people suffering heart attacks every day, and 10 dying before they even reach the hospital, leading cardiologists said yesterday. Speaking to journalists ahead of a cardiology conference to be held in Athens from tomorrow to Saturday, Professor of Cardiology Georgios Louridas of Thessaloniki University said about one in every two deaths in Greece is due to heart disease. Cardiologists said some 75 percent of all cases are caused by relatively minor problems, such as arterial blockage to a degree of 20-30 percent. This means that patients do not present easily discernable symptoms early enough to ensure that potentially lifesaving treatment can be administered. Experts advocate preventive measures such as a careful diet, regular monitoring of cholesterol levels and arterial pressure, and the avoidance of smoking. Professor of Cardiology Dimitrios Kremastinos of Athens University said even people with no family history of heart disease should start having heart checkups from the age of 35.
