The National Cardiothoracic Centre and its affiliate agencies have chosen the World Heart Day to create awareness and prevention of stroke and other heart related diseases in the country. The theme for this year’s World Heart Day: “One world, one home, one heart”, is chosen with the intention to call on families and individuals to reduce their risk of acquiring the disease. Speaking on the topic “stroke and heart related diseases,” a Cardiologist, Doctor Alfred Doku, of the National Cardiothoracic Centre at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital told Joy FM’s Super Morning Show that for years heart diseases have been one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide and in Ghana the situation is no different. The World Heart Day will be marked on Thursday 29 September 2011. According to Doctor Alfred Doku, currently, about 17.1 million people worldwide die every year of the disease, therefore health officials are preaching preventive measures, especially in Ghana where there are less facilities to take care of such diseases. Heart disease, the silent killer, can attack both children and adults but it mostly attacks men than women, he noted, adding that the number one cause of heart diseases is lifestyle related. He mentioned smoking, too much alcohol consumption and lack of exercise as the leading causes of the disease, emphasising on the fact that there is little one can do about the heart disease that occur in children. The doctor said the best way to prevent these diseases among adults is to ensure effective physical exercise at least 30 minutes daily.