4 million Filipinos at risk of cardiovascular diseases: doctor

Some 4 million Filipinos are diabetic and at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, a doctor warned Tuesday. 

Many diabetic patients die of cardiovascular diseases like heart attack, stroke or renal failure, said Philippine Heart Association president Orly Bugarin. 

"Iyong diabetes, minsan hindi natin namamalayan ang komplikasyon. Para ba siyang anay—maayos pa sa labas, pero bukbok na sa loob. Sinisira niya ang katawan kapag hindi mo ito binigyan ng atensyon o ipinagamot," he told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo. 

(With diabetes, sometimes we don't notice the complication. It's like a structure with termites—the facade is okay, but it is infested inside. It can destroy your body if you don't give it attention or have it treated.)

Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose or blood sugar, which leads over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves, according to the World Health Organization. 

About 422 million people worldwide have diabetes, the majority living in low-and middle-income countries, and 1.6 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes each year, said the WHO. 

The Philippines is among the 5 countries in Western Pacific Region with highest diabetes prevalence, Bugarin said.

The public should avoid sugary and processed foods to avoid diabetes, he said. 

Watch his full interview here. 

TeleRadyo, Sept. 8, 2020