To extend medical assistance to poor patients from the southern districts, the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital will have a catheterization laboratory or cath lab within three months to provide quality healthcare to patients suffering from cardiac ailments.
Informing this during the ‘World Heart Day’ function organised here on Thursday, Dean, TVMCH, K. Sithy Athiya Munavarah, said alcoholism, smoking, unhealthy diet, obesity, lack of physical activity and lack of sleep etc., collectively would lead to cardiac ailments.
“With regular exercise, a healthy balanced diet rich in fibre and good habits, everyone can keep cardiac ailments at bay. To take the advanced medical assistance being extended to patients suffering from cardiac ailments, the TVMCH will establish its cath lab within three months so that conducting angiogram and angioplasty will become possible here,” Dr. Sithy said.
A team of cardiologists of Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital screened over 300 patients including 30 journalists in view of the ‘World Heart Day’. After checking blood pressure, fasting and post-prandial blood sugar, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, lipid profile study were conducted on the visitors and a team of cardiologists gave medical advice based on the findings of these clinical investigations.
Head, Department of Pathology Revathi Balan and others were present.
Cardiologists said 90 per cent of heart attacks are preventable if adequate preventive measures are adopted. Around 4,000 persons die of heart attack everyday in India. This can be reduced if the right treatment is given at the earliest. In Thoothukudi, a cardiac awareness really was organised at Tharuvai Grounds in the morning, in which over 200 volunteers participated. A basic cardiac screening camp was also conducted for nearly 300 people.
A cardiac awareness programme on ‘Life after heart attack’ was organized, in which 250 people, who suffered heart attack and subsequently underwent angioplasty, shared their experience.
Cardiologist T. Neelambujan of Sundaram Arulrhaj Hospital organized the programme in which S. Arulrhaj, Chairman, Sundaram Arulrhaj Hospitals participated.
On Wednesday, a human chain was formed at Palayamkottai to create awareness of heart ailments in connection with the World Heart Day. The chain, organised by Southern Heart Centre in association with Annai Teresa Public Welfare Trust, was inaugurated by Rev. Fr. A. Antony Cruz. R. Srinivasan, cardiologist, addressed the participants, most of whom were students of Rani Anna Government Arts College.
