Lifestyle counselling and healthy change can reduce heart disease, noted non-government organisation Heart Care Foundation of India president K. K. Aggarwal.
He noted that an intensive effort to change lifestyle by controlling high blood pressure, cholesterol and smoking can substantially reduce the risk of heart disease.
Dr. Aggarwal noted that a trial called the EuroAction study, published in The Lancet compared the results of added counselling on lifestyle issues such as diet, physical activity and smoking to the usual care.
The study includes more than 3,000 people with coronary heart disease and 2,300 high risk people.
Half received counselling from a team of nurses, dieticians, physiotherapists and treating doctors. The counselling was given to families as well as individuals.
The trial included two groups of patients — one who had already developed coronary heart disease, and the other who were asymptomatic but at high risk due to a combination of risk factors with a high chance of developing heart disease in over 10 years.
“The study found that 55 per cent of those getting the counselling reduced their intake of saturated fat, compared to 40 per cent of those not getting the advice. Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables was seen in 72 per cent of the counselled group. Seventeen per cent increased consumption of heart-friendly oily fish, compared to 35 per cent and 8 per cent in the other group,” noted Dr. Aggarwal.
The doctor has advocated increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, heart-friendly oily fish and sustained daily physical activity.
Doing their bit for tuberculosis control, doctors associated with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) have jointly signed and released a message — “TB Haarega , Desh Jeetaga ” and “ Swachh Bharat, Swasth Bharat —TB Mukt Bharat” .
The IMA has demanded that all doctors registered with the Medical Council of India, through their respective State Medical Councils, must notify each and every case of TB in the interest of the nation.
By Bindu Shajan Perapadan
