The Kenya Cardiac Society is set for a study this year on heart diseases in the country.
The study which will be funded by the government will focus on heart attacks, heart failure, deep vein thrombosis and arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm).
"Heart problems in the country are underestimated. This can be attributed to lack of enough data on cardiovascular diseases affecting Kenyans." cardiologist Anders Barasa said on Thursday.
He spoke during a two-day heart symposium organised by the Aga Khan University.
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The symposium, themed ‘Acute Cardiovascular Clinical Care' discussed the most common and urgent clinical emergencies in cardiovascular medicine and how they can be managed.
They include hypertensive emergencies, acute chest pain and breathlessness syndromes, cardiac tamponade and cardiogenic shock.
The study will have 5,000 respondents and will be done at Aga Khan, Kenyatta and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospitals.
Barasa, who is also a member of the Kenya Cardiac Society, said they have proposed to the government the use of iris scans in collecting data.
This is an automated method of biometric identification that uses mathematical pattern-recognition techniques on video images of one or both of the irises of an individual's eyes.
The complex patterns are unique and stable, and can be seen from some distance.
“This way we will be sure of data accuracy. If we use this technology, anyone who will take part in the study will not be required to present any form of identification,” Barasa added.
The cardiologist said people who lead sedentary lifestyles are at a greater risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
A survey done in 2015 showed that more than five million Kenyans consume tobacco and nine million alcohol. A million of them do so daily while three million do not engage in the recommended amount of physical activity.
It also showed that another 40 million consume unhealthy foods while another 24 million have never measured their blood pressure.
