Innovations in Cardiology (IIC) Summit 2014

Dear Colleague

Kindly attend ‘Innovations in Cardiology (IIC) Summit 2014’ on 6th September, 11 am – 6 pm at Hotel Oberoi, Gurgaon.

The Organizing Secretary is Dr Rajneesh Kapoor

Highlights of the conference
• Separate hall for Clinical Cardiology
• One session on Medicolegal aspects will be taken by me.
• No registration fee, limited seats

Kindly send your confirmation to rawat.vandana89@gmail.com or sms 9891673085

Health and Spirituality, a pathway to overall wellbeing

Padma Shri, Dr. BC Roy and DST National Science Communication National Awardee, Dr K K Aggarwal gives an Oration at the SKN Medical College in Pune

Spiritual healthcare involves treating a patient’s physical, emotional, social, and spiritual elements as an integrated whole and not just freeing a person’s physical body from disease. Speaking about the new age concept of Spiritual Prescription and the correlation between spirituality and healthcare, renowned Cardiologist, spiritual writer, inspirational speaker and President of the Heart Care Foundation of India, Dr K K Aggarwal left over 2000 doctors and students at the S K N Medical College enthralled during his visit to Pune on Friday, August 22, 2014.

A medico-spiritual expert and social worker par excellence, Dr. K K Aggarwal is the only doctor in the country to have received three prestigious National awards namely the Padma Shri, Dr. BC Roy and the DST National Science and Communication Award. He is also a Limca Book of World Record holder for the maximum number of people trained in the lifesaving technique of hands only CPR in one go and the Senior National Vice President of the Indian Medical Association.

Commenting on his keynote address at the SKN Medical College, Dr K K Aggarwal, President of the Heart Care Foundation of India said, “Health is not merely an absence of disease but a state of physical, mental, social and spiritual well being. I feel that spiritual prescription should be an integral part of modern medicine for a person can truly be healthy only when there exists’ a balance between his sympathetic and parasympathetic state. Unfortunately mental health education is not a part of the course curriculum at the MBBS level. I feel that in addition to normal disease prevention measures, one should follow the principles of non-violent communication, confession, non-materialistic gifting, creative thinking and community service to achieve complete inner happiness and to live a healthy life”

During his oration, Dr Aggarwal also gave an example of how by chanting vowels with nasal consonants; one can get benefits such as pain relief and mental relaxation. For instance it is very common to chant ‘AUM’ or ‘OM’ while meditating or while trying to relax one’s mind. The scientific principle behind this is that Aum/Om is nothing but a combination of a vowel Au or O along with a nasal consonant UM or M. It is a well-known fact that whenever we suffer physical pain, we automatically produce a vowel sound like in the case of being pricked by a pin or needle the natural reaction is to say ‘ee’ or ‘Ah’. Allopathic research has demonstrated that chanting of vowels produces interleukin-2 in the body, which has an action, similar to that of aspirin, a painkiller. Similarly when we are upset, we weep or make weeping sounds. These weeping sounds are nasal consonants, which produces delta activity in the mind EEG with results similar those of a tranquilizer.

A pioneer of leading health initiatives, Dr. K K Aggarwal has been instrumental in bringing treatments such as clot dissolving therapy for acute heart attacks and Colour Doppler Echocardiography in the country.  In addition to this, he has also conceptualized and organized unique consumer driven health awareness platforms such as The Perfect Health Mela and the Run for your Heart as a part of his role as the President of The Heart Care Foundation of India. His most recent project within the NGO called the Sameer Malik Heart Care Foundation Fund is playing an instrumental role in providing heart care for all patients in need of treatment but do not have the financial or technical means to fund it.

Dr. Aggarwal is also a member of the Ethics Committee of the Medical Council of India, and he is well versed with topics such as ethical guidelines every medical practitioner must follow, medical negligence, article 21 of the constitution and a person’s right to universal healthcare.

Delhi Medical Association honors leading Cardiologists for their outstanding contribution in the medical profession

Awardees include National Award winners Dr. KK Aggarwal, Dr. T.S Kler, Dr. Naresh Trehan, Dr. Ashok Seth and Dr GK Mani

Delhi Medical Association– the world’s oldest medical association honored 22 leading dignitaries for their outstanding contribution in the medical field on the occasion of its 100th anniversary celebrations in the capital on Sunday. Amongst the awardees were renowned Cardiologists and National Award winners, Dr. KK Aggarwal, Dr. T.S. Kler, Dr. Naresh Trehan, Dr. Ashok Seth and Dr GK Mani who received the DMA Centenary Award. The Union Minister of Finance & Defense, Shri Arun Jaitley, Union Health Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan and Minister of State for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitender Singh, presented the awards.

With the increasing incidence of heart disease in the country, it becomes all the more important for more and more experts to come forward for the benefit of the society. In its endeavor to applaud those individuals who selflessly work towards the betterment of the society and to encourage more people to join the race, the Delhi Medical Association honored deserving individuals for their contribution in the field of healthcare in India on the occasion of their centenary celebrations.

The leading awardees of the DMA Centenary Award included renowned Cardiologist, President of the Heart Care Foundation of India and the Sr. National Vice President of the Indian Medical Association, Dr. KK Aggarwal. A doctor and social worker par excellence, Dr. KK Aggarwal is the only doctor in the country to have received three prestigious National awards namely the Padma Shri, Dr. BC Roy and the DST National Science and Communication Award.

Another doctor of prominence included Dr. T.S. Kler, a Padma Bhushan Awardee and an active international Cardiologist who has till date performed over 10,000 coronary, renal and peripheral angioplasties. He is an expert Electrophysiologist and the highest implanter of ICD’s & Combo devices in he country.

Other Cardiologists included Dr. Naresh Trehan who is the Chairman of Medanta Medicity and Mr. Ashok Seth, Chairman of Fortis Heart Institute.

Commenting on the occasion, the Member Ethics Committee Medical Council of India and the President of the Heart Care Foundation of India, Dr. K.K. Aggarwal, said, "It is a great honor to receive prestigious award. I would like to congratulate all my fellow members of DMA on the 100th year celebration of such a great association. I hope that through my efforts I can continue to bring about a difference to the society and do my bit in making India a healthier and disease free nation."

Adding to this, the Executive Director (Cardiac Sciences), HOD Cardiology and Director Electrophysiology, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre New Delhi, Dr. T. S Kler, said, "It gives me immense happiness to receive such a prestigious award by the Delhi Medical Association. It has been my constant endeavor to provide quality, revolutionary and accessible healthcare solutions for all to help decrease the disease burden of our country."

Ebola Virus a new terror agent: Dengue like illness with rabies like mortality

1. The filoviruses, Marburg and Ebola, are among the most virulent human pathogens.
2. Case fatality rates are 80 to 90 percent.
3. Ebola viruses are also classified as "hemorrhagic fever viruses" based on their clinical manifestations, which include coagulation defects, a capillary leak syndrome, and shock.
4. Other types of viral HF include Rift Valley fever, Crimean–Congo HF, Lassa fever, yellow fever, and dengue HF.
5. The filoviruses, Marburg and Ebola, are among the most virulent human pathogens, causing severe hemorrhagic fever that resembles fulminant septic shock.
6. Person–to–person transmission requires direct contact with blood or other virus-containing body fluids.
7. The reservoir host of the filoviruses is not known.
8. Various bat species may serve as a source of infection for both humans and wild primates.
9. Flavi viruses cause extensive tissue damage
10. They also induce a systemic inflammatory syndrome by causing the release of cytokines, chemokines, and other proinflammatory mediators from infected macrophages.
11. The incubation period is usually 5 to 7 days, but may exceed two weeks.
12. Patients usually have an abrupt onset of non–specific symptoms, such as fever, malaise, and myalgias.
13. As the illness progresses, patients develop worsening prostration, stupor, and hypotension.
14. Signs of impaired coagulation generally remain limited to conjunctival hemorrhages, easy bruising, and failure of venipuncture sites to clot.
15. Due to their virulence, stability as aerosols, and high infectivity, Marburg and Ebola viruses are classified as Category A bioterror agents.
16. The occurrence of even a single human infection outside of Africa is therefore a public health emergency requiring immediate investigation, since it could represent the leading edge of an impending outbreak.
17. Rapid diagnostic tests for Marburg and Ebola virus infection have been developed, based on the detection of viral antigens by enzyme–linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or specific RNA sequences by reverse–transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) in blood or other body fluids. The diagnosis is confirmed through cell culture.
18. No specific therapy is available for patients who have developed Ebola or Marburg hemorrhagic fever; care is supportive.
19. Health care workers should employ isolation and barrier procedures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization when caring for patients with suspected or known filovirus infection.
20. Platelets count may fall and SGOT may be more than SGPT as seen in dengue fever.

Bioterrorism

The CDC has identified a number of pathogens that could be used in biological terrorism and have ranked them into various categories based on their overall potential to cause harm. High–priority agents include organisms that:

• Can be easily disseminated or transmitted person–to–person
• Cause high mortality
• Might cause public panic and social disruption
• Require special action for public health preparedness

1. The highest priority agents (Category A) include anthrax and smallpox. These agents are of particular concern because they can be grown easily in large quantities and are sturdy organisms, resistant to destruction. They are also particularly well suited to airborne dissemination, thereby infecting large numbers of people.
2. Second highest priority agents (Category B) include those that are moderately easy to spread, and generally cause less morbidity and mortality than Category A, but may require enhanced diagnostic capacity or surveillance techniques. Examples include agents of Q fever or brucellosis.
3. Category C agents include pathogens that could be engineered for mass dissemination either because of ready availability, or ease of production and transport. They are usually agents of significant potential morbidity and/or mortality. Examples include hantavirus or multidrug–resistant tuberculosis.

Because of their virulence, stability, and high infectivity as small–particle aerosols, Marburg and Ebola virus are classified as Category A bioterror agents by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

The occurrence of even a single human infection outside of Africa is therefore a public health emergency requiring immediate investigation, since it could represent the leading edge of an impending outbreak. Marburg and Ebola hemorrhagic fever occur naturally only in central Africa.

Managing wounds at home

1. A wound is a disruption of the normal structure and function of the skin.
2. Antibiotic therapy is not indicated in all the wounds and is reserved only for infected wounds.
3. It is important to keep blood sugar under control while managing a wound.
4. All wounds which are contaminated or with foreign bodies need debridement.
5. Irrigation or the wound is the best for reducing bacterial load and removing loose material.
6. Irrigation can be done with worm saline.
7. Principles of wound management are – scrub, clean and dressing.
8. Scrubbing means that dressing should be done with clean hands, which requires proper scrubbing of the hands.
9. Would cleaning means that the wound should first be cleaned and finally after cleaning it requires a proper dressing.
10. Some wounds may require suturing, especially if the wound is of less than six hours duration.
11. In an accident if a finger is cut or a tooth is removed, one should preserve the finger or the tooth and take it to the nearest hospital along with the patient for reimplantation.
12. The best way to carry the amputated finger or uprooted tooth is to put them in a plastic bag and that bag to be put in a box containing ice.
13. Skin burns should be treated firstly by putting the area under the running water till the burning disappears.
14. In a patient with burns, the blister that forms should not be punctured.
15. Presence of pain is also good sign and indicates that the burns are superficial.

Beware of Synthetic Milk

1. It is not milk
2. It is made up of urea, caustic soda, refined oil (cheap cooking oil) and common detergents.
3. Detergents are used as they emulsify and dissolve the oil in water giving the frothy solution, the characteristic white colour of milk. Refined oil is used as a substitute for milk fat. Caustic soda is added to the blended milk to neutralize the acidity and preventing it from turning sour during transport. Urea/sugar are added for solid–not–fat (SNF).
4. It looks like natural milk, except in taste and nutritional qualities.
5. It is normally mixed with milk and then sold in the market
6. It is carcinogenic in humans
7. Urea and caustic soda can harm liver and kidneys.
8. Caustic soda with high sodium content is harmful for patients with high blood pressure.
9. Caustic soda also deprives the body from utilizing lysine, an essential amino acid in milk, which is required by growing babies.

Even the elderly should exercise

Research spanning two decades has found that older runners live longer and suffer fewer disabilities than healthy non–runners. This observation applies to a variety of aerobic exercises, including walking.

A study by authors, from Stanford University School of Medicine, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine has shown that being active reduces disability and increases survival.

There are benefits of vigorous activity late in life. Earlier many experts believed that vigorous exercise would actually harm older individuals. And running, in particular, would result in an epidemic of joint and bone injuries. But this new study proves otherwise.

Two hundred and eighty–four runners and 156 healthy "controls," or non–runners, in California completed annual questionnaires over a 21–year period. The participants were 50 years old or over at the beginning of the study and ran an average of about four hours a week. By the end of the study period, the participants were in their 70s or 80s or older and ran about 76 minutes a week.

At 19 years, just 15 percent of the runners had died, compared with 34 percent of the non–runners.

In the study, running delayed the onset of disability by an average of 16 years. It’s so important to be physically active your whole life, not just in your 20s or 40s, but forever. Exercise is like the most potent drug. Exercise is by far the best thing you can do.

One should take lessons from Yudhishthir in Mahabharata who walked till his death. However a word of caution, if an elderly is walking or entering into an exercise program, he or she should have a cardiac evaluation to rule out underlying heart blockages.