Heart of the Matter
Medical travelers head to India for cardiac procedures.
To many, India represents a place of ancient wisdom and healing practices. In the nowfamiliar sign of namaste — often used as a salutation in yoga — the hands are held pressed together at the location of the heart chakra, a gesture of respect and honor delivered from the heart. Interestingly, India has become a top destination for medical travelers pursuing cardiac treatments and surgeries to restore the health and integrity of the heart.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention list heart disease as the leading cause of death in the United States (although in December 2020 COVID-19 became the leading cause), with one person dying from cardiovascular disease on an average of every 36 seconds. Heart surgery procedures are among the most expensive medical treatments, and in the United States patients often face a significant wait time for treatments. Both of these factors became drivers in the decision to travel outside of the country for medical care.
In a recent ranking of top destinations for specific medical needs published by Patients Without Borders, Mumbai, India, came out ahead for the number of top heart specialists coupled with significant cost savings to patients. The report suggests typical savings range 55–90 percent for a wide variety of sophisticated medical treatments and surgeries.
Other major urban centers — including New Delhi, Delhi and Bangalore — are seeing an average annual increase of 30 percent in medical tourists from the United States, Canada and Europe. Destinations for heart procedures include top-rated Fortis Escorts Heart Institute in New Delhi, which features minimal access and robotic surgery, along with specialty clinics treating heart failure and addressing issues related to pacemakers and implanted cardiac devices.
The Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, also located in New Delhi, specializes in multiple advanced cardiac procedures including percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation, neonatal heart surgery and valvular heart disease. The hospital’s advanced cardiac team addresses more than 100 procedures daily, including stress echo, echo, TMT and vascular Doppler studies, with 95 percent of surgeries falling into the category of beating heart surgeries — bypass surgeries performed while the patient’s
HEART SURGERY PROCEDURES ARE AMONG THE MOST EXPENSIVE MEDICAL TREATMENTS, AND IN THE UNITED STATES PATIENTS OFTEN FACE A SIGNIFICANT WAIT TIME FOR TREATMENTS.
heart is beating.
For pediatric patients, Narayana Multispeciality Hospital in Bangalore has a dedicated unit run by one of India’s top specialist surgeons. This hospital also addresses the needs of adult patients and provides advanced treatments in the areas of coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris and cardiomyopathy.
India is filled with fabulous places to visit before heading back home. In Bangalore there’s Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace, Gavi Gangadhareshwara Cave Temple and the ancient Dodda Ganapathi. In Delhi three UNESCO World Heritage sites include the Hayat Baksh Bagh, which translates to Life-bestowing Gardens — a fitting way to end a health-focused journey.