KATHMANDU, Sept 25: Norvic International Hospital is organizing week long activities to mark World Heart Day with the hospital announcing heavily subsidized "Special Heart Packages" on Saturday.

The World Heart Day is celebrated worldwide at the call of World Heart Federation (WHF) to help people better understand and create awareness about cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension.

The theme of the world heart day this year is "Power your life."

Heart diseases are increasing globally because of high consumption of tobacco, alcohol, high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol, obesity/overweight, sedentary lifestyle, stress, diabetes, unhealthy diets and various other reasons, according to the hospital.

Cardiovascular disease claims over 17.3 million lives worldwide annually and about 7-8 percent of urban Nepalese population suffers from this deadly disease, the hospital said.