Heart diseases catching up youths: Study

Bangalore, Aug 14 (UNI) More than 50 per cent of the youths who have the family history of heart diseases, diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, face the threat of cardiac problem even before they reach the age of 45 in this knowledge city, a survey states.

The survey was conducted by the Trinity Hospital, one of the leading cardiac healthcare institution of the country in the cities of Pune, Bangalore, Kolkatta, Mumbai and New Delhi.

Dr B G Muralidhara, Chairman and Managing Director and Chief Interventional Cardiologist of the hospital told newsmen here that nearly 600 people in the 45 to 50 years age group were involved in the survey. It was conducted on those who has all the above four characterstics including diabetes, hypertension and the family history was found that they were facing serious threat of heart attacks eventhough they did not have any symptoms.

"All these youths were actually ignorant about the imminent threat of losing their lives" he said.

He said that they fell under a symptomatic group which had evidence of blockages in the arteries in heart as well as in blood vessels, which supplies blood to brain, kidneys and legs. This condition is called the peripheral vascular disease.

Dr Muralidhara said that in Bangalore city study was conducted on over 100 people, both men and women in the age group of 45-50 and found problems in over 50 per cent of them. "The problem was more acute with those who has the habit of intensive smoking" he said.

Stressing that the changing lifestyle was the main contributor to this situation Dr Muralidhara informed that the problem can be detected early if they undergo one minute CT Angiogram procedure and get treatment. "A valueble life can be saved if the people among the high-risk groups undergo CT Angiogram" Dr Muralidhara said.

Dr Muralidhara also informed that the Trinity Hospital the pioneer in introducing the 64 slice cardiac CT One Minute Angiogram procedure in the country so far has conducted on over 5500 patients.

"The patient need not to admit into hospital and the new method was also proved as cost effective than the traditional way of conducting angiography" he said.

UNI