AS Filipinos celebrate the holiday season, the Department of Health recently called on people to prioritize their well-being by practicing moderation in their food intake and maintaining an active lifestyle. This is particularly important given that cardiovascular diseases, specifically ischemic heart disease (IHD), remain the leading cause of death in the Philippines.

To provide expanded financial coverage associated with heart disease treatment, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) significantly increased its benefits coverage for IHD-acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or 'heart attack' for all inpatient admissions, effective Dec. 21, 2024.