15 March 2006
MUSCAT -- Al Hayat Polyclinic recently conducted a seminar on how to prevent heart attack and sudden death. The speakers were Dr Sandeep Gupta, renowned cardiologist from the UK, and Dr K P Raman, Medical Director, Al Hayat Polyclinic. Dr Taha al Delaimi, Head of the Department of Cardiotho-racic Surgery, Royal Hospital, was the chief guest.
Dr Gupta explained how heart attack is caused and its potential to acquire epidemic proportions in countries of southeast Asia, including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Given the high incidence of diabetes and pre-diabetes, people from the Indian sub-continent are more prone to heart attack than those in China and the West, he says. Oman, with a high incidence of diabetes, also falls in a category similar to countries of southeast Asia, he warns.
The cardiologist mooted a special poly-meal consisting of walnuts, almonds, olives, oily fish, and dark chocolate, to prevent heart diseases. Individuals with high BP, diabetes, weak heart muscle or irregular heartbeat must eschew alcohol, he said. Dr Raman's address dwelt on the prevention of sudden death, which he described as a type of manifestation of heart attack. "Thus, to prevent sudden death one should really address the risk factors that lead to heart attack.
It is unfortunate that a person in the prime of his life at the age of 45 or 50 suddenly collapses and dies without any warning sign or within an hour of onset of chest discomfort. This is by the WHO's definition 'sudden death'. If only that person did not ignore his chest pain and brush it off as gas and acidity and instead went to a hospital, chances were he would not have died. The doctors would have given him a clot busting medicine or if the heart had stopped they would have given him an electric shock by a device called defibrillator to kick-start the heart."
In this context Dr Raman pointed out that Al Hayat Polyclinic has introduced a state of the art ambulance with ICU-like facilities inside, such as oxygen, suction apparatus, monitor which shows on the screen the patient's ECG, BP and oxygen level in the blood. The ambulance is also fitted with a defibrillator.
Dr Raman stressed that when a person suddenly collapses, resuscitation started by a bystander who witnesses the event, is important to keep the brain and heart alive till such time a small electric shock can be given to kick start the heart. Al Hayat Polyclinic has also introduced two Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) to fight heart diseases, said Dr Raman. Small, portable and simple to use, AEDs can be operated even by non-medical persons, he said.
MUSCAT -- Al Hayat Polyclinic recently conducted a seminar on how to prevent heart attack and sudden death. The speakers were Dr Sandeep Gupta, renowned cardiologist from the UK, and Dr K P Raman, Medical Director, Al Hayat Polyclinic. Dr Taha al Delaimi, Head of the Department of Cardiotho-racic Surgery, Royal Hospital, was the chief guest.
Dr Gupta explained how heart attack is caused and its potential to acquire epidemic proportions in countries of southeast Asia, including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Given the high incidence of diabetes and pre-diabetes, people from the Indian sub-continent are more prone to heart attack than those in China and the West, he says. Oman, with a high incidence of diabetes, also falls in a category similar to countries of southeast Asia, he warns.
The cardiologist mooted a special poly-meal consisting of walnuts, almonds, olives, oily fish, and dark chocolate, to prevent heart diseases. Individuals with high BP, diabetes, weak heart muscle or irregular heartbeat must eschew alcohol, he said. Dr Raman's address dwelt on the prevention of sudden death, which he described as a type of manifestation of heart attack. "Thus, to prevent sudden death one should really address the risk factors that lead to heart attack.
It is unfortunate that a person in the prime of his life at the age of 45 or 50 suddenly collapses and dies without any warning sign or within an hour of onset of chest discomfort. This is by the WHO's definition 'sudden death'. If only that person did not ignore his chest pain and brush it off as gas and acidity and instead went to a hospital, chances were he would not have died. The doctors would have given him a clot busting medicine or if the heart had stopped they would have given him an electric shock by a device called defibrillator to kick-start the heart."
In this context Dr Raman pointed out that Al Hayat Polyclinic has introduced a state of the art ambulance with ICU-like facilities inside, such as oxygen, suction apparatus, monitor which shows on the screen the patient's ECG, BP and oxygen level in the blood. The ambulance is also fitted with a defibrillator.
Dr Raman stressed that when a person suddenly collapses, resuscitation started by a bystander who witnesses the event, is important to keep the brain and heart alive till such time a small electric shock can be given to kick start the heart. Al Hayat Polyclinic has also introduced two Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) to fight heart diseases, said Dr Raman. Small, portable and simple to use, AEDs can be operated even by non-medical persons, he said.
By Staff Reporter
© Oman Daily Observer 2006
