Most heart diseases are preventable. Most of us are aware of the risk factors that lead to heart diseases. What we lack is not the knowledge but the will to control them. India is the Diabetes capital of the world and is becoming heart disease capital of the world. Indians anywhere in the world are more prone to heart diseases. We are seeing a rapid and alarming increase in the incidence and even rural India is not spared.
The good news is there is effective treatment available. Most of the heart diseases can be managed with medications. For those in whom medications are ineffective, non-surgical interventions and surgical options are available. In my nearly 20 years of practice whenever I have advised heart surgery, the reaction has been the same. “I am so young, I am still working, I have to earn to take care of my family, I have small children”; Well these are precisely the reasons why the heart surgery is being advised. To help you get back to your life.
For anybody, it is difficult to believe that there is something wrong with a vital organ like the heart, to the extent that it requires surgery. Misconceptions are common, that once the heart is operated upon, it may not function normally, they may not be able to lead a normal life, things may go wrong during the operation and so on. Heart operations are well planned, scientifically studies operations. The heart, in fact works better than before and life will become more robust. The excellent outcomes have been well established by countless studies.
The thought of any surgery brings to mind the suffering from it. If one focuses on the positives of the heart operation, on how it will help one to get back to normal life, it can be accepted easily. Today heart operations are one of the most commonly done operations, the patient is walking by the next day, can be discharged by the 4th or 5th day and by which time he is totally independent and on his own. If desired, one can get back to work by 2 – 4 weeks time.
Another common response to the suggestion of heart operation is that one has completed all his social responsibilities and is retired, and hence doesn’t desire the operation. Traditionally Indians believe that life ends with retirement. Why should it? One has retired from a job, not life. Surgery helps overcome heart problems and improves the quality of life. Today children are away pursuing their careers and not around to take care of the elderly. One has to be fit to take care of himself.
Many postpone heart surgery, because the symptoms are manageable, initially. If one looks closely it is not so. The body goes on restricting all the activities that cause symptoms, giving a false sense of security. The heart if not treated on time suffers permanent damage worsening the problem. Operations can be done even in advanced stages, but the risks are higher and outcomes are not so excellent. If operated on time, heart function can be preserved and the surgical outcomes are excellent.
Another common behavior is to seek non-surgical treatment like medicines and interventions, instead of surgery even when it is definitely indicated. In such situations not only will these other treatments be ineffective, many times many cause harm. The problem is incompletely treated and can recur very early. Heart operations are now done via smaller and smaller incisions, further reducing the discomfort and allowing even faster recovery. Even in advanced stages when the heart has suffered severe damage, and has resulted in heart failure there are surgical options available like heart transplant and artificial heart implantations. When medical management has become ineffective, heart operations is the answer and it is very effective. In fact I would look at heart operation as a boon rather than a bane.
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