In school, Dinesh Damodaran did not have too many friends.
“Every day, while the other children would run out to play, I would be left alone in the classroom. I was constantly taking leave and when I was there, I could not play games. I sat on the last bench all the time,” he said.
Dinesh had dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart muscle does not work properly. Even walking down the stairs left him breathless. He was diagnosed at 11, but did not avail of treatment then and his condition became worse.
ADVERTISEMENT
“By the time I left school, I could not walk. At one point, when blood circulation in my legs stopped, there was a chance both legs would be amputated,” he said.
In November 2012, Dinesh underwent a heart transplant, the only option left for him then. It was made possible by the family of a young victim of brain death.
Two years later, the 19-year-old is hardly any different from other teenagers — he is in his third year of a chartered accountancy programme, goes to the gym regularly and watches movies and hangs out at the beach on weekends.
ADVERTISEMENT
There are some restrictions: he is not allowed outside food, is on six tablets twice a day, and has to be cautious, but for Dinesh, this is a dream life.
Heart transplants have become increasingly common in the State, with a total of 90 hearts donated from October 2008 to August 31, 2014, according to the government’s cadaver transplant programme.
Getting assessed early though is crucial, say doctors, as the later patients come in, the more the chances other organs will be affected as well.
“The problem is, there is a cultural barrier in India towards heart transplants. Only 20 per cent of patients come at the appropriate time. A patient may be diagnosed early with heart failure but they wait till their condition is really bad before seeking a transplant. This is also a problem with doctors — not many refer patients for a transplant at an early stage,” said Paul Ramesh, senior consultant cardiothoracic surgeon, Apollo Hospitals.
Only about 10 per cent of those with heart failure require a transplant, said Dr. Ramesh, but the earlier it is done, the fewer the chances of complications. The one-year survival rate post a heart transplant is about 85 per cent, and it is about 50 per cent at 10 years, he said.
“The rejection rate for a heart is not as high as those for kidneys or the liver as its function is mainly pumping. Also, patients need fewer immunosuppressant drugs, and within a year or so, they are on only a few drugs costing about Rs. 1,000,” said K.M. Cherian, founder and CEO, Frontier Lifeline Hospital.
In the end, it is the quality of life that matters. For someone who has not been able to walk, running on a treadmill offers immense hope.
The message on World Heart Day on Monday? Take care of your heart — through diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle, said doctors.