By Mahfuza Jasmine

DHAKA, July 31, 2024 (BSS) - Prof. Md. Harisul Hoque, head of Cardiology Department at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), said lung infection may cause heart failure and cardiac arrest.

According to Bangabandhu Bureau of Statistics (BBS) report, heart attack is the leading cause of mortality in Bangladesh claiming 17.45 percent of lives annually.

BBS published its regular publication titled "Bangladesh Sample Vital Statistics 2022" in January this year. Fifteen causes of mortality were mentioned in it. Cardiac arrest remains in the top of the list. Other cardiovascular diseases remain in the 8th number of the list with 3.67pc mortality rate. Heart attack and other heart related diseases are the reason of 21.12 percent deaths. Around one out of five deaths is caused by heart attack in the country.

Talking to BSS, Prof Harisul Hoque said heart attack can be caused without heart blockage as infection can cause heart attack. Lung infection also may cause heart attack which is neglected reason, he mentioned.

The cardiologist said Bangla Academy Award winning cover artist Dhruba Esh is now undergoing treatment at BSMMU for heart related disorder.

The artist suffered heart failures for twice between April and July this year but any symptom of heart disease could not be found through medical tests, he said.

Then a medical team of experts conducted an angiogram of Druba Esh but there was no block found in his heart, he said, adding that this is an example of viral cardiomyopathy.

The cardiologist said Druba Esh's heart remains okay as there is no block. But due to infection, he suffered an acute heart failure at first and then he suffered heart attack, he added.

The expert team included BSMMU Pro-Vice Chancellor and respiratory medicine department's Professor Dr Mohammad Atiqur Rahman, Internal Medicine Department Chairman Prof Dr Md Abul Kalam Azad, Cardiology Department Chairman Dr. Chowdhury Meshkat Ahmed, Cardiology Department's head of division Prof. Md. Harisul Hoque, Cardiology Department's Assistant Professor Dr Sakib Shahriar, Associate Professor Dr Khorshed Ahmed, Assistant Registrar Asadur Rahman, Dr Atiqur Rahman, Dr Ashraf and Dr Shawan.

Symptoms of viral cardiomayopathy are chest pain, fatigue, swelling of the legs, ankles and feet, rapid or irregular heartbeats called arrhythmias, shortness of breath at rest or during activity, lightheadedness or feeling like you might faint, flu-like symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pain, fever or sore throat.

About treatment of such patients, Dr Harisul Hoque said two types of vaccines are given for the treatment of viral cardiomayopathy patients.

One is vaccine of influenza, which is given annually and another one is given in every five years, he said.

Smoke of vehicles and factories also cause heart diseases, he said, adding smoking air pollution causes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Dhaka city faces massive air pollution which is the reason of COPD of Druba Eash, he said.

Interventional cardiologist Professor Dr. Mustafa Zaman said lung has also a tree like coronary tree in heart. Smoking causes damage in respiratory tree in lung, he said.

Zaman said he himself conducted angiogram of Druba Eash but found nothing wrong in his heart.

Druba Eash suffered heart attack twice due to COPD, he said.

Referring to an international research, Prof. Md. Harisul Hoque said most patients having breathing problem are suffering from COPD in Asian countries like Bangladesh, India and China and Druba Eash is one of them.
COPD causes viral heart attack, he added.

He urged people to refrain from smoking, avoiding high cholesterol food and walk every day in sunlight for at least half an hour.