Recommendations for Ramadan fasting to patients with cardiovascular diseases; Turkish Society of Cardiology consensus report

Abstract

Fasting is one of the important rituals in Islam. According to the Islamic faith, it is an obligation for all Muslims. It is also a common practice in other religions such as Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism and for philosophies such as Buddhism, Taoism, and Jainism. Each belief or sect has a different type of fasting according to their creed. The fasting period and practice may differ. For example, the Ramadan for Sunni Muslims, Muharram for Alevi Muslims and Lent for Catholics are specific periods for fasting. Ramadan fasting lasts for 29-30 days, Muharram fasting for 10-12 days, and Lent fasting lasts for 40 days. The Ramadan fasting period may vary with the geographic region, but generally it is 12 hours long. It can be as long as 22 hours in the polar regions during summertime (1-4).