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Doug Kramer recalls mild stroke experience; urges parents to teach kids about heart health

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Jasmin Romero, ABS-CBN News

<h3> Cardiologists urge public to prioritize heart health</h3>MANILA -- Former PBA star Doug Kramer has shared his experience and learnings after having a stroke to encourage people, especially children, to take care of their heart health.Kramer suffered a “mild stroke” in 2016.&quot;Who would have thought that at my age I would be able to experience this event in my life? At that time I was still playing at the [Philippine Basketball Association] and at the peak of my health,” Kramer said in a recorded message on the Philippine Heart Association’s Usapang Puso sa Puso webinar. The event commemorates the heart month this year.“I staggered, fell to the ground and it was... grabe when I recall it my kids are beside me. I couldn’t believe that right after doing my first set of exercise that happened,” Kramer added.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/11/10/21/heart-disease-still-top-killer-in-ph-doctors-say">Heart disease is still leading cause of death in PH, doctors say</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/02/09/22/covid-patients-more-likely-to-develop-heart-problems-study">COVID-19 patients are more likely to develop heart problems – even a year later, study finds</a></li></ul>Doctors eventually discovered that Kramer had a clot that entered the “hole” in his heart, causing the stroke.This prompted him to change his lifestyle and together with his wife Chesca, they decided to train their 3 children to take care of their heart while they are still young, by eating healthy and engaging in physical activities.“To all mommies and daddies out there, let’s not make gadgets as pacifier. We have seen so many times, umiiyak ang baby o &#x27;yung bata, para lang tumigil na sila ang ginagawa ng marami... Don’t enable them, once you do that they may get used to it,” he said.He also encouraged his fellow parents to expose their children to different sports, so they can learn to love physical activities.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/02/08/22/doug-chesca-kramer-share-tips-on-how-to-teach-kids-about-social-media">Doug, Chesca Kramer share tips on how to teach kids about social media</a></li></ul>“How will you know what your kids like if you don’t expose them? So it is important to invest sports for your kids, for them to discover also the talents that God has blessed them with,” he said.<div>WHAT DOCTORS SAY </div>Doctors advised the public to follow the 5-2-1-0-0 rule to a healthy heart or the following steps: - 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day - 2 grams of salt everyday - 1 hour of exercise or 1 minute of exercise per hour - zero smoking - zero sugary beveragesHeart disease remains the Philippines’ number one killer, causing heart attack, and cardiac arrest, the Philippine Heart Association said. “Heart attack ang kadalasang sanhi ng cardiac arrest, na siyang kumikitil ng buhay ng milyon-milyong buhay kada taon,&quot; PHA Council on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) chairperson Dr. Don Reyes said.(Heart attack is the reason for cardiac arrest. It kills millions of lives every year.)&quot;Pag nag-cardiac arrest ang isang tao, humihinto ang kanyang puso na siyang nagiging dahilan kung bakit nawawalan ng supply ng dugo ang buong katawan at siyang ikinamamatay ng biktima ng cardiac arrest,” Reyes added. (If a person experience cardiac arrest, their heart stops. This is the reason why their heart and whole body loses blood, which usually cause their death.)And when someone suffers a heart attack, a CPR should be conducted.<div>CPR DURING PANDEMIC</div>Reyes said CPR can still be done even during the pandemic, through a “hands-only” process dubbed as the “5Cs”, which means: check, call, cover, compress, and connect.A person should check whether the victim is breathing or conscious, he said.“Huwag agad lapitan ang biktima, siguraduhing nakasuot ito ng face mask,” Reyes said.(Do not approach the victim immediately. Make sure you are wearing a face mask.) The responder has to call for help, cover their nose and mouth with a face mask, and do the same thing for the victim. If face mask is not available, cover the victim’s nose and mouth with a piece of cloth.<div>FROM OUR ARCHIVES</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1721711" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>“Huwag mag-alala at huwag mag-atubiling gawin ito dahil hindi naman talaga mahahadlangan ang pagpasok ng hangin sa ilong o sa bibig ng biktima. Higit na mas mahalaga na maiwasang lumipad sa ere at malanghap ng rescuer ang virus kung nagtataglay man ng biktima nito,” Reyes said.(Do not worry and do not hesitate to do this because this will not hinder the entry of air in the nose or in the victim&#x27; mouth. It is important that the responder would not catch the virus.) Responder can start “compressing” the victim’s chest 100 to 120 beats per minute, with depth of 2.5 inches without ceasing for two minutes.Afterwards, they can check the victim’s pulse or consciousness.Reyes also advised responders to wash hands immediately or avoid touching their face.The use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to increase survival rates by 50 percent, compared to the 30 percent using CPR alone.AED pumps the needed electricity in the victim’s heart.He added that AEDs should be installed in public places since heart attacks can happen anytime, anywhere and to anyone.“Sa kasamaang palad &#x27;di pa laganap ang AED sa mga public areas,” Reyes said.(AED, unfortunately, is unavailable in public areas.)

Heart disease remains the Philippines’ number one killer, causing heart attack, and cardiac arrest, the Philippine Heart Association said. 

Doug Kramer recalls mild stroke experience; urges parents to teach kids about heart health

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Doug Kramer recalls mild stroke experience; urges parents to teach kids about heart health

Jasmin Romero,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 09, 2022 08:21 PM PHT

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Updated Feb 10, 2022 08:52 AM PHT

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