Mechanical Heart saves ailing Patna patient with heart failure
Patna : Advancements in the field of cardiac sciences has been a boon to patients with end stage heart problem and even heart failure. Revolutionizing with the recent technology, advent of various heart failure devices is of great significance in curbing down the mortality. In order to highlight the importance of availability of advanced heart failure care and that timely intervention can save many patients’ life, Max Smart Hospital Saket, New Delhi organized a public awareness session today.
The session was orated by Dr Rajiv Aggarwal, Senior Director & Unit Head – Cardiac Sciences, Max Smart Hospital, Saket, who emphasized the need to create and raise awareness among the masses about such advancements so that many lives can be saved. He also shared the complex cases of two patients from Patna who, were successfully revived to life with these advanced heart failure devices.
“Mr. ABC (60-year-old, Male) from Patna, had been suffering from frequent heart attacks and had undergone 4 angioplasties in the past. Despite this he had been regularly admitted to the ICU in a life-threatening condition due to a very low Ejaculation Fraction (EF=15%). Looking at the severe chances of heart failure, the only option to save his life was a heart transplant, where the patient has to wait for a cadaver donation. While the recent advancement of Left Ventricular Assisted Device (LVAD) is one such lifesaving technology, proving a boon for all such patients awaiting a heart transplant. He was successfully implanted with an LVAD which works like a permanent artificial heart pump and is totally within the body allowing the patient to move about and live a normal life. The patient is doing well 3 months down the line.” Said Dr. Rajiv Agarwal, Senior Director & Unit Head – Cardiac Sciences, Max Smart Hospital, Saket
An LVAD is different from an artificial heart. An artificial heart replaces the failing heart completely whereas an LVAD works with the heart to help it pump more blood with less work. It does this by continuously taking blood from the left ventricle and moving it to the aorta, which then delivers oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.
Usually, heart diseases go undetected in early age leading to worsening of heart functioning and finally causing heart failure. Many patients who get multiple heart attacks and patients of dilated cardiomyopathy develop advanced heart failure. The only treatment to save life of these patients is heart transplantation. Many patients remain on waiting list of transplants due to non-availability of donor heart. In such cases the only treatment option is to undergo heart transplant, where 70% of them die waiting for heart donor. LVAD is a boon for such patients and has saved many lives.
LVAD is designed to improve survival and quality of life of patients with end-stage heart failure. Today’s LVADs are lightweight and smaller than earlier models, so you’ll most likely be able to move around fairly easily.
“Another 50-year-old Male from Patna having recurrent episodes of loss of consciousness was diagnosed with a weak heart with EF 35%. Instead of conventional pacemaker which might have further weakened his heart, we gave him a Left bundle pacing which normalized his ECG pattern and protected his heart with significant cost saving. This technique is not available at most centres. We also gave him the latest medicines and the patient is doing well 2 years down the road. Many such patients can be helped at different stages of heart failure from prevention, early treatment of heart attack victims, and heart failure devices of different kinds. We are eager to partner with the local cardiologists for better heart failure care.” Added Dr Rajiv
Heart failure is more dangerous than many cancers with 50% patients dying within 5 years. It may be a consequence of heart attack but not always. Many other conditons including valve disease, cardiomyopathy, post viral, pregnancy induced failure may all cause severe heart failure. Number of such cases is increasing in Indian population as population is aging and paradoxically as more and more heart attack victims are surviving with weak hearts.
The myth that heart ailments and heart failure only affect the geriatric population and are limited to metro cities is gradually falling apart. Doctors have recorded a rise in the number of patients suffering from varied cardiac related conditions such as congenital defects, valve problems, and blockages of arteries of the heart, lifestyle disorders and viral infections in Tier I & II cities. These afflictions affect the functioning of heart in the young, middle aged and elderly population alike.
Treatment of this condition is sub-optimal and we need to take help of newer medicines and monitoring, pacemaker devices, and even artificial heart pumps in extreme cases. All this must be done in a structured manner and in systematic fashion.
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