Mangaluru: The Department of Medicine, Father Muller Medical College and the Association of Physicians of India (API) – DK Chapter jointly organised the International Cardio Diabetic Conference – 2015 and the Silver Jubilee Celebration of API-DK at the Decennial Hall, Knowledge Center, FMMC here on September 19.
The programme was inaugurated by Member of Parliament Dakshina Kannada constituency, Nalin Kumar Kateel by lighting the traditional lamp along with other dignitaries on the dais.
Padmashree Dr C M Manjunath, Director and HOD of Cardiology in Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology Bangaluru, explained the correlation between cardiological diseases and diabetes and the objective of the conference in addressing the complications faced by patients of either health issue. He said, “Cardio diseases and diabetes are two sides of the same coin. A person who has one of diabetes could get cardiological complications and vice versa.”
He also said that from the data available through the Ministry of Health, today in India nearly 50% of deaths are due to non-communicable diseases like cardio-vascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, cancer, etc. The prevalence of cardio-vascular disease in India was just 2% in 1960 and has risen to 8% in 2015. Before, heart-related diseases were of the elite class, the rich, but today it is a disease of poor people. It is equally prevalent among the villagers, labourers and 25% of deaths are due to heart attacks and other cardio-vascular diseases. Earlier, children would bring their parents with heart related problems but today, this is happening in reverse; the parents are bringing their children suffering from heart diseases to the hospitals. The main risk factors are mainly loss of physical activity and stress. A recent study by European Congress of Cardiology found that if we walk for 20 minutes daily, our lifespan gets prolonged and better.
He advised those who work in multi-storey buildings to make use of the stairs as much as possible as with today’s hectic lifestyle, work and lack of open spaces, people are left with little time to exercise.
He appreciated the health schemes introduced by the Government of Karnataka and said that they were impressive since they allow even a common man to receive comprehensive treatment for a range of diseases. He said that for every 30 minutes of delay in initiating a treatment for heart attack, the relative risk of death increases by 7%, and if a person who is a beneficiary of a scheme like Yaswini scheme or Arogyashree, develops a heart attack, there is no need for pre-authorization and with the scheme card, treatment can be initiated immediately, without any delays.
He concluded, advising the gathering to adopt a 5 point formula in which Blood pressure, blood sugar, blood cholesterol, body weight and waist circumference, and over ambition, are kept as low as possible.
The Director of Father Muller Charitable Institutions, Fr Patrick Rodrigues congratulated the organizers of the conference and said that India is becoming a capital of many things and will soon add diabetes to the list. “The economic burden because of diabetes and cardio-vascular diseases is very huge on the individual, the family and also the nation. In the light of this, all of us have the responsibility to address this huge problem with determination and commitment,” he added.
President of API DK chapter, Dr H Prabakar and MP Nalin Kumar Kateel also spoke on the occasion. Dr Chakrapani M, Associate Dean of KMC Mangaluru, welcomed the gathering. Dr Sunil Kumar, Professor in Srinivas Institute of Medical Sciences Mangaluru, delivered the vote of thanks. Dr K R Kamath (KMC Observer), Dr Prasanth Y M, various physicians and cardiologists and postgraduates were also present on the occasion.
