A large-scale cardiac care initiative brought relief to 105 patients from economically disadvantaged backgrounds through angioplasty workshops held at Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research in Bengaluru and Mysuru. Conducted from September 15 to 17, the program was organized in collaboration with the Govindraju Subramani Heart Foundation and the Medtronic Vascular Division, Santa Rosa, United States.
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The three-day camp provided angioplasty and stenting procedures entirely free of cost. With several patients requiring more than one stent, around 120 stents were used during the workshops. Beneficiaries included farmers, daily wage workers, auto-rickshaw drivers, garment industry employees, senior citizens with limited resources, and small vendors. Patients came not only from Karnataka but also from West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Bihar.
Rising burden of heart-related ailments
The initiative highlighted the rising burden of heart-related ailments among the underprivileged and younger population. Data from the camp showed that one in four patients was below 50 years of age, while women accounted for over a quarter of the cases. The youngest patient treated was 28 years old, and the oldest was 77.
Lifestyle-related factors were also evident, with 60% of the participants diagnosed with diabetes, 54% with hypertension, one-third identified as smokers, and more than a third with elevated cholesterol levels. The programme demonstrated the increasing vulnerability of younger age groups and low-income communities to cardiac conditions traditionally associated with the affluent and elderly.