‘Early diagnosis, holistic stance can help one avoid heart failure’
The rise in cardiovascular diseases in India reflects in the number of cases received by city hospitals these days. Experts say over 40 per cent of the people in the country below the age of 55 experience heart attack. One out of four such cases eventually develops heart failure within four years. When the pumping capacity of the heart, especially the left ventricle is more than 60%, it is considered normal. Whereas a capacity at 45-50% is moderate and lesser than 30% is a severe condition of heart failure. Dr R Ravi Kumar, MD DM Sr Cardiologist HF and Heart Transplant, MGM Hospital said people tend to confuse heart failure with heart attack.
“Heart attack is a significant risk factor for heart failure. In our hospital, we see around 8% heart failure patients every month whose disease onset was due to a heart attack. Additionally, we also find 25-30% of heart failure cases with a history of one or multiple heart attacks/ angioplasty, also known as Ischemic Cardiomyopathy. However, heart failure is not the end of the road and can be managed effectively with early diagnosis and holistic management,” said Dr Ravi.
However, a healthy lifestyle with a combination of medication and dietary changes will help in heart failure management along with treatment adherence. Lifestyle modification including regular exercise, eating a balanced diet with limited salt and water intake, smoking cessation can also help in holistic management of the condition.
“One of the common misconceptions is that heart failures cannot be treated. The treatments are provided based on the underlying reason – improving blood supply through angioplasty stenting or a bypass surgery; strengthening of heart muscles through medications; improving the heart rhythm through special pacemakers. When the above three conditions are not improved then it reaches end-stage heart failure where a transplant will be required,” said Dr Ananthraman, Senior Consultant Cardiologist and Lead for Heart Failure & Transplantation, Kauvery Hospital Chennai.
“When one suffers breathlessness, chest pain, erratic blood pressure and palpitation he/she should immediately get an ECG or ECHO Cardiogram done along with cardiology consultation,” he added.