To Prevent Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases: "Be Sure to Quit Smoking and Drinking"

KDCA Revises 9 Major Lifestyle Rules After 11 Years
Improving Habits and Promoting Early Diagnosis and Continuous Treatment

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) is revising the '9 Major Lifestyle Rules' for the prevention and management of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases for the first time in 11 years and will launch a public awareness campaign.

The KDCA announced on the 5th that it has jointly discussed the revision of the rules with the 'Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease Prevention and Management Rules Revision Task Force,' composed of 10 professional academic societies, and will apply the revised rules starting from the 6th.

Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases refer to all diseases occurring in the heart, brain, and vascular system, including angina, myocardial infarction, stroke, hypertension, and heart failure. The 9 Major Lifestyle Rules were first established in 2008 to recommend healthy lifestyle habits that the entire population can practice and to improve misconceptions about these diseases. They were revised once in 2011.

The newly revised rules reflect the recent increase in the incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases by specifying contents related to lifestyle improvement, early diagnosis, continuous treatment, and understanding and responding to emergency symptoms, focusing on using simple and clear expressions that are easy to understand and practice.

First, the previous rule stating "Quit smoking completely" has been revised to "Do not smoke," and "Limit alcohol to one or two drinks per day" has been changed to "Avoid drinking alcohol as much as possible." Since there is no evidence that any type of tobacco is safe from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, it is recommended not to smoke any tobacco products, including conventional cigarettes, liquid-type electronic cigarettes, and heated tobacco products (heated cigarette-type electronic cigarettes). Regarding alcohol, the drinking allowance standard such as "one or two drinks or less" has been removed, and abstinence is recommended.

The rule "Eat bland and balanced meals, and consume enough vegetables and fish" has been specified to "Eat an appropriate amount of food regularly, in a balanced and low-salt manner, and consume sufficient whole grains, vegetables, beans, and fish." The advice "Exercise appropriately for at least 30 minutes daily whenever possible" has been strengthened to "Exercise regularly for at least 30 minutes daily and reduce prolonged sitting time."

The rule "Maintain appropriate body weight and waist circumference" adds diagnostic criteria for obesity and abdominal obesity, and "Reduce stress and live joyfully" has been changed to "Manage stress well and live joyfully," reflecting the social atmosphere regarding stress management.

Additionally, the rule "Regularly measure blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels" emphasizes the importance of testing for people aged 40 and above who are at high risk of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia, as well as for those in their 20s and 30s with risk factors such as obesity. Meanwhile, "Patients with hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia should improve their lifestyle habits and consistently receive appropriate management and treatment, including medication," ensures proper disease management.

Furthermore, the phrase "Know the emergency symptoms of stroke and myocardial infarction and go to the hospital immediately upon occurrence" has been changed to "Learn the emergency symptoms of stroke and myocardial infarction in advance and call 119 immediately if an emergency occurs."

To promote these lifestyle rules, the KDCA will conduct an "Accurate Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease Prevention and Management OX Quiz" on Instagram until the 9th.

Baek Kyung-ran, Commissioner of the KDCA, said, "During winter like now, the risk of stroke and myocardial infarction increases, so it is important to recognize early symptoms in advance and immediately call 119 in case of an emergency. I ask the public to practice the revised rules, develop healthy lifestyle habits, and join in the prevention and management of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases."