Proactive Screening Doubles Early CVD Diagnosis in Community: Dr. Sushil

Proactive Screening Doubles Early CVD Diagnosis in Community: Dr. Sushil

POONCH TODAY NEWS

JAMMU, April 7th: On the occasion of World health day and in order to create awareness regarding masses and primary care physicians regarding the importance of early screening and detecting cardiovascular diseases Head Department of Cardiology Dr Sushil Sharma held a day long Cardiac Awareness cum health Check up camp at Government Middle School Khojipur area of Bishnah, Jammu with main focus to educate the importance of proactive diagnostic approach particularly with reference to cardiac ailments. While interacting with the people Dr Sushil stated that despite the plethora of diagnostic methods available today, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is often diagnosed late.

By then, serious and irreversible damage has often already occurred due to prolonged disease progression or acute cardiovascular (CV) events such as myocardial infarction (MI), decompensated heart failure (HF), or stroke. Therefore, improving early recognition and subsequent treatment of CVD is essential. Proactive screening can uncover unrecognized CVD in a substantial number of people using a variety of screening methods. Screening for symptoms indicative of CVD could be an efficient and effective first step to identify patients who could benefit from further screening, since symptoms are common in unrecognized CVD. Coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation and heart failure are chronic progressive conditions affecting millions of people worldwide and leading to significant morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs. Early stages of these diseases usually manifest with nonspecific symptoms in primary care, rather than in hospitals. Treatments are available that may prevent acute events, such as acute myocardial infarction, stroke or acute heart failure. He elaborated that the early stages of chronic progressive cardiovascular disease (CVD) generally cause non-specific symptoms that patients often do not spontaneously mention to their general practitioner, and are therefore easily missed. A proactive diagnostic strategy has the potential to uncover these frequently missed early stages, creating an opportunity for earlier intervention. This is of particular importance for chronic progressive CVDs with evidence-based therapies known to improve prognosis, such as ischemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation and heart failure. Despite  four decades of declines in age-standardized CVD and stroke death rates, the numbers of heart disease, stroke, and related vascular deaths continue to make these by far the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. The burden of CVD and stroke in terms of life-years lost, diminished quality of life, and direct and indirect medical costs also remains enormous. He added that Diagnosing non-acute cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in an early stage may be difficult because symptoms can be non-specific or atypical. This seems even more true in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) because of similarities in signs and symptoms (eg, shortness of breath and reduced exercise tolerance). Although it is well known that patients with COPD and T2DM are at increased risk of developing CVD,a change in symptoms hinting at a new CVD may remain unnoticed by both patient and physician. Selective screening studies in patients with COPD or T2DM aged over 60–65 years showed high prevalence of unrecognised heart failure (HF); 21% and 28%, respectively,while unrecognised coronary artery disease may even be observed in up to 65% of patients with T2DM, He said. Prominent member of the area Rajesh Sharma (Sarpanch), Rakesh Sharma ( Panch), Sudha Sharma (Panch), Parveen Sharma (Panch), R C Sharma, Pt. Shivtamber Sharma, Des Raj Sharma, Tarsem Lal Sharma, Ganesh Lal and Rajesh Bhau appreciated the efforts of Dr Sushil Sharma and his team for conducting cardiac Awareness cum health Check up camp in their area and shows their heartfelt gratitude.

Others who were part of this Camp includes Dr Yashwant Sharma and Dr Dhaneshwer kapoor. Paramedics and volunteers includes Raghav Rajput , Rohit Nayyar , Jatin  Bhasin, Paramveer Singh ,Arun Singh, Rajinder Singh , Paramveer Singh , Amnish Dutta , Rajkumar, Vikas Kumar and Nirvair Singh Bali.