In a bid to bridge the gap between awareness of heart diseases and the actual prevention that can generate tangible outcomes, Chennai-based Neomed Hospital has introduced a slew of effective, non-invasive methods and approaches for the prevention and treatment of serious cardiovascular and other chronic diseases.

In conjunction with promoting conventional strategies to help protect the heart, the hospital's new-age innovative approaches are aimed at promoting cardiac wellness across vulnerable groups, the sources said in a press meeting.

Addressing the press meet on the advancing strategies to arrest the alarming rise of cardiovascular diseases in India, Dr L.Sivabalan, director and chief consultant, Preventive Cardiology, Neomed Hospital said, "While World Heart Day's thrust on creating awareness for heart diseases itself can be considered a prevention strategy, there is a need to educate people on the existing new-age prevention and treatment options available to everyone, including those who have a pre-determined risk of heart attacks, those who want to prevent an unforeseen heart attack, those who are not keen on undergoing heart surgeries, those who are not unfit for further angiograms or bypass procedures, and those who simply cannot afford a surgery."

The Hospital offers non-invasive tests to detect early coronary artery disease with its state-of-the-art 3-D Cartography. This 3-D Cardiovascular Cartogram is hailed as a procedure for detecting coronary artery disease with emphasis on blood flow to heart muscle which is a vital and key decision making parameter for any therapeutic intervention in a patient. The hospital also offers non-invasive, non surgical treatment options like Chelation therapy, ESMR, EECP, X-plaque etc which are not only for people suffering from heart disease but also for people who want to prevent from getting a heart attack. The treatments involved are safe and effective and is an affordable way to improve coronary circulation and myocardial perfusion (blood flow to heart) in a non-surgical approach.

According to Dr Sivabalan, "Patients who should ideally be targeted for non-invasive treatments to prevent heart diseases must include chronic smokers, those below 40 years of age, diabetics, hypertensive patients, those with a family history of heart disease, those with stressful lifestyles, sedentary lifestyles, improper diet patterns, chronic alcoholics, post menopausal women, and women who have had an early uterus removal."

Ninety-five percent of patients do not know that they are susceptible to heart attacks. Most of them don't make it to the hospital and they don't show any signs of heart disease prior to their death," said Dr Sivabalan. "It so happens because less than 40 years age group are not so heart health conscious since they do not follow regular cardiac screening or check ups. Many of them may be into self diagnosis, self medications, or into superstitious beliefs. Also, many chronic diabetics may not know that they may be prone to silent heart attacks. Added to all this, there is the inherent network problems between primary, secondary and tertiary medical centres."

Even if on-time medical help is available to people, it is seen in a number of cases that despite typical symptoms signaling emergency medical interventions and common treatment options, settling on the right treatment option for a heart disease might still be a challenge for many. "Recent studies have shown an increase in the number of heart patients who suffer from Refractive Angina Pectoris, a condition wherein heart patients become unresponsive to both conventional medical therapy such as percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs, like angioplasty, stenting) and surgical revascularization procedures like bypass surgery. Non-invasive treatment options such as Chelation therapy can be a considered choice to prevent coronary heart diseases and heart attacks," the doctor explained.

This alternative treatment modality is gaining worldwide acceptance for effective management of Refractory Angina with end stage coronary artery disease, thus offering new hope to patients and provides therapy which compliments existing procedures. Neomed Hospital has introduced, for the first time in the country Extracorporeal Cardiac Shock Wave Therapy (CSWT) also known as ESMR, a therapy that works towards improving myocardial ischemia (reduced blood supply to the heart muscle) in patients with severe CAD and refractory angina pectoris. ESMR is a non-invasive therapy that involves shockwave technology for the purpose of coronary revascularization. The therapy particularly targets ischemic regions of the heart that are no longer treatable or approachable by invasive methods.