Ludhiana, July 26
Dr T.S. Kler, senior interventional cardiologist and Head of Electrophysiology and Pacing, Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre, New Delhi, in an interview with Ludhiana Tribune, here last evening said more than six crore persons in the country were affected by heart problems. “In the coming years, 10 per cent of the Indian population above the age of 40 would suffer from coronary artery diseases (CAD). Sedentary lifestyles, less physical activity and smoking were some of the factors adding to the problem,” he said.
Dr Kler said, in a recent study conducted in Delhi, 30 per cent schoolchildren were found to be obese. “Obesity is another major cause of heart problems,” he said. The expert said every person should maintain ideal body weight, consult a dietician, do regular exercise and get himself or herself examined for high blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar etc after the age of 35.
When asked whether small set-ups in cities could affect the quality of medical services, he said:” It is the duty of the parent organisation to see that quality is not compromised.”
In his lecture at the cardiac symposium and Dr O.P. Aggarwal IMA oration on ‘Changing Cardiology Practices in India and the West in the New Millennium’ organised by Hero DMC Heart Institute and the IMA at Park Plaza last night, which was attended by more than 500 doctors, Dr Kler discussed the evolution of cardiology and cardiac surgery from the era of Sorbitrate and Aspirin to that of cardiac transplant. He said all cardiology procedures were now being done in India and in many cases, the country was ahead of the West. He said cardiac transplant in India was not cost effective, so it was on the verge of closing down. This facility was within the reach of only the rich.
The poor were dying just because they could not afford to buy even basic medicines. The stress should be on preventive cardiology rather than therapeutic cardiology. The government, media, the IMA and other NGOs should spread awareness against smoking, fatty diet, junk food etc. so as to reverse the trend of coronary heart disease.
Dr Kler was given a trophy and a cash award of Rs 11,000 by the former presidents of IMA, Dr O.P.S. Kande, Dr R.C. Garg, Dr Ajit Singh Dua, Dr Romesh Gupta, Dr Iqbal Singh Ahuja and the family of Dr O.P. Aggarwal.
Another speaker, Dr I.S. Anand from Minnipolis, USA, talked about the latest in the recovery from heart attack, a common cause of mortality in India.
Dr Dev Priya Marik, senior consultant cardiac surgeon, and Dr Sarju Ralhan, consultant cardiac surgeon, Hero DMCH, were also honoured for carrying out 150 open-heart surgeries in seven months. Mr Narinder Singh, Chief Operating Officer, Hero DMC Heart Institute said: “The hospital is planning to cut the cost of angioplasty with drug-coated stent in August.”
Besides Dr J.S. Gujral, Vice-Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, who was the chief guest, the others present on the occasion included Dr L.S. Chawla, Dr S.B. Khurana, Dr S.N. Tiwari and Dr G.S. Wander, Chief Cardiologist, Hero DMC Heart Institute.
