Heart disease is the most common cause of death and disability in urban women

Important differences between women and men in the presentation of heart disease make it more difficult to establish a diagnosis in women, said Padma Shri and Dr. B.C. Roy National Awardee, Dr. KK Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India. He was addressing a press conference as a curtain raiser to the 5th Dil Ka Darbar to be held on Sunday, 29th September. The event is being organized by the Heart Care Foundation of India at Constitution Club of India in association with Ayush, Department of Health, Government of NCT Delhi, LIC, MTNL, Central Bank of India and GAIL.

Special Guests of Honour were Padma Shri & Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardee Yogeshwar Dutt, a Bronze Medalist at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the  60kg Freestyle wrestling, Dronacharya Awardee Yashbir Singh (Wrestling coach) and Arjuna Awardee Dharmendra Dalal, a Bronze Medalist in in 120 Kg Greco-Roman style wrestling at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Dr KK Aggarwal said:

1.    Women generally present 10 years later than men and with greater risk   factor burden.

2.    Women are less likely than men to have typical angina.

3.    Women in the emergency department with new onset of chest pain are approached and diagnosed less aggressively than man.

4.  Women are more likely to present initially with chest pain than a more clearly defined event such as heart attack.

5. Symptoms of heart attack in women differ from those in men.

6.  Many cases of heart attack in women are unrecognized.

7.  In women, treadmill exercise has a higher false positive rate.

8.  Small vessel disease is more common in women than in men.

9.  Established risk factors in women are: Presence of history of heart blockages; age over 55 years; high LDL (bad) or low HDL (good) cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, peripheral artery disease or family history of heart disease. 

10.  Risk factors, which are more potent in women than in men are: Smoking is associated  with 50% of all coronary events in women; diabetes confers more prognostic information in women than in men.

Prevention in Women

For all Women

·        Moderate intensity physical activity for at least 30 minutes and for 60 to 90 minutes for weight management on most days of the week.

·        Avoidance and cessation of cigarette smoking and passive smoking

·        Keep waist circumference less than 35 inches.

·        Take a heart-friendly diet.

·        Presence of high triglyceride levels.  One should add Omega 3 fatty acids to diet.

·        Control cholesterol level, high blood pressure and diabetes.

·        Women who smoke should avoid oral contraceptive pills.

·        Aspirin 80 mg in more than 65 years of age should be added
·        Treat underlying depression.

 Women at high risk

·  Aspirin 75 to 150 mg, as prevention

·  Control of blood pressure.

·  No use of anti oxidant vitamin supplement.

·  No use of folic acid support.

·  No Hormone Replacement Therapy.

·  Lowering of LDL cholesterol of less than 80.

Co-addressing the Press Conference, Mr GP Sinha GM (Mktg) MTNL said that the best gift we can give to our wives, mothers and sisters is an annual heart check up.  Dr NK Yadav, MHO, South Delhi, Medical Corporation; Dr. PK Sharma, MOH, NDMC; Dr NV Kamat, Director, Health Services, Delhi; and Sr representatives from Central Bank of India in a joint statement said that our concern in women should shift from breast cancer to heart awareness as the lifestyle adopted to prevent heart disease would also prevent breast cancer.

MTNL Organises Cardiac Resuscitation Camp For Its Employees

 Inaugurating a series of cardiac  resuscitation workshops for employees of Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited, Mr A K Garg, Chairman and Managing Director, MTNL, said that the organization  plans to provide training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation 10 (CPR 10) to all its employees. 

During  its  first session  conducted  in two batches in the Company’s Corporate Office at CGO Complex, New Delhi  where about  800 employees attended,  Shri   Garg said that  CPR 10 can revive a dead person within  the next   ten  crucial minutes. It is effective in all kinds of sudden and unexpected deaths, and more so in  deaths caused due to electric shock and cardiac arrest.  Mr Garg said that  it  is a very  important   for its employees to learn because of the reason that many times they have to work in close proximity with electrical wirings  and  installations in  Exchanges  and at customers premises.

Conducting the practical workshop of CPR 10, Padmashri  & Dr  B.C. Roy National  Awardee Dr. K K Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India,  said that one does not need to have a medical degree to learn and practice  CPR 10:  any by-stander can revive a person within ten minutes of a clinical death.  Dr. Aggarwal said that  the Foundation has  named this as “Savitri CPR 10 Mantra”,  and as per this mantra – “within 10 minutes of death (the earlier, the better),  and at least for the next  10 minutes (the longer, the better),   compressing the centre of the chest of the victim with a speed of 10x10 i.e. 100 per minute”  by any by-stander / on-looker can bring back the victim from  the jaws of death, rather than wailing about the misfortune !   Translated to Hindi,  this mantra   is – “marne ke dus minute ke andar, kam se kam dus minute tak 10x10 = 100 prati minute ki gati se, apni chhati peetne ke badle mare hue aadmi ki chhati peeto”.!

Mr Garg also announced that with the assistance of Heart Care Foundation of India, MTNL shall be launching a free  telephone ring  tone  which can be downloaded by subscribers on the phone, that will provide step by step instructions on how to revive a person after sudden death.

MTNL Perfect Health Mela to focus on revival after sudden death

Every family member of a heart patient should learn the revival technique as it is possible to revive a person after sudden cardiac death provided compression only CPR is done within 10 minutes of the heart stopping. The formula of 10 means “within 10 minutes of death for the next 10 minutes compress the centre of the chest with a speed of 10x10=100 per minute”.

Addressing a press conference in Ghaziabad, Padma Shri & Dr. B.C. Roy National Awardee, Dr. KK Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India and Dr. B.P. Tyagi, Convener, Heart Care Foundation of India said that in the forthcoming Perfect Health Mela being organized from 1st to 11^th November, 2012, the Foundation will train 10000 people in Compression Only CPR. And, 300 special dummies have been procured for practical training of these people.

Demonstrating the technique on a dummy, Dr. KK Aggarwal said that it is not always possible to reach the medical facility within 10 minutes of death.

The main Mela to be held at the Constitution Club of India will have competitions, exhibitions, workshops and seminars under one roof. Health education will be imparted through competitions and entertainment. Events like choreography, western dance and fashion shows will be utilized to communicate the health sutras to the general public.

Few health sutras released on the occasion were:

1. Foods of plant in origin contain no cholesterol.
2. Keep your lower blood pressure, fasting sugar, resting heart rate, bad cholesterol and abdominal circumference all lower than 80.
3. One should walk 80 minutes a day, brisk walk 80 minutes a week with a speed of more than 80 steps in a minute.
4. One should eat less than 80 gm or 80 ml of caloric food at a time and omit carbohydrates 80 days in a year.
5. One should not take alcohol more than 80 ml in a day and 80gm in a week.
6. One should do 80 cycles of pranayama in a day with a speed of 4 per minutes.

Entry to the Mela will be free.

19th Perfect Health Mela in November

The 19th MTNL Perfect Health Mela is being organised by Heart Care Foundation of India jointly with Department of Health, Delhi Government from 7th to 11th November, 2012 at Constitution Club of India, New Delhi. Various activities will be organised at multiple locations, a week before the event.

Addressing a press conference, Padma Shri & Dr. B.C. Roy National Awardee, Dr. KK Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India, said that focus of the Mela this year will be “Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases”.

Co-addressing the press conference, Mr A K Srivastav GM (Marketing) MTNL Delhi, Mr Deepak Chanduka, GM, MTNL Corporate Office, Dr N K Yadav MHO MCD South Zone and  Sr representatives from DHS, Dept. of Health & FW Govt. of NCT Delhi, NDMC and SAIL said that the Mela will be a unique opportunity for people from all walks of life to get preventive awareness about non-communicable diseases incorporating all pathies and using the medium of exhibition, checkups, competitions, workshops under one roof.

Ms Nalini & Ms Kamalini, eminent Kathak exponents, guests for the press conference, released the theme and logo of the event. A chart containing various activities was also released. The highlight of this year’s Mela will be a series of workshops of all pathies in non-communicable diseases. Ten thousand members of the public will also be trained and certified in compression-only CPR.

Delhi Transport Corporation will also run special buses for the various locations from Mela venue. Over 3000 school children, 1500 nurses and 1000 youth will participate in various events. Over 1000 cardiologists from all pathies, totaling 1000 will participate in various workshops.

Special arrangements are being made and special counters are being made for the residents of Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurgaon.

All Pathy consensus conference on prevention of lifestyle disorders

For the first time, an all pathy consensus conference on prevention of lifestyle disorders will be organized as a part of MTNL Perfect Health Mela on Sunday, 16th October, 2011 at Acharya Sushil Muni Ashram, Defence Colony.

The conference will be organized by Heart Care Foundation of India and World Fellowship of Religions in association with Health Department, Government of Delhi, NDMC and MCD. The experts will be provided by Ayurvedic Department, Moolchand Hospital, Homeopathic Cardiologists of India and Sewak Ram Naturopathy Centre.

Giving the details, Padma Shri & Dr. B.C. Roy National Awardee, Dr. KK Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India and Perfect Health Mela said that up till now, there is no consensus between various pathies about cardiovascular prevention in the society.

For example, Ayurveda says that one should not eat curd at night, allopathy is silent on this. A consensus paper will be brought out and published in one of the standard journals.

The experts who will participate will include Dr. K K Aggarwal and Dr S C Manchanda (Allopathy); Dr R K Manchanda,  Dr. V K Gupta, Dr. V K Chauhan, Dr. V K Khanna, Dr. C B Nayak, Dr. Ameeta Manchanda, Dr Anupam Sethi Malhotra (Homeopathy), Dr. S P Tripathi, Dr. Shashi Bala, Dr. A K Sharma, Dr B N Sinha, Dr Rakhi Mehra, Dr S K Mishra, (Ayurveda); Dr Pawan Yadav, Dr Shakir Jamil, Dr Shamshad Ahmed (Unani); Dr S N Yadav (Naturopathy), Dr Raman Kapur, Dr R L Tuli (Acupuncture); Mr Ashok Aggarwal, Narender Shri Ji, Pt Padmesh Dubey (Astrology); Acharya Dr Sadhvi Sadhna Ji Maharaj, Dr A K Merchant, Sh N Malekar, B K Sapna, B K Sangeeta, Dr. Pranav Pandya (Dharma Gurus).

More than 500 doctors will be participating in the event.

Dr. Aggarwal said that the Mela is being organized from October 14 to 23, 2011 at different locations.

HCFI Update: Poor hygiene habits may lead to Typhoid fever

 Typhoid fever is caused by a bacteria Salmonella typhi and is transmitted through the ingestion of food or drink contaminated by the faeces or urine of infected people, said Padma Shri and Dr B C Roy National Awardee Dr K K Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India and MTNL Perfect Health Mela. Flying insects feeding on faeces may occasionally transfer the bacteria through poor hygiene habits and public sanitation conditions.

Though the cases occur round the year, cases are more common in summer and rainy seasons.

Symptoms usually develop 1–3 weeks after exposure, and may be mild or severe. They include high fever, malaise, headache, constipation or diarrhea and enlarged spleen and liver. Healthy carrier state may follow acute illness. It can be treated with antibiotics. However, resistance to common antibiotics is widespread. Healthy carriers should be excluded from handling food.

1.       Sanitation and hygiene are the critical measures that can be taken to prevent typhoid.

2.       Typhoid does not affect animals and therefore transmission is only from human to human.

3.       Typhoid can only spread in environments where human faeces or urine are able to come into contact with food or drinking water.

4.       Careful food preparation and washing of hands are crucial to preventing typhoid.

5.       Typhoid fever in most cases is not fatal.

6.       Prompt treatment of the disease with antibiotics reduces the case-fatality rate to approximately 1%.

7.       When untreated, typhoid fever persists for three weeks to a month.

8.       Resistance to common antibiotics is now common

9.   Typhoid that is resistant to common antibiotics is known as multidrug-resistant typhoid (MDR typhoid).

10.    Ciprofloxacin resistance is an increasing problem, especially in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.

11.   Azithromycin is a new drug for drug-resistant typhoid.

12.   Typhoid vaccine taken every three years is the best preventive approach. 

HCFI update: Food allergy from non food items

 Non-food items may contain food ingredients of which people may develop allergy, said Padma Shri and Dr B C Roy National Awardee Dr K K Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India and MTNL Perfect Health Mela. Giving examples he said that:

1.  Gelatin, egg, and chicken products may be used in the production of certain vaccines.

2.  Gelatin is included in measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), varicella, diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (DTaP), and Japanese encephalitis vaccines.

3. Egg protein is present in yellow fever and influenza vaccines.

4.  Some people with egg allergies can be given the influenza vaccine safely.

5. Chicken proteins may be present in the yellow fever vaccine.

6. Lactose is a sugar derived from milk. Highly allergic patients should avoid using products that contain lactose (eg, use metered dose inhalers rather than dry powder inhalers that contain lactose).

7.  Soy lecithin is the fatty derivative of soy, and it contains trace amounts of soy proteins. Certain asthma inhalers contain small amounts of soy lecithin, which could potentially cause an allergic reaction in a person who was highly allergic to soybeans or peanuts. You should discuss the risks and benefits of these inhalers with your healthcare provider.

8. Casein is a cow's milk protein used as an anti-stick agent on latex gloves.

9.  Cosmetics may contain a variety of food-derived ingredients, including milk, nut oils, wheat, and soy.

10. Craft item like modeling dough may contain wheat.

11.  Egg white is sometimes used to smooth finger-paints

HCFI update : 18th MTNL Perfect Health Mela 2011 in October

The 18th MTNL Perfect Health Mela 2011, a joint Bhagidari project of Heart Care Foundation of India and World Fellowship of Religions with Dept of Health Govt. of Delhi, MCD and NDMC will be held from 14th to 23rd October 2011. The event will include multi location activities from 14th to 18th and then the Health Mela from the 19th to 23rd at the NDMC Ground, Laxmibai Nagar, New Delhi.

The basic objective of the Mela is to create awareness about all aspects of health among people from all sections of the society and walks of life by incorporating all pathies under one roof using cost-effective infotainment modules.

The main activities will involve Harmony-inter school festival, Eco Fest-inter echo clubs school festival , Divya Jyoti-inter nursing school festival, Medico Masti-inter medical college and college festival , Heritage-inter dancing school festival, Anmol- Festival for children with special needs, Medline-live video conferencing between Delhi & Mumbai doctors interacting with patients, Jaago India-media festival, Swasthya Pavillion-general and specialty checkups and cultural programs.

The main focus of the event this year will be on creating awareness on Normal Weight Obesity, which affects over 75% of the society and Science behind Rituals and Mythology. Giving the details, Padma Shri and Dr B C Roy National Awardee Dr K K Aggarwal, President Heart care Foundation of India and MTNL Perfect Health Mela said that every ritual has some scientific basis and explanation.

Talking about normal weight obesity, Dr. Aggarwal said that any weight gain of more than 5 kg after the age of 18 is abnormal and one can have obesity even when the weight is within the normal range.

There will be a special campaign on awareness on Facebook and Twitter about the events and activities.