As many as 150 patients, all from weaker sections of society, got a new lease of life thanks to an angioplasty workshop conducted by the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research.
The free angioplasties were conducted in collaboration with Dr. Govindraju Subramani Heart foundation and Medtronic Vascular Division, Santarosa, USA.
Most of the beneficiaries are farmers, daily wagers, street vendors, autorickshaw drivers, garment workers and senior citizens from Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.
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They were given free stents worth over Rs. 1.25 crore.
According to institute Director C. N. Manjunath, performing 150 angioplasties in a span of four days is technically demanding. It was possible because the institute has seven cath labs, 45 full-time cardiologists and adequate number of technical and nursing staff, he said.
Of the 150 patients, 35 per cent were below 50 years and 17 per cent were women. The youngest patient was a 29-year-old housewife and the oldest a 76-year-old woman.
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“While 46 per cent of the beneficiaries are diabetic, 43 per cent are suffering hypertension. Nearly 33 per cent are smokers and more than 50 per cent have high cholesterol levels,” he said adding that the incidence of heart attack related diseases is high among the poor in rural areas.
They were given
free stents worth
over Rs. 1.25 crore