Consumption of alcohol, tobacco and unhealthy diet have hit the youth of Himachal Pradesh hard as there has been found an increase in the rate of cardiovascular ailments in youngsters living in the state, as revealed by eminent heart specialist Dr. T.S. Mahant.
Dr. Mahant recently delivered a lecture in which he stated that heart surgeries have become safer over the years and a reduction of 25 percent in the mortality rate has been observed, it's because of the developments that took place in medical technology and improved clinical proficiency.
A specialised hospital and skilled heart surgeon following the right procedure can easily save lives of anyone ranging from an infant to an aged person, according to Dr. Mahant; but he felt disturbed about the fact that youngsters hailing in their early 20s from Himachal were being diagnosed with heart diseases.
"I've treated many who're in their early 20s but have developed cardiac ailments due to a diet high in red meat, tobacco and alcohol," he told the Hindu.
Unhealthy diet followed by those living in the hills also contains high levels of butter oil and sugar, which makes them more susceptible to heart diseases.
Dr. Mahant also highlighted that the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) had published a report stating that the heart disease cases have mounted over the last few decades.
In 2014, British Medical Journal issued a study on Indian government employees. The study revealed that 21 percent of these employees were suffering from hypertension, 47.6 percent were overweight and 45.6 percent of them had dyslipidemia.
"The incidence in young Indians is 12-16 percent, which is higher than other ethnic groups worldwide," Dr. Mahant said.
Improved techniques in the medical field along with availability of better options have bettered the procedures of heart surgeries while depleting the risk factors for the patients.
"With the help of Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), a heart surgeon can allow more time to an intensive care expert working on a critical patient of reversible lung and heart diseases," said Dr. Mahant.
"New generation prosthetic valve and trans catheter valve implants (TAVI) have opened up new avenues in management of heart valve diseases and the development of an artificial valve has given a bridge to a heart failure patient waiting for a heart transplant," he added further.
