The doctor listed the most common risk factors for cardiovascular disease: without correcting them, everything ends in resuscitation

At a remote press conference Tuesday, doctors recalled what free prevention programs all residents can take advantage of.

Coordinator of the Prevention Program of the National Cancer Institute Doctor Radiologist Dr. Rūta Briedienė emphasized that the rule that early diagnosis is the beginning of successful treatment has been known for a long time. And sadly, the incidence of cancer is increasing around the world: environmental factors are at play and people’s lives are getting longer. The longer you live, the more likely you are to develop cancer.

Studies show that a 4-month delay in surgical treatment of cancer increases mortality by 6 to 8 percent and a delay in radiation therapy or systemic treatment by 10 percent.

We have 4 free cancer prevention programs in Lithuania when we are not feeling any symptoms yet:

Cervical Cancer: Women are screened every 3 years between the ages of 25 and 59.

Breast Cancer Program: A mammogram is performed on women ages 50 to 69.

Colon Cancer Program: Men and women ages 50 to 74 are screened.

Prostate Cancer Program: Men between the ages of 50 and 69 are screened, and if there are cases of prostate cancer in the family, they are screened starting at age 45.

“Unfortunately, people in Lithuania are still not used to preventive examinations. A healthy lifestyle comes into our lives, but not as quickly as we would like. Before the pandemic, only half of all people were examined. ages, “said Dr. R. Briediene.

Of great concern, according to the doctor, is that all programs were suspended at the beginning of the pandemic.

“During the past year, we already had more advanced cancers, more cancers in young people and less in older people. This shows that older people may have been afraid to go to medical institutions,” said the radiologist.

According to data from the State Health Insurance Fund (VLK), the colon cancer diagnosis program in 2020. 172 thousand participated. population – 34 percent. less than the previous year. The number of participants in the cervical cancer program dropped 28 percent last year. to 88 thousand, breast cancer – 36 percent. to 76 thousand, prostate cancer – 43 percent. at 51 thousand, cardiovascular diseases – 27 percent. up to 214 thousand.

Last year, 23.7 million were allocated for the implementation of these programs. of which € 8.4 million were left unused.

He listed the most common risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

The eyes of doctors also turn to cardiovascular diseases, which are also difficult to detect early without preventive examinations. Cardiologist, doctor of the Santara clinics, head of the Vilnius branch of the Lithuanian Heart Association, prof. Žaneta Petrulionienė recalls that a cardiovascular preventive program has been in operation in Lithuania since 2006. In 2019, more than 290 thousand people were evaluated under this program. However, in 2020, fewer inspections were carried out due to the pandemic.

The prevention program is open to people who have not yet suffered from cardiovascular diseases, men between 40 and 55 years old and women between 50 and 65 years old.

According to the prophet, the arrival of people who have not yet suffered from cardiovascular diseases reveals a large number of risk factors that can lead to a stroke or heart attack in a few years.

The most common is dyslipidemia, an increase in cholesterol and, less frequently, an increase in triglycerides.

The second most common risk factor or disease is high blood pressure. From 2009 to 2018, the number of cases of high blood pressure decreased: in women from 64.95 percent. up to 49.01 percent and men from 50.94 percent. up to 44.44 percent.

However, about one in two people of age to participate in the program still has high blood pressure, and many do not know it.

Another risk factor is the metabolic syndrome caused by obesity in the abdomen, as well as an increase in blood pressure, an impaired glucose metabolism, an increase in triglycerides, a decrease in good fats. When a person sees a doctor, about a third are diagnosed with a metabolic syndrome. Although the incidence of metabolic syndrome decreased slightly in the group of women, it increased in the group of men.

This prevention program, according to the doctor, also clears up new cases of diabetes. Nowadays, a slow but steady growth of diabetes is observed.

“It is a bad trend in research on the prevalence of smoking. The overall percentage of smokers was 39.8 percent. men aged 40 to 55 years and 11 percent. women 50 to 65 years old. The number of women who smoke is a very bad trend, “said Prof. Ž. Petrulionieno.

The professor also explained how to see with your own eyes what happens if the risk factors are not identified in time.

“I work in a cardiology hospital and I see those people who come with myocardial infarction, after resuscitation, who need to dilate blood vessels, perform surgeries, etc. We then asked them if they visited under the program or examined them under the program. The answer is usually no. They did not visit because they did not feel anything. The most common cause of strokes and heart attacks is atherosclerosis, which has been silent for many years. The arteries narrow, but the person feels nothing. Your GP can estimate your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease over the next 10 years. You have to hold back so that this doesn’t happen ”, said the professor.

Once again, the doctor invited all the people of the age groups to go to the family doctors for a preventive check-up.

Internal motivation alone is not enough

According to VLK, participation in free health prevention programs during the first 2021. months, became more active again and practically reached the pre-pandemic 2019. level. However, it is still low compared to many Western European countries, and none of the five prevention programs collects 50%. target group participants.

“Although prevention programs have been implemented in Lithuania for several years, their knowledge is still low. We can see this in the reaction of patients, when family doctors offer them a preventive health check according to one of these programs. , as soon as the units find out about them, ”says J. Dūdienė, member of the board of directors of Lithuania, Union of Family Doctors.

According to her, to achieve better results in the field of health prevention, the internal motivation of the conscious population, the concern for their own health, is not enough. Employers could also pay more attention to this by allowing employees to undergo periodic preventive medical examinations. It would also be worth taking advantage of the growing types of life and health insurance by requiring policyholders to undergo regular medical checks, thus preventing the onset and development of chronic diseases in a timely manner.

Invites doctors to “return”

According to Vida Augustinienė, president of the Council of Representatives of Lithuanian Patient Organizations, last year’s reduced focus on health prevention was due both to limited access to health services and public fears: consult a doctor in case of illness ”.

According to the Institute of Hygiene, last year 16.3 million. visits to doctors: 36 percent. less than the previous year (25.3 million). Last year, family doctors received 7.7 million. visitors: 37 percent. less than 2019 (12.3 million).

“As the coronavirus situation gradually worsens, we must ‘go back’ to our doctors and trust that patients have a completely reopened health care system with perhaps the most stringent COVID-19 controls. Summer is probably the most time. appropriate for health prevention, when queues at doctor’s offices are traditionally reduced during the Christmas season, ”says V. Augustinienė.

Radiologist R. Briedienė follows: “Cancer does not go on vacation in the summer, so the best time for prevention and health diagnosis is“ now ”. To be screened for colon cancer under the prevention program, the National Cancer Institute currently has to wait about 2 weeks, and for breast cancer, 2-3 weeks.

In order to encourage more active use of preventive health programs, physician and patient organizations are launching a long-term “Back to Doctors” educational campaign. They are joined by the Lithuanian Pharmacy Association: residents who have visited more than 700 pharmacies in the country will also be invited to register with doctors for preventive health exams.