Cardiological Society of India conducts survey - “Attack the Heart Attack Week”, collects data on Primary Angioplasties!
* Pilot study on primary angioplasties reveals Hyderabad being way ahead of national average
* Hyderabad reported 23% primary angioplasties as against the national average of 8-13%
Hyderabad, 26th August 2016: There is a huge discrepancy in health care delivery across the country and the state. Time is muscle in acute heart attacks, so the time to access a reasonably good health care is averaging from 4 to 6 hours to nearly 12 hours (Pain – door time) in Urban and Semi-urban areas. As we know, Primary Coronary Angioplasty is among very few cardiac therapies that saves life and involves opening of clogged artery during ongoing heart attack.
Briefing media Dr. J. Shiv Kumar, President, CSI - Telangana; Dr. K. Narasa Raju, Secretary, CSI - Telangana; Dr (Col.) M. Sitaram, Treasurer, CSI - Telangana & Dr Sridhar Reddy Peddi, Jt. Secretary, CSI - Telangana; said, the Cardiological Society of India of Telangana State Chapter has conducted a snap shot survey naming “Attack the Heart Attack Week” whereby we tried to collect the data of Primary Angioplasties done in our state during this week. The Initial data shows rate of Primary Angioplasties is about 23% in Hyderabad and 10% in other Districts. This helps us to educate the first care Physicians and the lay public towards the urgent need of therapy and its goal.
Speaking on the occasion Dr Shiv Kumar said, in the survey done in 37 cardiac centers in Telangana during the period August 18th to 24th, 2016, 296 angioplasties were reported, off which only 76 were primary angioplasties. Only 23% of the total heart attacks in the state, during the period could undergo primary angioplasty and the remaining 77% couldn't benefit from Primary angioplasty. However Hyderabad with 23% primary angioplasties is way ahead of national average of 8-13%, even the Telangana districts with 10% are better off than the national average, he said. To improve the average and benefit more patients, we need to raise awareness about 'Time being Muscle", reaching the nearest cardiac center at the earliest amongst general public, physicians the primary contact of patients need to be educated on this besides having better infrastructure like good roads, dedicated lanes, ambulances etc., he said.
Dr. K. Narasa Raju said, primary angioplasty is the best treatment and gives best results, we can prolong life with it, he added. Despite bettering the national average there is a huge gap, 77% of the patients are not getting the best treatment of primary angioplasty. The reasons are associated with cost factor, lack of awareness that in case of heart attack reaching a cardiac center with in the window period of 90 minutes can help preventing damage to heart muscle, he added.
Dr Sridhar Reddy Peddi said, the heart muscle can be saved if the patient reaches with in the 60 to 90 minute window period from the time of heart attack. In cities often the patient is delayed due to lack of right to way for ambulances. Inculcating the habit of making way for ambulance amongst the commuters and having dedicated lanes for ambulances can help in saving the patient's heart muscle.
