Avoid Sweets on Diwali

Friday 16 October 2009: Dr. K K Aggarwal President, Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) has urged upon the people specially heart patients to desist from bursting crackers or even go near the noise-producing crackers on occasion of Diwali. Heart patients can suffer an attack leading to morbidity and mortality.  

Not only crackers even the blowing of horns on the streets due to heavy Diwali traffic should be banned. People with high blood pressure and other heart aliments should take special precautions as exposure to loud sound can raise blood pressure and put strain ever the heart. Loud sound can also cause insomnia, difficulty in concentration and irritableness leading to loss of manpower and proneness to accidents.

Avoid sweets

People have also been advised to avoid taking sweets. Instead, they can take fruits. Foundation has also given a call to the people to exchange fruits rather than sweets, on occasion of Diwali.

Asthma Pollution

A lot of smoke consisting of carbon, nitrogenous and sulphur compounds released from the incomplete combustion of crackers and sparkers can cause pharyngitis, bronchitis and precipitate or aggravate life threatening asthma in susceptible individuals. People susceptible to upper and lower respiratory tract infection should stay indoors and not expose themselves to the smoke as it can precipitate infection, cough, wheezing or breathing problem.  If one has to come out then he or she should place a multilayered thin wet cloth over the nose and face. The moisture in the cloth will stop inhalation of SO2, NO2 and other gaseous particles.  

As far as possible one should not light crackers and sparkles inside the house. One should open all the doors windows and fans to let the fumes go out of the house, wherever possible exhaust fans should be used. During display of the fire work one should stay as far away as possible.

Asthma patients to consult doctors

Patients with known asthma (cardiac or bronchial) should consult the doctor for preventive measure.  In spite of routine medications if their symptoms worsen they should immediately go to the nearest medical centre for valuation. Pollution in the air can also cause rise in blood pressure, which can precipitate a heart attack.