Kathmandu: A recent report has confirmed that more than 40,000 people are suffering from heart problems in Nepal.

The Nepal Heart Foundation (NHF) stated that heart troubles account for 25 percent of the total deaths in the country. Nearly 20 percent of Nepali adults have high blood pressure and the number of heart patients has increased five folds in the past ten years.

Annually, 17.5 million people die of heart diseases internationally, the World Heart Federation (WHF) said, adding that around 9 million of these people are from developing nations.

According to WHO report, heart diseases will kill 25 million people annually by 2020.

Dr. Prakash Raj Regmi, general secretary of the NHF, stated that unhealthful lifestyle is the major reason for heart problems. About 90 per cent of heart troubles can be restrained by choosing vigorous way of life.

The NHF has called everyone this year to join up to battle heart diseases. It has requested policy makers, political parties, social organizations, intellectuals, industrialists and media persons to be a part of spreading the message for strong hearts.