Turkey cardiologists warn of drug misuse and lifestyle factors harming heart health

Cardiology specialists in Turkey have cautioned that both uncontrolled medication use and unhealthy lifestyle habits are raising the risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular events. Dr. İsmail Erdoğu of Sivas Medicana Hospital explained that patients who take multiple drugs such as painkillers, antibiotics, and muscle relaxants without proper supervision can experience rhythm disturbances, elevated blood pressure, or interference with blood‑thinners, which in rare cases may trigger a heart attack. He highlighted that many patients do not disclose all the medicines they are using, making harmful drug interactions more likely.

Dr. Sedat Kalkan of the Kartal Koşuyolu Hospital emphasized that modifiable risk factors—smoking, physical inactivity, poor diet, and obesity—are major contributors to heart disease, which the World Health Organization estimates kills about 18 million people each year. He reiterated the European Society of Cardiology’s recommendation that adults engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate‑intensity exercise weekly and stressed that quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and regular activity can markedly reduce the odds of heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral artery disease.