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HEART DISEASE IS REVERSIBLE
Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals launches Eastern India’s first Heart Disease Prevention & Reversal Program
- The Healthy Heart Program aims to start a movement #ActBeforeTheAttack to deal a body blow to the NCD burden India faces
- The comprehensive program which is preventive and personalised draws on global clinical research with proven results
- Program to be spearheaded by an expert team of cardiologists
- Program will be supported by proprietary customized CRM infrastructure specific to the Healthy Heart Program
Kolkata, October, 2017: Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata’s largest and most trusted healthcare facility, today launched the ‘Healthy Heart’ Program, Eastern India’s first heart disease prevention and reversal program. Post World Heart Day, observed on September 29, the program is tailored to help people prone to heart diseases and patients already suffering from heart ailments to arrest and reverse the progress of the disease.
The Healthy Heart Program is a fee-based, annual, personalised heart disease reversal program which at enrolment stage classifies patients into high or low risk based on a physical screening encompassing 14 important health parameters. Once enrolled, the program includes continuing healthy heart doctor consultations, four cardiologist-physician consults per year, diet & lifestyle counselling (yoga, micronutrients and meditation) and continuous monitoring by a Customer Relationship Management infrastructure throughout their treatment. People enrolling in the program are also eligible for a 15% discount for any other cardiac related interventions that might be required. Patients undergoing angioplasty or bypass surgery at Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals will be automatically enrolled into the program free of cost for a year. This is to enhance the outcome of the interventions and prevent recurrence.
Sharing his thoughts on the occasion, Mr Rana Dasgupta, CEO, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals Kolkata said, “The demographic dividend that our state and adjoining states enjoy is under severe threat from NCDs. Unchecked, this disease burden will take away state’s best at their most productive age. Already around 20 percent of heart attacks observed across Apollo Hospitals are in the age group of 25-35 years. With these numbers, it is difficult to guarantee the heart health of young Bengal in the future. Through this initiative, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals wants to ensure that people get the best of counselling and treatment. We want to nurture a Healthy Bengal with a Healthy Heart.”
Dr Ajay Banerji, Deputy Medical Superintendent, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals Kolkata, says, “In keeping with the spirit of the National Health Policy, the Healthy Heart Program aims at prevention through a comprehensive approach to heart health. Most patients we see today approach the hospital or consult a doctor only when they experience some serious discomfort. This program is developed to engage with patients, as well as those prone to heart disease, well in advance to ensure that they receive all-round consultation and thereby prevent / reverse the possibility of a heart attack.”
There is ample global evidence from eminent medical organisations and research studies that show heart disease reversal is a reality. While hospitals in the western countries are running such programs successfully, unfortunately no such programs existed in Eastern India prior to this. Healthy Heart is devised to fill these lacunae and make evidence-based heart disease reversal accessible to common people outside of a research setting. One of the significant elements of this programe is that it makes cardiologists available to all those who enrol at any time for queries related to heart ailments. Once the patient has enrolled in this programe, the Healthy Heart team will offer its complete care and consultation round-the-clock.
The NCD Burden: The WHO and World Economic Forum have forecasted non-communicable diseases (NCDs) becoming pandemic by 2030. The NCDs – diabetes, cancer, heart problems and infections would cost the developing and underdeveloped countries $30 trillion and India having a large incidence of these diseases, would bear 1/6th of the cost, $5 trillion. India accounts for 4-5 million cases of heart failure and world-wide.
Global evidence supporting reversal of heart disease:
In a risk factor modification study published in the American Journal of Cardiology involving 440 patients with coronary artery disease all participants showed significant medical and psychosocial improvement. The results demonstrating that a multi-component lifestyle change program focusing on diet, exercise, stress management, and social support lead to reversal of heart disease. Improved stenosis geometry by quantitative coronary arteriography after vigorous risk factor modification
In a study conducted by The Wellness Institute of the Cleveland Clinic involving 198 patients with Cardio Vascular Disease, in the 177 adherents to a disease reversal program, major cardiac events totaled a recurrent event rate of 0.6% significantly less than non-adherents.
As per a study published in The Lancet patients in the experimental group reported a 91% reduction in the frequency of the angina, a 42% reduction in the duration of angina, and a 28% reduction in the severity of angina. In contrast, control-group patients reported a 165% rise in the frequency, a 95% rise in duration, and a 39% rise in the severity of angina. The study demonstrated that small changes in lifestyle may slow the progression of atherosclerosis. Source: Can lifestyle changes reverse coronary heart disease?
ABOUT APOLLO HOSPITALS
It was in 1983, that Dr Prathap Reddy made a pioneering endeavour by launching India’s first corporate hospital – Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. Over the years Apollo Hospitals has established itself as home to the largest cardiac practice in India with over 160,000 cardiac surgeries. Apollo Hospitals is also the world’s largest private cancer care provider and runs the world’s leading solid organ transplant program.
As Asia’s largest and most trusted healthcare group, its presence includes more than 10000 beds across 70 Hospitals, 2,500 Pharmacies, over 100 Primary Care and Diagnostic Clinics, 110 plus Telemedicine Centres and 80 plus Apollo Munich Insurance branches panning the length and breadth of the Country.
As an integrated healthcare service provider with Health Insurance services, Global Projects Consultancy capability, over 15 medical education centres and a Research Foundation with a focus on global Clinical Trials, epidemiological studies, stem cell & genetic research Apollo Hospitals has been at the forefront of new medical breakthroughs with the most recent investment being that of commissioning the first Proton Therapy Center across Asia, Africa and Australia in Chennai, India. Every four days, the Apollo Hospitals Group touches a million lives, in its mission to bring healthcare of International standards within the reach of every individual.
In a rare honor, the Government of India issued a commemorative stamp in recognition of Apollo’s contribution, the first for a healthcare organization. Apollo Hospitals Chairman, Dr Prathap C Reddy, was conferred with the prestigious Padma Vibhushan in 2010. For more than 30 years, the Apollo Hospitals Group has continuously excelled and maintained leadership in medical innovation, world-class clinical services and cutting-edge technology. Our hospitals are consistently ranked amongst the best hospitals globally for advanced medical services and research.
