The Hyderabad based Yashoda Group of Hospitals has joined hands with Heart Failure society of India (HFSI) for better management of heart failure patients. As a part of this initiative both the institutions have reached at an understanding to share knowledge and advancements in technology which would enable them to give better care for heart failure patients.

Both HFSI and Yashoda Hospitals have announced their partnership at a recently held national conference at Begumpet in Hyderabad. The conference emphasised on constant updating of knowledge, latest medical technologies and advanced procedures which could be used for better management of heart failure patients.

According to the partnership, both the organisations will not only facilitate training facilities to doctors and other supporting staff dealing with heart failure cases but it also promotes research activities to look at new ways of managing heart failure patients.

While talking about heart failure scenario in India, Dr. T. Sashikanth, organizing Secretary of Heart Failure Society of India & a Senior Cardiologist at Yashoda Hospitals said “Like in developed countries, heart failure has become a major problem in India too. Heart failure is complex syndrome resulting from heart dysfunction that leads to impaired ability of heart to circulate blood at a rate sufficient to maintain metabolic needs of internal organs and peripheral tissues. The incidence of sudden cardiac death is quite high in heart failure patients. Death occurs in 60-70 per cent of cases in 5 years and 30-40 per cent of cases within one year.”

Doctors suggested that heart failure can be avoided if people follow a balanced diet along with regular body exercises. And for those who are already the victims of heart failure need to follow some simple but essential tips like strict adherence to medical advice, salt and fluid restriction, graded exercise training, healthy diet, good sleep and watching weight.

According Dr.Alla Gopala Krishna Gokhale, a transplant surgeon at Yashoda Hospital, hypertension, coronary artery disease (Heart attack), valvular heart disease, diabetes mellitus, alcohol abuse, illicit substance use, age are risk factors for development of heart failure. Heart failure leads to frequent hospitalisation, poor quality of life and shortened life expectancy. Over half a million cases of heart failure are being newly diagnosed ever year.  

Keeping in view, the rising cases of heart failures every year, HFSI and Yashoda Hospitals will work on finding new ways and means to better manage the heart failure patients. As a part of this both the organizations are expected to utilize the availability of advanced pharmacologic treatment and emphasize on primary prevention modalities. Over 500 physicians and heart specialists attended the national conference in addition to specialists from India. Leading international faculty who took part at the meeting include Dr Mandeep Mehra from Dr Sudhir Kushwaha, and Dr Ranjit John all the three from USA.