Danger of pre-existing conditions – The Star Online

Posted: Published on April 29th, 2020

This post was added by Alex Diaz-Granados

PETALING JAYA: The prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease and diabetes among Malaysians is leaving them at a higher risk of developing complications from Covid-19, say health experts.

Malaysian Public Health Physicians Association president Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said there was a need for Malaysians to re-evaluate their lifestyle as the nation had one of the highest risk factors from the high prevalence of NCDs.

We have a large number of people with risk factors, such as old age, obesity and smoking. When they get infected with Covid-19, it is high-risk, he said.

Covid-19 patients with NCDs fare worse than others, with over 85% of those who died in Malaysia having pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, said the Health Ministry.

According to the World Health Organisation, people with cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, diabetes and cancer also appeared to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill when they get Covid-19.

Statistics showed that 3.6 million Malaysians are living with diabetes the highest number in Asia while 6.1 million Malaysians have hypertension.

Malaysia is also the most obese nation in Asia, with about half of its over 32 million population being overweight or obese.

Last year, heart attack remained the number one killer in Malaysia for the 14th year in a row, with 50 people dying from ischaemic heart disease daily.

Dr Zainal cited calorie-laden meals as well as sedentary lifestyles as contributory factors to Malaysias NCD burden.

The Health Ministry has conducted research for more than 20 years and slowly we are starting

to see some changes in terms of lifestyle and diet, but not in terms

of chronic diseases, said Dr Zainal.

He added that even those in their 20s and 30s were now exhibiting obesity and NCDs.

He advised Malaysians to take the movement control order (MCO) period as an opportunity to review their diet, control their weight and increase physical activity.

Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president Dr N. Ganabaskaran said the Covid-19 pandemic could be viewed as a wake-up call for those with chronic conditions.

Malaysians are also neglecting scheduled medical check-ups. This is evident from the number of health issues that are diagnosed late, he said.

He added that the number of people utilising the Social Security Organisations (Sosco) health screening programme and the PeKa B40 Scheme were still low, even when those screenings were free.

MMA is also concerned that under the MCO, the drop in physical activity from staying at home may increase the risk for those with hypertension, heart disease, stroke, as well as affect mental health.

We urge the public to remain active with light activity or exercises, avoid processed food and to get some sunlight, he added.

General practitioner Dr Lee Chee Wan concurred, saying Malaysians must embrace healthier lifestyles.

People of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions may be at higher risk for severe illness from Covid-19, said Dr Lee.

He recommended sunlight and physical activities for people to stay healthy during the MCO.

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Danger of pre-existing conditions - The Star Online

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