BEFRIEND YOUR HEART

Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir, Elamakkara organised a webinar on 30th September for the students, parents and staff on ‘Befriend Your Heart’ on the occasion of World Heart Day. Senior Consultant cardiologist of Renai Medicity Hospital, Dr. Jay B Pattam was the speaker for the day. He completed his MD (Internal medicine) and DM (Cardiology) training from the prestigious Post Graduate Institution for Medical Education and Research (PGIMER, Chandigarh)and moreover he was an alumnus of Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir, Girinagar who passed out in 1994 as the second batch of std XII. He was an active quizzer and debater during his school days. 

The doctor reminds us of the necessity to befriend  one’s heart every now and then  in this digital era and why one should be keen on cardiovascular diseases especially during this pandemic times. He pointed out that the saddest part is  nowadays the affected group belongs to the productive population who are between 30 -40 years of age. This situation can be controlled only by early diagnosis, prevention and timely treatment. He added that the burden of cardiovascular disease is rising in India. The estimated prevalence is 3-4% in rural areas and 8-10% in urban areas representing a twofold rise in rural areas and a six fold rise in urban areas over the past four decades.The doctor added that smoking , tobacco chewing, people with diabetes, high BP, obesity, strong family history are more prone to heart diseases and by 2030, India will be one along with China and US with the largest number of cardiovascular cases. The doctor strongly recommended that after 18 years one must check BP every 3-5 years or if symptoms occur treat as per doctors advice and also to exercise regularly.

The session concluded with an interactive session with the doctor where the students, parents and staff clarified their queries related to the disease and gave us an insight into the actions that we can take to avoid risk factors, prevent and control CVD.