Pakistan has the highest death rate from heart disease among women among five South Asian countries, according to health experts.
According to health experts, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, lack of physical activity and unhealthy diet are increasing the risk of heart disease in women. Pharma Evo launched the “Her Heart Matters” campaign at the Karachi Press Club on the occasion of World Heart Day.
The campaign was launched in collaboration with the Pakistan Cardiac Society, Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Pakistan, Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine and Go Red for Women, with the aim of providing awareness about timely diagnosis, screening and treatment of heart diseases in women. Join the Discommunity
Experts said that heart disease in women is still often ignored, while special attention is needed on women’s cardiovascular health during pregnancy, childbirth and menopause.
Despite the presence of high blood pressure during pregnancy, some women do not undergo follow-up after delivery, while some even stop taking medications without consulting a doctor. Professor Dr. Tahain Abbas said that regular medical monitoring of women during pregnancy and after delivery is necessary, while a break in pregnancy, proper family planning and continuous follow-up play an important role in protecting women’s health.
She directed women to exercise regularly and reduce the consumption of fried foods, bakery products, soft drinks and sugary drinks. Professor Dr. Halima Yasmin said that during screening in her clinical service, about 4 percent of pregnant women were diagnosed with heart disease. She said that pregnancy provides an important opportunity to identify high blood pressure and pre-existing but undiagnosed heart disease in women.
Professor Dr. Shabnam Naveed said that more than 90 percent of women who visited the diabetes clinic of JPMC were at risk of cardiovascular diseases. According to him, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity are closely related to heart disease in women.
Pakistan Cardiac Society General Secretary Professor Dr. Fawad Farooq said that mental stress is also a major cause of the increase in heart disease. He said that due to the lack of an effective cardiac care system at the primary and secondary levels in Pakistan, the pressure of patients on specialized heart disease hospitals is increasing. Join the Dissec Community
Some patients stop taking medications within a few weeks of angioplasty, which increases the risk of another heart attack. According to experts, a study published in Asia JACC in 2026 compared Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. According to the study, in 2021, Pakistan had the highest age-standardized mortality rate from ischemic heart disease among women among these five countries.