Simple steps may have a significant impact on health

Chicago: Researchers said that the international efforts aimed at reducing salt intake and control of smoking and to ensure those at risk of heart disease take needed drugs could help prevent millions of deaths each year.
According to researchers from the World Health Organization and others in a special report published in the journal (the Lancet) that such medical simple steps cost little, but save billions of dollars in lost productivity and health care costs.
The researchers studied the prevention efforts in 23 countries from low-income and medium-sized enterprises, including China, India, Russia and Brazil, Turkey, Mexico, Pakistan, South Africa, Poland and Nigeria, countries experiencing 80 percent of deaths caused by chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer and diabetes in the world.
Dr. Pervez Asaria Foundation (King's Fund think-London) that reducing salt intake by 15 percent and the application of measures to combat smoking, such as increasing taxes and banning smoking in the workplace and the development of public awareness will prevent the occurrence of about 14 million deaths during the ten years.
And too much salt intake can lead to high blood pressure, which may increase the risk of stroke and heart attack. The World Health Organization recommends no more than the amount of salt consumption than five grams a day.
Asaria said he and his colleagues can reduce salt consumption by reducing the percentage in the processed foods and a mass media campaign to encourage people to eat less salt.
The researchers said "Our results show that within ten years can avoid the occurrence of 13.8 million deaths if implemented the measures selected to reduce the use of salt and tobacco."
In another study, "said Steven Lim from the University of Washington in Seattle and his colleagues that the efforts that aim to treat people at high risk of heart disease in countries with low and middle income can prevent the occurrence of about 18 million deaths during the ten years.
The researchers demonstrated the effect of giving some people at high risk of heart disease, a certain amount of aspirin, two blood pressure pills and a drug known to reduce cholesterol.
The cost of this $ 47 billion over ten years an average of $ 1.08 per person per year.
Dr. Colin Mathers that heart disease and stroke, and diabetes in the three countries and twenty-studied will cause a loss of $ 84 billion of economic output between 2006 and 2015.
"The growing burden of chronic diseases will be especially severe in countries with low and middle income are least able to afford a setback in development due to health reasons."

 Reuters