The World Heart Day 2009 will be marked on September 27. This year’s theme is “Work with Your Heart” and is aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle and health programs for preventing cardiovascular diseases at the workplace, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a communiqué, the Ministry of Health says that over 24,000 Moldovans die yearly from cardiovascular diseases, which is more than a half of the total deaths. In 98.4 cases per 100,000 people, the persons who die from heart diseases are in their productive years. The cardiovascular morbidity in Moldova is also high – more than 400,000 persons or 11% of the population. About 240,000 of them suffer from arterial hypertension, over 80,000 – from ischemic cardiomyopathy, while the others – had cerebral vascular accidents and myocardial infarction. Cardiovascular diseases are the world’s largest killers, claiming 17.1 million lives a year. Risk factors for heart disease and stroke include raised blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels, smoking, inadequate intake of fruit and vegetables, overweight, obesity and physical inactivity. On the World Heart Day, Moldova, as well as other countries, organizes awareness events, including health checks, organized walks, runs and fitness sessions, public talks, stage shows, scientific forums, exhibitions, concerts, carnivals and sports tournaments. The World Heart Day was instituted by the World Heart Federation in 2001. It is marked with the support of the United Nations and the World Health Organization in over 100 countries.