Adopt preventive cardiac behaviour: IMA Telangana urges people

Expressing concern over increasing instances of sudden deaths, the Indian Medical Association, Telangana State urged people to adopt preventive cardiac behaviour

Hyderabad: Indian Medical Association (IMA), Telangana State, on Thursday expressed concern at increasing instance of sudden deaths and urged people to adopt preventive cardiac behaviour .

In a press statement, the IMA said there were two kinds of sudden cardiac deaths. In the first, sudden deaths following acute heart attack, which happen in slightly elder subgroup and in those with traditional coronary risk factors. In the second, sudden deaths are due to causes other than heart attack, rare instances in previously healthy individuals without any coronary risk factors. Typically, the patients do not have heart attacks before they succumb for a cardiac arrest.

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While the first group is amenable to detection by traditional preventive cardiac tests like ECG, ECHO and TMT, the second group needs different detection algorithms like long term ECG monitoring, electrophysiological testing, and genetic testing.

The press statement issued by Dr. B.N. Rao, State President, IMA Telangana State, urged to the government to hasten the CPR training sessions as started by the Health Minister, T.Harish Rao, with a goal to empower at least 50 per cent of the adult population with this skill by the end of 2024.

Apart from installing public access defibrillators, the IMA suggested CPR as the curriculum in higher secondary school education, gathering data about the sudden cardiac arrests and keeping the same in the public domain for constructive discussion and understanding.

The IMA urged the government to allocate funds for research into the reasons regarding these deaths especially in the young and also suggested Sudden Death Investigation Committees to probe into each sudden death to reduce panic due to the perceived causes of sudden deaths.

IMA advisory for individuals:

* Individuals above 30 years to get their blood pressure, blood sugar and fasting lipid profile checked up
* Individuals above 40 years may get an annual cardiac check-up done which should include an electrocardiogram, echocardiogram and an exercise tolerance (treadmill) test.
* Learn bystander-CPR and AED usage
* Not to suddenly do unaccustomed arduous exercise, avoid strenuous activity in an inebriated state
* Not to follow crash diets which may lead to sudden changes in metabolism.

Preventive cardiac behaviour:

* Eating healthy
* Exercising regularly
* Maintaining ideal body weight
* Avoiding smoking
* Moderating alcohol consumption
* Reducing stress
* Sleeping for a minimum of six to eight hours
* Detecting and controlling hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol.