A two-day annual conference on the prevention of stroke that was inaugurated here on Saturday has a special programme for paramedical personnel and general practitioners.
The meeting is being organised by the Indian Heart Rhythm Society.
The aim of the conference is to collate epidemiological data on arrythmia and heart failures from registries across the country. It will also gather information on interventions such as lifestyle modification, drugs, ablation procedures and pacemaker devices.
This will help the Society formulate recommendations to government agencies dealing with healthcare, medical education and research, said cardiac electrophysiologist Dr. Ulhas M. Pandurangi, who is associated with Madras Medical Mission, under whose aegis the event is being organised.
Dr. Pandurangi said the theme of the conference is prevention of stroke. “Stroke is the sudden occurrence of paralysis of the limbs or loss of consciousness. The commonest cause of stroke in adults is a specific form of abnormal rhythm of heart called atrial fibrillation (AF). Up to 10 per cent of adults above the age of 60 years risk developing stroke,” Dr. Pandurangi said.
Youngsters, who have Rheumatic heart disease, are also at risk of developing stroke if they also have AF.
When the heart’s ability to pump blood is impaired, it leads to heart failure. Every year, an estimated one million persons are newly diagnosed with heart failure, he said. Over half of those who survive a heart attack could develop heart failure and become symptomatic even when they perform routine activity.
The Society is expected to create guidelines for the Indian population and suggest procedures and pacemaker devices besides therapies to tackle these conditions.
