Santa Farma and Turkish Heart Foundation Launch Heart Health Awareness Project

Santa Farma İlaç and Turkish Heart Foundation collaborated on an event titled "The Unseen Face of Your Heart" during Heart Health Week, drawing attention to cardiovascular health. At the event held at Marmara Forum in Istanbul, participants had the opportunity to closely observe heart function through an interactive experience.

In the experience area set up during the event, visitors watched the functioning and vascular structure of a healthy heart through special eyeglasses. In the following stages of the experience, the negative effects of factors such as stress, sleep deprivation, physical inactivity and poor nutrition on the heart were visualized. At the end of the program, it was explained how the heart returns to balanced functioning through the adoption of healthy lifestyle habits, emphasizing the importance of individual awareness.

Experts speaking at the event noted that heart and vascular diseases continue to rank among the leading causes of death both worldwide and in Turkey. Dr. Hüseyin Deniz Kılıç, Cardiologist at Turkish Heart Foundation Medical Center, stated that the heart plays a vital role in the body, noting that problems occurring in this organ directly affect many systems, particularly the brain. Recalling that approximately 20 million people die from cardiovascular diseases each year globally, Kılıç emphasized that a large portion of these deaths could be prevented through correct lifestyle habits.

Noting that heart and vascular diseases account for approximately 40% of total deaths in Turkey, Kılıç identified hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and smoking as major risk factors. He also stated that sedentary lifestyle, irregular nutrition and chronic stress have serious effects on heart health.

Experts also noted that heart diseases may not always present with obvious symptoms, emphasizing that signs such as shortness of breath, easy fatigue, palpitations and reduced exercise capacity should not be overlooked. Noting that heart attacks in diabetic patients may not show classic symptoms, Kılıç said this group should not neglect regular check-ups.

The event also shared basic recommendations for protecting heart health. It was stated that balanced nutrition, regular physical activity, avoiding harmful habits and stress management are of critical importance for a heart-healthy lifestyle. Experts emphasized that regular health check-ups should not be neglected even in the absence of symptoms.

"The Unseen Face of Your Heart" event was among exemplary projects that combined technology with health communication to raise awareness about cardiovascular health in society.